The Beinneun Community Fund

About this fund

The Beinneun Community Benefit Fund supports community projects benefitting those living in the two community council areas of Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston and Glengarry.  The fund is provided by Beinneun Wind Farm Ltd, the company which owns and operates the Beinneun wind farm in Highland.  

An annual payment of over £500,000 is available for the operational life of the wind farm which is currently expected to be up to 25 years from when it started operating in 2017. 

Purpose of this fund

The Fund provides grants to support charitable activities that benefit the residents of the Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston and Glengarry areas; and enhances the economic, social or environmental sustainability of these communities.  Most of all, the Fund aims to ensure that successful applications are translated into real projects that make a material difference and deliver a lasting legacy.

Grants may support a wide range of costs, for example, the costs of equipment, staff or sessional workers, consultations, running costs for local groups, maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities, and so on. 

Additional criteria

The fund is keen to encourage environmentally responsible and sustainable practice amongst applicant groups and within communities, and would welcome (in application forms) information about any measures groups have been able to take or plan to take to achieve this.  Projects which aim to tackle the climate challenge at a local level would also be welcome.  

Match funding is not necessarily required, however, evidence of external funding contributions, fundraising or monies from the applicant’s own resources will strengthen an application.

If the application is for asset or land development, then the organisation must usually own the asset/land or show evidence of a long-term lease agreement or other legal right to develop the asset or land.  

Who can apply?

Community groups and organisations working to benefit people in the area of benefit and which meet Foundation Scotland’s  standard eligibility criteria can apply. Applicants must have a constitution and be set up on a not-for-profit basis. They do not need to be a registered charity but the activity or project they are requesting funding for must be charitable/for community benefit.

Applications from groups/organisations located out with the communities of Fort Augustus and Glenmoriston and Glengarry will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Such groups must demonstrate a clear benefit from the proposed project for residents within one or both communities, and demonstrate demand for the project from within those communities.  

What can’t be funded?

Foundation Scotland maintains a standard list of exclusions which cannot be funded.  

Additionally, the fund cannot support:

• Anti-wind farm or anti-renewable energy activities, including activities contrary to the interests of Beinneun Wind Farm Ltd.
• Activities that bring Beinneun Wind Famr Ltd or Foundation Scotland into disrepute
• Projects that are detrimental to the environment or those that encourage further climate change. In particular, the Fund is unlikely to support applications which include the use of fossil fuel 

How are decisions made?

A Community Panel made up of people aged over 16 who live, work or volunteer in the local area makes recommendations on grant awards from the Fund.  Decisions are final and there is no appeals process. Applications that do not receive funding awards will receive feedback and where possible, signposted to other sources of funding or advice.