Checkup
This website is adapted from Going Greener Together, used under creative commons licence CC-BY-NC and is run by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. Find out more
Funding & support
Finding funding
Funding for climate action can come from a range of different sources. Our funding search is regularly updated and you can filter by location or area of activity. You can also try out keywords such as climate, energy, carbon, cycling or food.
There are lots of funders who will support climate related projects, even if they aren’t a dedicated environmental funder. Remember to check the fund guidelines carefully and consider if your project is a good fit. Ask yourself, does your environmental or climate project contribute to the objectives set out in the fund guidelines?
It can be helpful to reach out to the funder before applying to chat through your project and check your eligibility.
If you are looking for help with creating a case for support, or understanding how to develop a fundraising strategy see SCVO's guide to finding funding. You can also contact your local Third Sector Interface for help with fundraising locally.
Hear Julie from the EFN talk about sources of support.
Hear Natasha from the EFN talk about environmental projects.
Support
One of the best ways to build up your activity is to join with other organisations already taking climate action. Here are some networks and services that offer support and would love to hear from you:
| Organisation name | Support available |
|---|---|
| Climate Action Hubs | The Scottish Government is supporting regional community climate action hubs, backed by £4.3 million in 2023 to 2024. The hub network now consists of over 20 hubs covering all of Scotland. See the Scottish Government website for details of your local hub. |
| Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN) | Support community-led action in Scotland to address the climate and nature emergency and work for a just, thriving and resilient Scotland. |
| Friends of the Earth Scotland groups | Volunteer led local groups, supporting national and local campaigning activity. |
| Circular Communities Scotland | Membership body empowering Scottish communities to deliver a circular economy. |
| Share and Repair network | Network of sharing libraries and repair project, with peer support and guidance available. |
| Zero Waste Scotland community support | Resources, training and support available to help you take action on waste in your community. |
| Climate fringe festival | The Climate Fringe Festival is a community-led and community-organised series of events taking place across the whole of Scotland. |
| Keep Scotland Beautiful | Climate Emergency Training to help organisations, communities and individuals across Scotland understand the Climate Emergency and respond to the risks, responsibilities and opportunities ahead. Community Climate Action Plans to help communities design and implement a climate action plan. National Award for Environmental Excellence® to help organisations become more sustainable. |
| Creative Carbon Scotland - connecting arts and sustainability | Using arts and culture to help transform our society to address climate change. |
| Scottish Environment Link | The forum for Scotland’s voluntary environment community, with over 40 member bodies representing a broad spectrum of environmental interests with the common goal of contributing to a more environmentally sustainable society. |
| Local Energy Scotland | Funding and expert advice to help community groups to install renewable energy, such as solar and heat pumps. Administers Let's Do Net Zero community buildings fund and the Scottish Government's Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES). |
| Home Energy Scotland | Offers free, impartial advice on energy saving, keeping warm at home, renewable energy, greener travel, cutting water waste and more. They also help community groups deliver community engagement projects relating to saving energy at home. |
| Business Energy Scotland | Funded by the Scottish Government to provide free, impartial support and access to funding to help small and medium-sized enterprises save energy, carbon and money. |
| Visit Scotland | Support for organisations in the tourism sector to create and manage a climate action plan. |
| Scottish Enterprise | Specialist support for business and social enterprise including a net zero diagnostic tool and business planning advice. |