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Community Grants Fund

City Centre

The total available for City Centre Community Grants Fund (CGF) in 2024/25 is £25,030.

City Centre neighbourhood has no funding left for 2024/25. The next application deadline for this neighbourhood will be in spring 2025.

Awards made in Round 1 (2024-25)

  • Grassmarket Residents Association (GRASS): A full award of £1000 to support Improved Communication with residents and community members
  • Grassmarket Community Project (GCP): A full award of £4970 to continue to deliver a Dry Bar /Open Meal and social evening
  • Open Book Reading: A full award of £837 to provide opportunities for community group participants to attend a local literary event or book festival
  • Artists Collective Gallery: A partial award of £1000 to run Community Play sessions
  • Bare Productions: A partial award of £2805 to launch a theatrical opportunities programme with the end result being a “cabaret of ideas”
  • 91¸£ÀûÉç Old Town Development Trust (EOTDT): A full award of £2500 to set up and facilitate an accessible and free mindfulness group
  • DanceBase: A full award of £4911 to support a dance class and social café for vulnerable adults.
  • Streetwork (Simon Scotland): A full award of £5000, for the Creating Safer Communities project (CSC)
  • St Marys Episcopal Cathedral: A partial award of £500 to support fortnightly workshops open to anyone in need of support for their mental health and wellbeing.
  • Canongate Youth: A partial award of £1954 towards the Summer Youth Provision for Children and Young People in the City Centre.

How we assess applications 

We check each CGF application for eligibility and will get back to you if any information is missing or unclear. 

Local funding panels meet to consider all eligible applications. The panels typically consist of ward councillors, community councillors and representatives from local community organisations. They look for evidence of how the project will benefit the local community, as well as accurate costings. 

They may recommend to: 

  • fully fund the project 

  • offer partial funding (provided the project can still be delivered) 

  • decline to recommend an award. 

Occasionally the panel will defer an application to gather further information. Recommendations from panels are then considered by the Head of Service for Community Empowerment and Engagement. If your request for funding is approved, you will be sent the formal funding agreement papers to complete. The whole process from applying to being paid a grant usually takes around 3-4 months, but sometimes it can be longer.   

Application and guidance 

Please ensure that you use the most up to date version of the application form.  

Download the Community Grants Fund guidance and application form