With around £55,000 made available each year, the fund offers grants ranging from £1,000 up to £25,000 to community groups aiming to make a difference.

The fund supports a wide variety of initiatives, from covering basic running costs and purchasing equipment, to facility maintenance, consultation processes, and staffing needs. Projects connected to community priorities such as enhancing local infrastructure, creating economic opportunities, improving care and wellbeing, boosting transport connectivity, increasing event and leisure offerings, and supporting affordable housing are given particular attention. Yet proposals that serve the community in other ways may still be considered.

Applicants are not required to be formal charities, making the fund accessible to grassroots groups and informal community organizations. For larger grant requests exceeding £15,000, the fund operates a two-stage process and encourages prospective applicants to initiate an enquiry first to streamline the full application process. In exceptional circumstances, urgent proposals may proceed outside standard deadlines via a special review, provided the request is time-sensitive and not simply late.

Applications are reviewed by a local panel that includes members of the Community Council and other community representatives invested in Ballantrae’s future. These panel members bring local insight and understanding to decision-making, ensuring that supported projects genuinely reflect community needs and priorities.

For more information, visit Foundation Scotland.