Case studies
Our Heart of the Community Trust continues to support communities and groups across rural areas in Scotland.
That’s the aim of our Heart of Community initiative. Established back in 2011, it supports local causes in and around the areas we farm with grants of a few hundred pounds to several thousand pounds.
To date, it’s added up to a boost of £2M+ for our local communities; funds that have gone towards everything from playgroups to primary school trips, and sports clubs to much-loved Highland Games.
Quick and easy to apply
We’ve tried to make the process of applying for a Heart of the Community grant as quick and easy as possible.
Click here to fill-out the online application form.
Once done, press the ‘Submit’ button and you’ll receive a message to let you know your application has been received safely.
Please note: larger Heart of the Community grants have now reached capacity for this year. We are currently only able to accept applications for grants of up to £500.
Due to the high level of demand for Heart of the Community funding this year, our larger grants have now reached capacity and we are currently only able to accept applications for grants of up to £500.
We know how much these local groups, projects and initiatives matter to the communities where we live and work, and we remain committed to supporting as many good causes as possible across our farming regions. Applications for grants of up to £500 will continue to be considered monthly at regional level, with decisions made shortly afterwards.
Grants decided locally
Each and every project supported is nominated by a local group or organisation, then reviewed by our regional team; people who not only work in the community but live there too.
As such, they know first-hand some of the issues that our remote and rural communities can face, and where Heart of the Community support would help the most.
This includes:
- Creating affordable, family-orientated activities – for example, funding new or improved play parks and sponsoring local tournaments, events and festivals
- Giving younger generations the same opportunities as those in more central areas – from donating laptops to enable online classroom learning, to helping cover the cost of away travel in competitive leagues
- Safeguarding mental wellbeing – supporting mental wellbeing groups and charities, from children and young people through to the elderly
- Combating isolation – everything from co-funding community transport and helping ensure local groups continue to have somewhere to meet regularly.
- Providing lifeline services – including donating floats to help keep wild swimmers safe and contributing to the cost of community defibrillators.
In addition, each of our Farm Managers is allocated £500 annually to award to a local group or project of their choosing.
Farming local, supporting local
Interested in applying for support but for a project that doesn’t fall into one of these core areas of support?
We’ll consider good causes of all kinds, if they’ll benefit the communities close to our farms and facilities.
Please note that given the ongoing rise in the cost of living and, in turn, increased demand for support, we prioritise applications from groups and causes close to our farms and facilities.
Celebrating 10 years
In 2021, we celebrated 10 years of Heart of the Community.
To mark the occasion, we produced a special anniversary brochure looking back on some of the many local groups, organisations and projects we have worked with in that time and the great work that they have done and continue to do.
You can download a copy here:
