Communities across Scotland urged to apply to £500,000 sustainable development grant programme

Communities across Scotland urged to apply to £500,000 sustainable development grant programme © Crown Estate Scotland

Crown Estate Scotland's Sustainable Communities Fund has opened for its seventh round of applications, offering grants to eligible grass-roots projects across Scotland.

Established in 2020, the programme, which offers practical support to a wide variety of projects, has already distributed more than £2.25 million and this year's funding pot is the biggest to date. The fund comprises of two separate grant programmes:

• Environment Grants of £5,000 to £20,000 which are available to Crown Estate Scotland tenants to support projects capable of delivering environmental benefits within 18 months of award.
• Community Capacity Grants of £20,000 to £50,000, available to support early-stage development of community enterprise projects situated within five miles of the Scottish coastline (or one of Crown Estate Scotland's rural estates).

For the first time, more than half a million pounds will be available across the two grant programmes, with £200,000 available via Environment Grants and £390,000 via Community Capacity Grants.

The Environment Grant programme has seen the most substantial increase in funding as Crown Estate Scotland seeks to support its tenants to deliver a range of environmental improvements, such as improving the energy efficiency of their businesses or enhancing biodiversity.

Community groups across Scotland are invited to apply for Community Capacity Grants towards early-stage development projects that will support sustainable management of the Scottish Crown Estate and the activities that take place upon it. Projects should fall within one or more of the following themes:

• Sustainable rural or coastal housing
• Climate-resilient communities
• Community infrastructure
• Skills, enterprise and the circular economy
• Sustainable tourism, recreation and heritage

Anneli Hill, Head of Sustainable Development & Delivery at Crown Estate Scotland, said: "We are delighted to be able to pledge almost £600,000 towards this year's Sustainable Community Fund - a programme which has helped fund a large number of transformative community projects across Scotland and which empowers local people and Crown Estate Scotland tenants to bring about the changes most important to them.

"This year's fund complements our recently published Corporate Plan, which sets out our commitment to protect and enhance Scotland's incredible diversity in nature and to provide more support to our tenants and their ambitions."

Recent awards through the scheme have included:

• £42,000 to the Scourie Community Development Company in Sutherland to help with the technical design stage for the construction of nine affordable homes
• £37,800 to Kintyre Seasports in Campbeltown to expand a vocational maritime skills programme delivering practical, industry-recognised training to local young people
• £43,900 to Friends of Tarlair Community Group in Aberdeenshire to support the restoration of a historic Art Deco lido

Munro Reid, Fishery Manager, United Clyde Angling Protective Association (UCAPA) which received £20,000 in 2026, said: "The support from the Crown Estate Scotland's Environment Grant programme has enabled UCAPA to make significant progress in tackling invasive non-native species. Using the mapping application developed through the project, we have already surveyed and mapped more than 25 kilometres of riverbank, identifying 48 sites of giant hogweed and 104 sites of Japanese knotweed. The funding has also allowed our team to complete the necessary pesticide application training and purchase the specialist equipment required to begin a targeted treatment programme.

"Without the support of Crown Estate Scotland, this important work simply would not have been possible. The long-term eradication of these invasive species will help restore native habitats, improve biodiversity and enhance the health and resilience of our riverbanks for future generations."

Campbell Fox from Kintyre Sea Sports, which received £37,800: "Over the past four years the Community Capacity grant funding from Crown Estate Scotland has enabled us to introduce over 150 pupils from Campbeltown Grammar School to the world of pleasure craft, with more than 60 of them qualifying as dinghy sailors and powerboat drivers and a further four young people emerging as fully-fledged Royal Yacht Association qualified instructors. This ground-breaking community engagement project has attracted national interest as an example of how to provide maritime skills development, in an industry affected by acute shortages."

Both funds opened to new applications on Tuesday 1 September 2026.

Full details of how to apply can be found on the Crown Estate Scotland website. Crown Estate Scotland will also announce details of informational for more information.

The deadline for applicants to submit a brief expression of interest to the Community Capacity Grants programme - which is managed by Foundation Scotland on behalf of Crown Estate Scotland - is 5pm on. A shortlist of eligible applicants will then be invited to submit a full application.

The deadline for Crown Estate Scotland tenants to apply to the Environment Grants Programme - which is administered by Crown Estate Scotland - and which has a one-stage application process, is midday on Monday 26 October.

Successful applications are expected to be announced by. For further information please visit the Sustainable Communities Fund page of Crown Estate Scotland's website.