Perth and Kinross Council is offering funding via the Community Investment Fund which focuses on community-led projects to tackle inequality and improve the quality of life across Perth and Kinross.
Funding from the Community Investment Fund is broken up by Council wards with £32,048 available for projects in the Highland Ward and £33,267.40 available in the Strathtay ward, however there is no maximum or minimum application level.
In 2019, The Care and Wellbeing Cooperative received funding from the Community Investment Fund to help them work across Highland Perthshire.
Donna Murray-Trail from the group, explains why they applied to the fund: “We applied to the Community Investment Fund because we were really concerned about the number of older people who weren’t eligible for statutory services because they were still keeping well and being independent in the house, but we realised they were particularly isolated and lonely and perhaps weren’t getting to go to the things they wanted to go to, it might be a lunch club, it might be to continue a hobby that they really enjoy, it might be connecting with friends and they just didn’t have anyone to help them do that.”
During this round of funding, the council are focusing on projects which impacts one or more of the following:
- Poverty and cost of living
- Mental and physical wellbeing
- Digital participation and inclusion
- Skill, learning and development
- Employability
- Help for groups to cover significant increases in costs as a result of the cost-of-living crisis
Applicants applying under the additional criteria for 2022/23 to support groups experiencing a significant increase in their running costs should note that they will need to evidence that the increase in cost is a result of the cost-of-living situation and not due to other elements of their group or project’s operations.
To find out more about the Community Investment Fund and how to apply visit https://www.pkc.gov.uk/cif