SCBF update November 2020

The Sunart Community Benefit Fund Panel distribute profits donated from the Sunart Community Hydro scheme. Due to the pandemic the panel delayed their Spring meeting until after the summer and then met using Zoom video conferencing this Autumn.

Awards

A number of applications for events had to be withdrawn because CV19 restrictions led to cancellations however the Panel were delighted to be able to make the following awards, and would like to thank the Directors of SCR for their continued support:

Gamoran Publishing – a start-up grant to help local authors and poets get their works published and on sale. The grant will be used for sales, marketing and networking opportunities and enable collaboration between local authors.

Strontian Angling Association – a mid-project grant to match-fund the costs of a three year project trying to enhance the biodiversity of the Strontian River by rearing young salmon and releasing the young fish and more eggs into the river.

Sunart Community Company – grant support to fund part time worker enabling the charity to move forward with existing projects and bring in additional funding to the area.

Scotstown Common Grazings – a loan, (matched by a similar loan from the Sunart Community Council) to fund the undertake the complete refencing of the bull paddock. The money will be repaid from a Scottish Government Grant that can only by claimed once the work is completed and paid for.

Panel Member Vacancies

There are some vacancies for Panel Members. The group meets twice a year to consider applications so it is not an onerous task but what is important, is that a range of volunteers from the community come together to review the applications. If you are interested please get in touch with the Sunart Community Company (who provide the Secretariat) or the Chair, Eilidh-Ann Phillips.

In view of the lack of new applications to the Fund this Autumn, probably due to CV19 restrictions on community activities, the next deadline for Applications is the end of February 2021 for projects in summer 2021 (Please note applications of an urgent nature can be considered in between the March and October Panels in exceptional circumstances.) Grants are typical between £1,000 to £10,000.