Scottish Connections Fund: guidance

Eligible projects

You can apply for a grant between £2,000 and £5,000. The total available budget for the fund in the 2023 to 2024 financial year is £15,000.

Funding must be used for new projects only. You cannot apply for funding for an existing project.

You must also be able to demonstrate that your project:

• has a clear link to at least one commitment in the Scottish Connections Framework
• bring together or contribute to interests across sectors of activity (live/work, study, visit, do business, culture) -  those multiple links will attract additional weighting during the scoring process

• will increase vibrancy, visibility or connectivity between Scottish diaspora communities outside Scotland, or with Scotland itself
• has a credible communications plan that promotes Scotland’s reputation as a place to live, work, visit, study, and do business
• promotes inclusion and diversity, for example working in historically marginalised communities and groups, such as with minority ethnic Scots and LGBTQ communities, or encouraging participation of women and young people
• is co-funded, where possible
• will be completed by 31 March 2024, and within budget

What funding can be used for

You can use funding to pay for things directly related to the project, for example:

• venue rental
• IT hardware and software

• learning materials
• equipment and implementation costs
• travel and accommodation costs where justifiable

What funding cannot be used for

You cannot use funding to:

• buy or repair buildings
• buy land
• buy vehicles
• pay per diems or attendance allowances
• carry out revenue-raising activities
• pay for religious services or religious materials
• pay for material that is designed to support political activity, a political party or a specific movement/group (such as an environmental activist group/local lobby group)
• fund ordinary ongoing costs of public sector organisations
• overhead costs
• pay for consultancy fees (if consultancy firms are included in an application, their time must be funded from other sources)
• pay for alcohol