Cockburnspath & Cove Community Benefit Fund
| Grant size | No fixed amount |
| Area |
Scottish Borders
|
| Key dates | |
| Application Deadline (for decision beginning of December): | 10/10/24 |
| Application Deadline (for decision end March): | 14/01/25 |
| Application Deadline (for decision mid June): | 01/04/25 |
| Application Deadline (for decision mid September): | 08/07/25 |
| Application Deadline (for decision late November): | 16/09/25 |
About this fund
The Co'path & Cove Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in the Community Council area of Cockburnspath and Cove. The Fund is a vehicle through which by six different funds are administered, provided by:
- Fred Olsen Renewables, the owner of Crystal Rig I & Crystal Rig II wind farms (opened respectively in 2004 and 2010).
- Cubico Investments/RES, owner of Penmanshiel wind farm (opened in 2013).
- Berwickshire Community Renewables LLP, the owner of the Fisherman 3 wind farm (opened in 2017).
- Sedgewick Wind Limited, owner of Fernylea 1 wind farm (opened in 2017).
- Foresight, the owner of Kinegar wind farm (opened in 2018).
Foundation Scotland administered the Foresight Kinegar Community Fund alongside Cockburnspath & Cove Community Council from 2018. Cockburnspath & Cove Community Council had administered the other five Funds for a number of years. In 2024, Cockburnspath & Cove Community Council requested that Foundation Scotland also administer on its behalf the five other community benefit funds listed above. The Co'path & Cove Community Fund opened in 2024 combining all six community benefit funds, making it easier for community groups and charities to access funding through a single Fund arrangement. An annual amount of circa £115,000, inflation adjusted, will be paid into the Co'path & Cove Community Fund each year for the operating life of the wind farms.
Grant Size:
- Small grants between £500 and £20,000
- Large grants over £20,001 (please use the large grant enquiry form to apply)
Purpose of this fund
The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that:
- Enhance the quality of life for the local residents.
- Contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities.
- Promote community spirit and encourage community activity.
- Preserve, enhance or give better access to culture, heritage and the environment.
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, capital projects and so on.
The Panel will consider funding awards for trips (including trips abroad), where it can be demonstrated that there is a community benefit.
Please note that applications which do not clearly meet one of the above outcomes are still welcome to apply. The priorities are simply a guide as to how applications may be prioritised by the Panel.
Additional criteria
The Panel will welcome applications that propose to work across the Community Council area and which would benefit the the community of Cockburnspath & Cove (please see map for boundary). The Panel will consider applications from groups located outwith the Fund area, provided that the project can clearly demonstrate and evidence impact for the community of Cockburnspath & Cove community.
Cockburnspath & Cove Community Council has published a Community Action Plan for the area, based on consultations with local residents. The Fund will particularly welcome applications for grants that contribute towards the priorities and themes identified in the Community Action Plan.
Grants can be multi-year in nature, usually no more than three years. A multi-year request totalling more than £20,000 should follow the application process for large grants. Grants of over £50,000 will only be awarded in exceptional circumstances.
As well as demonstrating a fit with at least one of the outcomes above, priority for grants can be given to projects that demonstrate the following additional criteria.
- Local procurement: That local suppliers will be used for the provision of goods and services, where appropriate (e.g. in terms of quality of products / services available) and feasible (in terms of availability and cost). (‘Local’ will vary depending on the nature and availability of the item/service in question. In some cases, it could be taken to mean within the surrounding area, but in others the Scottish Borders or indeed the South of Scotland might be most appropriate).
- Sustainable development: That consideration has been given to helping achieve sustainable development, including minimising the environmental impact of projects and reducing the applicant organisation’s ‘carbon footprint’.
- Local consultation: That the organisation has consulted an appropriate number of the intended beneficiaries of the project as appropriate and can demonstrate they are supportive of the proposal.
- Partnership working: That the organisation has considered whether delivering their project in partnership with other organisations / groups will add value (financial, capability, or other). This could involve working with voluntary, private, or public sector bodies that operate at local, regional or national level.
Applications seeking funding towards salaries, wages or the cost of freelance staff will be given more detailed Panel scrutiny. Please see the relevant “Frequently Asked Question” below for further detail.
Who can apply?
Groups and organisations working to benefit people in Co'Path & Cove can apply. You don’t need to be a registered charity to apply, but your group/organisation must meet our standard eligibility criteria.
Applications from groups/organisations located out with the fund area will be considered case-by-case. They must demonstrate a clear benefit for residents within the Fund area.
What can’t be funded?
Information on what the Fund cannot support is provided here.
Additionally, the Fund cannot support:
Anti-wind farm or anti-renewable energy activities, including activities contrary to the interests of the beforementioned windfarm owners, or any of their holding companies, subsidiaries or sister companies (as defined under the Companies Act 2006) or Foundation Scotland into disrepute.
How are decisions made?
A Community Panel made up of people who live, work or volunteer in Cockburnspath & Cove Community Council makes recommendations on grant awards from the Fund. The Panel advises on the overall Fund strategy and is governed by Terms of Reference. The Panel of up to nine members includes a mixture of Community Councillors and other members of the community:
- Up to two Community Council representatives can be appointed directly by the Community Council.
- Up to seven resident representatives from the Cockburnspath & Cove Community Council area.
Each Panel member typically serves a minimum of two to three years, with members retiring on a phased basis to ensure knowledge and expertise are retained. Opportunities to become a Panel member are openly advertised, both locally and on this website.
Minutes of the latest Panel meetings are available on request from the Community Funds Advisor. Contact details can be found below.
Frequently asked questions
-
When must grants be spent by?
Most grant awards must be spent within one year of being awarded unless otherwise agreed. However, grants awards may be multi-year in nature, usually for no more than three years, where requested and agreed in advance.
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What if I have an urgent project that needs a quick decision?
Please contact the Community Council directly secretarycccc@live.co.uk or contact the Fund Advisor (contact detals below).
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What if my project needs less than the minimum grant amount?
If your grant request is for less than £500 you can apply for a Micro-grant administered by the Community Council – see Useful links, below.
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My organisation is not in Cockburnspath & Cove can it still apply?
Yes, if the project can demonstrate a benefit to the community members from Cockburnspath & Cove, please contact the Fund Advisor for further details. (Please see contact details below).
How to apply
For small and medium grants (between £500 and £20,000), please complete the online application form below.
For large grant applications (more than £20,001), there is a two-stage application process. In the first instance, please submit a short enquiry form. The Panel will review this, then agree whether or not to invite a full application. Please be aware that large applications can take longer to process, as they may need to be considered across two Panel meetings.
Completed applications and supporting documents must be received by the application deadline.
If you would like to review the questions you will be asked to answer before starting the form, you can see them here.
If you have any problems accessing the forms, please email grants@foundationscotland.org.uk or call 0131 5240304, and we can help.
If you have already started an application and not completed it, please login here to resume.
Contact information
Central Systems Support
Niome Lucjan, Community Funds Adviser
Useful links
For advice on running your group or project contact your local Third Sector Interface: Borders Third Sector Partnership
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) provides a range of useful resources for setting-up a voluntary organisation or running your organisation. It also helps organisations develop their digital potential.
Additional information and resources about developing a Safeguarding policy include Foundation Scotland guidance, NSPCC's safeguarding checklist, OSCR's Safeguarding Guidance and SCVO's advice.