Our Place

  1. Funding
  2. Funding programmes
  3. Our Place

Helping communities in Scotland come together to find and develop ways in which they can make a difference.

Area
Scotland
Total available
£12 million
Application deadline

Applications are now closed

Image credit: Image credit: Connect Community Trust, an example of a project funded for similar work under Medium Grants Scotland

What's it all about?

Our Place is an exciting place-based initiative from The National Lottery Community Fund. It aims to empower local people and organisations to bring about a massive and lasting positive difference to their neighbourhood.

Our Place will work with and support projects in the neighbourhoods below.

For more information and to get involved in Our Place, please contact the support provider in your area.

Auchmuty in Fife

Victoria Pearce, Community Enterprise

Camelon in Falkirk

Dave Park, Community Enterprise

Lochside and Lincluden in Dumfries and Galloway

Judith McVinnie, CEIS

Douglas in Dundee

Pamela Redpath, Community Enterprise

Ardrossan (Central and North East) in North Ayrshire

Sean Connor, Operations Director, Community Renewal

Whitlawburn and Springhall in South Lanarkshire

Rebecca Haack, Healthy n Happy

Shortlees in East Ayrshire

Pauline Douglas, Coalfields Regeneration Trust

The Our Place approach is flexible and long-term – it will progress at a pace that is right for each community and support will be provided by contractors appointed by The National Lottery Community Fund.

Our Place is also focused on the assets that exist in these neighbourhoods. It will bring together local talent and energy, connect individuals, groups and organisations, and increase the confidence of people to take positive action.

Our Place supports local people to identify priorities for their area and produce a shared neighbourhood vision statement. Your application for funding is expected to address at least one of the priorities identified in your neighbourhood’s vision statement.

Please note that Our Place is not an open programme. Find out what other funding is available using our Funding Finder.

Check you’re eligible

What are we looking for?

We want to fund projects that meet the following outcomes.

  • Communities have more influence on decisions taken locally.

  • Communities have more sustainable services and facilities that reflect their local priorities.

  • People say their community is a better place to live.

At least 75% of a project’s beneficiaries must live in one of the seven Our Place communities (see the What’s it all about section).

Who can apply?

Through Our Place, we can fund a wide range of organisations including:

  • voluntary and community organisations

  • community councils

  • social enterprises

  • private companies (provided our grants do not contribute to the profits they distribute)

  • local authorities.

Where they are the most appropriate applicant, we will fund a statutory body (such as a local authority or a school) to support and work in partnership with local community and voluntary groups looking to deliver a project in their neighbourhood.

The National Lottery Community Fund will not support activities or services that statutory bodies have a responsibility to provide.

We cannot fund individuals or sole traders.

What can you apply for?

Through Our Place we can pay for up to 100% of eligible capital and revenue costs for up to five years, and a contribution towards your organisation’s overheads.

All applications must emerge from the asset based community development work that has taken place in the neighbourhood. Applications should clearly demonstrate that they are locally determined and focus on the assets within communities.

The National Lottery Community Fund is a Living Wage Friendly Funder. This means that we encourage our applicants to pay their staff the UK Living Wage.

Visit our Living Wage page for more information

Checks

As an organisation that gives out public funds, we carry out some checks on the information you provide us. Learn more about our checks