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  • The Seed Fund is now CLOSED

    NESCAN Hub Seed Fund will reopen in the new financial year. This year we allocated over 30 small grants to community groups and small organisations within Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire to set up projects aiming to mitigate or adapt to climate change, increase biodiversity and work towards a fairer, healthier, more sustainable future

    Apply online

About the Seed Fund

The NESCAN Hub have a small pot funding for community climate action and biodiversity projects within Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire. 

The Seed Fund is designed for small community projects rather than to part-fund larger projects. To achieve this, applying organisations must have an income of less than £50,000 per annum.

Unless there are exceptional circumstances, grants are a maximum of £500 per organisation to enable us to fund as many organisations and projects as possible.

Grants are allocated to eligible projects on a first come first served basis while funds remain.

The deadline for applications for 2023/2024 funding is 28th February 2024. 

To help achieve NESCAN Hub’s vision and objectives, we will prioritise projects that:

  • Aim to create long-term change.
  • Build the skills and capacity of groups or organisations and communities. 
  • Support and encourage collaborative working across groups or organisations, communities and areas.
  • Encourage sustainability through reusing, recycling and upcycling goods and products. 
  • Encourage climate action and a just transition
  • Mitigate climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce environmental impact
  • Help communities adapt to and build resilience to climate change
  • Protect or enhance local biodiversity through conservation and promotion

 

mother and toddler harvesting peppers and tomatoes from community greenhouse
pexels-anna-tarazevich-7299967 (1)

Other things to consider

  • Our ethos is sustainability, please consider this when designing your projects. 

  • Physical goods and products should be locally sourced, locally made, recycled, second hand or reusable where possible. 

  • Please ensure that you have sourced the best price for these before making your application.

  • Please consider the manufacture, materials and lifespan of products, how they will be disposed of after their use and that you have sourced the best price for these before making your application.

  • The cost of sustainable travel can be included, for example, train and bus tickets. We will not fund flights, but in exceptional circumstances we may consider the cost of taxis or petrol for private vehicles.

  •  This fund will not cover salaries or staff wages. 

  • We understand the importance of campaigning and peaceful protests, and support the positive difference these actions can make. We provide funding for non-violent direct action, however actions must not prevent freedom of speech, incite or promote violence or aggression, or promote or facilitate illegal activities. 

We don't fund projects that:

  • Promote or support negative attitudes, inequality, discrimination, racism, prejudice, oppression, harassment, violence or victimisation of people or groups

  • Coerce or force others to change their beliefs or prevent freedom of speech

  • Promote or support any illegal activities

  • Involve the cruelty, subjugation, captivity or destruction/culling of animals (including farming, captive breeding, testing or research)

  • Involve any environmentally damaging activities or who have no made every effort to be environmentally responsible

  • Directly or indirectly harms, threatens, or negatively affects biodiversity

  • Support market-based solutions to climate change such as carbon trading or carbon offsetting

Our ethos is sustainability. 

Please consider this when planning your project. 

 

Apply online below

read about projects we've already funded4-Wee Forest Planting_3

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Any organisation with income of less than £50,000 per year, group or individual working on projects that meet the above criteria can apply. If you are applying as an individual, you need a partner organisation with a bank account who is willing to receive the funds on your behalf. 

You, your group or organisation must be based in Aberdeenshire or Aberdeen City and your project should be run by local people under their direction and for the benefit of their community and the environment.

You can apply any time before the fund deadline of 28th February, and while funds remain. We allocate to eligible applications on a first come first served basis. 

Applying couldn't be easier! Simply fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

You will receive an automated email acknowledging receipt of your application form. In most cases we should be able to give a decision within 10 working days, although we may contact you during that time for further information.

We’ll contact you to confirm the amount and your bank details. Payment is usually made within 7-10 days after we receive the bank details and grant acceptance form. Successful projects will be shared on our website with the organisation or group’s name, project description and link to their website (funding amounts will not be publicised).

Yes up to a maximum of £500 per group or organisation for any financial year to enable us to fund as many organisations and projects as possible. If funds remain later in the year, we may increase the funding limit to ensure that all funds are allocated. 

Our Funding and Development Officer can provide support and advice when completing your form. If any information on this page is difficult to understand we are happy to provide it in other formats, including larger print upon request.

Please contact rachel@nescan.org or info@nescan.org for further information.

Please send us photographs or photocopies of receipts showing what you have spent the money on. We will issue you with a short form to complete to explain how you have spent the money and the impact it has made. Please return this form within 6 months of your funds being allocated. We are interested in hearing about any challenges you faced with your project, and anything that worked well. Please do take lots of photos of your project for knowledge sharing and publicity purposes. Please be aware that if you don't provide feedback and evidence of how you have spent the grant, we won't able to consider you for grants in the future.

Yes. If your application is rejected, you may have other projects that fit our criteria.

SEED FUNDING APPLICATION FORM

The Seed Fund is now closed for this financial year. Any submissions received after the fund has closed will be considered when the fund reopens. 

Please note only NESCAN members are eligible to apply for seed funding.  If you aren't already a member, it is quick, free and straightforward to apply.

Although our Seed Fund Application Form is designed to be quick and easy to complete, we don't have the option to save partially completed forms (although your laptop may do this for you). If there is anything missing, we will get back in touch to request further information.  We will email you a copy of your completed application.

If you haven't heard back from us within 7 days, or want to add further information, please email rachel@nescan.org