Capital Grants

Funding of not normally more than £100,000 per project is available for projects that deliver against the Trust’s funding themes – Our Vision – northberwicktrust.co.uk

At least 50% of the necessary funds are expected to be raised from other sources, either through your own fundraising, co-funding or match funding.

The Trust aims to support community groups in North Berwick with larger capital grant projects to conserve and enhance our built environment and to improve and grow the facilities and services available for the community and visitors. This includes:

• Built environment projects – This includes new or refurbished buildings, infrastructure and equipment. 
• Pre-construction development phases – This includes feasibility study, consultation, project brief, concept design, detailed design and tender phases. 

In particular the Trust is looking to support projects which can deliver one or more of the following:

• Conservation or enhancement of the historic environment, particularly structures of historic, architectural or cultural significance within North Berwick.
• Refurbishment or re-purposing of existing buildings for community use.
• Provision of new facilities for the community and/or visitors to the town.
• Benefits to the wider community and the environment by creating or securing a local asset, with environmental impact considered as part of the project plan.
• Improved quality of venues, facilities and services. 
• Increased long-term economic or social value for the North Berwick community. 

Particular attention will be paid to an organisation’s capacity to manage and maintain the asset over the longer term. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to meet long-term running and maintenance costs, or explicitly state that there is a shortfall in funding and set out how that may be managed. In addition, consideration will be given to the potential impact of the project on existing facilities and services in the town.

• Applicants must be either a registered charity or a registered non-profit making community organisation. Social enterprises, Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIO) and Community Interest Companies (CIC) are eligible as long as they are not-for-profit or any profit is reinvested in the organisation.
• Be located in North Berwick.
• Not be a substitute for statutory or other funding which would normally be provided by the Scottish Government or the local authority.
• Be able to secure match funding of at least 50% either from within your organisation’s own resources and/or from other funding bodies.
• Applicants must have a bank account in the name of their group or organisation.
• Applicants must have a demonstrable financial need (it is unlikely that the Trust will award funding to organisations with healthy reserves or endowments).

• Commercial activities, including those that directly benefit employers, industry or enterprise or those with an element of ‘private’ benefit.
• Projects outside North Berwick.
• Funding for individuals.
• General appeals.
• Salaries.
• Revenue support.
• Service delivery.
• Pure research (there may be an element of research in your project, but we would expect it to be a minor part with the aim of informing further action).
• Employability and training programmes.
• Political or lobbying activities.
• Costs that are the responsibility of statutory agencies.

• The Trust welcomes applications to the capital grant fund at any time, but please note that applications will only be considered at the Trust board meetings which occur 4 times per year.  
• We have a two-stage application process. The Stage 1 application is designed to be short and easy to complete as an expression of interest and you can submit this via email. If this is successful, we will email you and ask for a more detailed Stage 2 application. 
• If you are applying for seed funding for a feasibility study, an award may be made after Stage 1 with a further award being made once Stage 2 is competed. 
• Stage 1 Applications are welcome at any time and should be emailed to [email protected]. 
• Should you wish to discuss your application prior to submission, our Grants and Communications Manager (part-time) can be contacted on 07874625206 or by email: [email protected]. 
• Following receipt of your application, the Grants and Communications Manager may contact you for clarification on any aspect of the submission.
• NBTL’s Chairs Group will assess your application against the Trust’s funding themes and present their recommendation to the NBTL Board at its next quarterly meeting. 
• You will be informed of the outcome of the application at the earliest opportunity. The Trust’s decision is final.