Deadline for the next round of the Scottish Borders Council Localities Bid Fund is Monday 1st October.
Almost £300,000 is up for grabs to improve local communities in the next round of the Fund, which is designed to support projects and initiatives that address local priorities and benefit local towns, villages and communities.
Members of the public will ultimately decide which projects should get money.
The fund is divided among five areas in the Borders (known as localities):
- Berwickshire – £48,374
- Cheviot – £50,568
- Eildon – £95,802
- Teviot and Liddesdale – £40,080
- Tweeddale – £61,416
Each bid will be assessed by a panel of councillors, helped by council staff, and if it meets the criteria it will go forward to a public vote in each locality.
The first round of the Localities Bid Fund saw more than £200,000 allocated to 18 projects in March this year.
In a change from the first round of funding, each area partnership will be able to decide the following for their own locality:
- if there is a cap on the amount groups can bid for
- if applications should be based around a certain theme
- if funding should be allocated in a certain way (e.g. urban/rural split)
- whether a cash contribution from the projects should be required.
The fund will not support:
- projects that are already up and running (the Localities Bid Fund is seeking new and innovative projects)
- any retrospective costs already incurred by the applicant
- political or religious activities
- applications from statutory bodies e.g. NHS Borders or Police Scotland
- organisations that aim to make a profit
- projects that disadvantage any groups or area of the community .
Find out more about the fund on the council website.