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Community Fund

Our Community Fund supports communities to use, manage and own woods and forests. Activities must help to deliver Scotland’s Forestry Strategy.

Published: 23 Feb 2025

Topic: Apply for a grant

Am I eligible?

The Community Fund is available to groups and organisations, but not to private individuals. Applicants can include:

  • community groups
  • voluntary groups
  • development trusts
  • social enterprises
  • charities
  • local authorities

The minimum requirement is that:

  • the applicant has a bank account
  • community-based groups have a basic constitution

Visit the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) for more information on constitutions. 

How to write your constitution (Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations website)

Eligible activities

Funding can support activities associated with any forest or woodland in Scotland, including Scotland's national forests and land.

Eligible activities need to support the objectives of the Fund, promoting the use, management and ownership of woodlands by communities.

A wide range of activities are eligible, and can include: 

  • promotion of physical activity linked to woodlands, such as:
    • walking schemes
    • safe routes to school
    • natural play
    • school care clubs
    • play schemes and adventure play
  • developing materials for communities that promote the benefits of using woodlands
  • facilitating voluntary work that supports:
    • skills training
    • health improvement
    • community development
  • establishing volunteer groups and inducting volunteers
  • providing resources to involve communities in the decision-making processes of managing their local woodland
  • developing Community Asset Transfer Scheme applications - funding will not normally cover legal costs but can be used to support activities such as obtaining a valuation

Funding can support activities associated with Scotland's national forests and land, as well as woods and forests owned by individuals, organisations or communities.

Applicants requesting funding for salaries should note that funding can only be awarded for the current financial year. There is no guarantee that funding will be available in future years.

Does your project involve engaging under-represented groups? You may wish to consider Scottish Forestry's Woods for All programme as a more appropriate source of funding.

Woods for all

Ineligible activities

The Community Fund cannot be used for:

  • forest schools, forest kindergartens or formal education activities 
  • staff professional development
  • the acquisition of:
    • fixed assets, such as land and permanent buildings
    • mobile assets for public sector organisations
  • land-based and infrastructure expenditure, such as that supported by the Scottish Rural Development Programme

    Scotland Rural Development Programme (Scottish Government website)

  • funding for the staff of public sector organisations

Funding will not be paid in advance and can only be claimed retrospectively. All claims must be made within the financial year in which the funding is awarded.

How do I apply?

There are 2 separate application processes:

  1. for applications up to £1,000, apply by letter to your local Scottish Forestry Conservancy office
  2. for applications above £1,000, apply using the Community Fund application form available from your local Scottish Forestry Conservancy office

The level of information required is proportionate to the level of funding sought. 

The level of funding available is on a sliding scale: 

  • up to 100% for projects with a total cost of less than £1,000
  • up to 90% for projects with a total cost of £1,000-£5,000
  • up to 75% for projects with a total cost of more than £5,000

Need more information?

Contact us if you have any questions or if you would like an application form.

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