Harthill, Eastfield and Greenrigg (HEG) Community Fund

Area:

• North Lanarkshire
• West Lothian

About this fund:

The Harthill, Eastfield & Greenrigg (HEG) Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in the Harthill & Eastfield and Greenrigg community council areas. The Fund is a vehicle through which two different funds are administered including those provided by:

• Gresham House, the owners of Torrance Wind Farm .
• Arevon Energy, the owners of Harthill Wind Ltd (Torrance Extension Wind Farm).

An annual amount of £48,600, inflation adjusted, is paid into the Fund each year for the operating life of the wind farms.

Grant Size: £1,500 to £15,000

Purpose of this fund:

The fund provides grants to support charitable activities that:

• Improves people’s quality of life.
• Increases opportunities for people to participate in community activity.
• Promotes community spirit.

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.

As the community begins to recover from the impact of the pandemic we recognise that many groups will have lost income and be struggling to get back on their feet. The HEG Community Fund is here to support you and really wants to help local groups build forward better. Please apply if your group needs some help to get back on its feet or to develop and deliver activities once restrictions ease.

Additional criteria:

Groups can only apply for one grant per round but groups can apply to both rounds. However, this does not guarantee that you will receive a grant in both rounds.

Requests to fund up to 100% of the project costs can be considered but applicants are always encouraged to seek other funds too, either through local fundraising or other sources.

Any outstanding feedback reports from previous grants, including any proof of purchases from grants, need to have been received by Foundation Scotland before further grants are paid.

Who can apply?

Groups and organisations working to benefit people in Harthill, Eastfield and Greenrigg 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 on a case-by-case basis and must demonstrate clear benefits for residents within the fund area.

We cannot fund the following:

• Non constituted groups.
• Applications from individuals. However, individuals may be able to apply for funding under any micro-grant scheme associated with a fund, or under some education and training funds.
• General fundraising appeals or activities.
• Trips abroad (unless otherwise stated on the fund page).
• Costs already incurred or activities which will take place before we’ve decided on an application, i.e. retrospective funding.
• The repayment of loans or payment of debts.
• The advancement of religion or politics, including requests to support religious or political groups' core activities. However, religious groups may apply for funding for non-religious activity that will benefit the wider community beyond their own specific congregation and is open to all on a non-denominational basis. For example, a church may apply for funding to upgrade a church hall that is regularly used by other community groups.
• Payments towards areas understood to be the exclusive responsibility of statutory authorities. However, we can provide grants to Parent Teacher Associations/Parent Councils if they are appropriately constituted and occasionally to schools where the activity being delivered is additional to the core curriculum/statutory activity.
• Activities that are likely to bring the fund, Foundation Scotland or the donor into disrepute. For example, we can’t fund groups or organisations using hate speech or inciting violence, or those linked to such groups or organisations.
• Activities that conflict with the interests of the funder. For example, where a renewable energy company provides funding, we can’t fund any projects or organisations that are anti-windfarm or anti-renewable energy as such activities are likely to be contrary to the interests of the funder or its subsidiaries.
• For place-based funds, we can’t support projects which don't benefit the people who live within the defined fund area. Projects that benefit people in the fund area plus others outside that area can be supported on a proportionate basis. Applicants to these funds don’t need to be based in the fund area.
• For themed/cause-related funds we can’t support projects which don’t relate to the priorities stated for the fund.
• Costs directly related to the sale of alcohol, including but not limited to the refurbishment of a bar area