Community Led Local Development (CLLD) Grant
The Community Led Local Development (CLLD) fund is an annual grant allocation to Orkney from the Scottish Government. It has been provided as a replacement to the previous LEADER funding Orkney received. Due to the limited size of the funding allocation, it will only be Orkney based, constituted community/voluntary not for profit organisations with a registered bank account that will be eligible to apply. Applications will not be considered from individuals, sole traders, organisations outwith Orkney, religious or political organisations, or private business.
Bids are being sought from community groups within Orkney who want to make a difference through the Scottish Government funded Community Led Local Development (CLLD) grant scheme – the successor to the previous LEADER Programme which saw a wealth of small-scale community-led projects benefit between 2014-2020.
The Orkney Local Action Group (Orkney LAG) delivered the LEADER Programme in the county and will also oversee the CLLD funding allocation for Orkney. Orkney’s 2025/26 CLLD allocation is yet to be confirmed, however, the anticipated award is circa £190k capital and £70k revenue.
Orkney LAG will accept expressions of interest from community groups from 24th March until closing at 5pm on 4th April. Those with projects suitable for funding will then be invited to complete an application form which will be due to be submitted by the 18th April. Applicants are likely to know the outcome from the LAG meeting by the 21st May.
Capital projects will need to demonstrate alignment with one or more of the Scottish Government’s 4 priority areas, show that they have community support, and that they contribute to Community Wealth Building. Potential areas for support include:
- Helping communities to derive lasting economic and social benefit from the Island Games which are being held in Orkney in July. The investment being made by communities and sports groups in their facilities will strengthen their membership and enhance their resilience.
- Providing essential capital to support community groups that have acquired, or are in the process of acquiring, land and buildings to fund early-stage upgrades to enable them to start “open for business” and to start to generate revenue to meet their operating costs.
- Supporting elements of the community led projects identified in local place/development/action plans.
- Supporting community groups to deliver community wellbeing and recreational projects
- Providing essential capital to support sectoral based community groups to become more resilient
It is envisaged that revenue projects will be either LAG led or third party and could include the following:
- The development of Place Plans, where the community has indicated a desire for such a plan to ensure that their wishes influence future planning decisions. Place Plans also identify the priority projects that the community wish to see progressed and lend weight to funding applications.
- The engagement of resource/expertise to move a project forward where it can be shown that support of this nature will progress a project to the point of delivery. Applicants wishing to access this support would be required to provide evidence that they have a competitive quote for the work and that the contractor has capacity to deliver within permitted timescales.
- The building of capacity within applicant groups by supporting them to review their governance and financial management and ensure that their operating policies are fit for purpose.
- The encouragement and support of networking and knowledge exchange between community groups, and with public sector and agencies, in order to strengthen the confidence and capacity. This could include building on the success of Orkney’s Winter Conference which sought to create a networking opportunity for staff and trustees from the Development Trusts across Orkney and Shetland.
- Providing revenue funding to support primary sectors and rural development to transition with new Scottish Government and UK requirements
If you are interested in applying for CLLD funding, please complete the expression of interest form. If your project is suitable for CLLD funding, you will then be invited to complete an application form. For further information contact a CLLD Officer at CLLD@orkney.gov.uk.
