Welcome to the KDP Bulletin.
The Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool are currently looking for a new chairperson.
The main duties of the role being:
- Lead the board, ensure good governance, manage Trustee meetings
- Act as the main liaison with Aberdeenshire Council
- Play an ambassadorial role, hosting events, public speaking, media appearances and other such duties as required
If you are interested in being the next Chair of the Friends of Stonehaven Open Air Pool, in the first instance, contact Edel Harris, one of the Trustees, to arrange a time for an informal chat.
Edel is available on edelharris@outlook.com.
The National Lottery Community Fund is looking for projects that will help people connect more with each other, and to support projects that are open, inclusive and led by their community.
In your application, you’ll need to show how you’ll:
- bring people together – through an activity or a space, online or in person
- reach and support people affected by poverty, disadvantage or discrimination
- be led by your community. This means that people from your community lead on the project idea, planning and decisions
- build on the strengths, skills and experience already in your community
- understand services and activities available, and show how your project fills a gap
Your project must meet at least 2 of these outcomes:
- build positive relationships
- support people’s health or wellbeing
- help people improve their access and connection to nature
- make a positive difference to the environment
You can apply for £20,001 to £250,000 for up to 5 years.
Visit the website to find out more.
The Home Energy Scotland National Newsletter is a great way for householders across Scotland to stay informed about:
- Available grants and funding schemes
- Energy-saving tips and advice
- Renewable heating and electricity technologies
- Changes to energy efficiency legislation and policy
- Case studies and success stories from across Scotland
- Upcoming events, webinars, and support opportunities
By signing up, subscribers receive regular updates directly from Home Energy Scotland, helping them make informed decisions about improving the comfort, energy efficiency, and sustainability of their homes.
You can sign up here, and take a look at the latest newsletter here.
AVA is delighted to announce that the Community Mental Health & Wellbeing Fund for Adults has returned for Round 6.
The overarching aim of the Fund is to support community-based initiatives that are ideally designed and delivered within Aberdeenshire for the benefit of Aberdeenshire residents.
Specifically, the Scottish Government has prescribed the Fund aims to be:
- Tackle mental health inequalities through supporting a range of ‘at risk’ groups.
- Address priority issues of social isolation and loneliness, suicide prevention and poverty and inequality with a particular emphasis on responding to the cost-of-living crisis and support to those facing socio-economic disadvantage.
- Support small ‘grass roots’ community groups and organisations to deliver such activities.
- Provide opportunities for people to connect with each other, build trusted relationships and revitalise communities.
Applications close on Friday 16th October 2026 at 5pm.
Visit the AVA website for more information.
Demand for support to help children and families navigate online harm is growing rapidly. Join organisations delivering online harm programmes across Scotland as they share what they are learning from frontline delivery.
The Tackling Online Harm: what works for children and families? webinar is for people working in youth and community organisations supporting children and families with digital wellbeing. It will explore the support children, young people and families need, approaches that are proving most effective, and the challenges organisations face, including engaging parents and keeping pace with emerging digital trends.
The session will include a panel discussion and audience Q&A, providing a chance to put your questions directly to the speakers.
Date: 6th October. Time: 11:00am – 12:00pm
Speakers: Annabel Turner, CyberSafe Scotland; Louise Hall, Enable; Andrew Mills, Aberdeen Foyer; Karen Timoney, FARE Scotland
Register here.
Arnold Clark’s Community Support provides funding to projects that make a real difference to local communities in the UK. This includes areas such as animal welfare, arts and culture, community enhancement, education and training, sustainability, and more.
To be eligible, organisations must:
- Fall into one of these categories: mental health, disability, equality and diversity, relief support, arts and culture, animal welfare, youth groups, community enhancement, sustainability and more.
- Be based in, or operate solely within, the UK.
- Be located within 50 miles of an Arnold Clark branch.
Click here for more details.
The Better Breaks programme provides 12-month grants to third sector organisations to develop and deliver short breaks projects and services for disabled children and young people (aged 20 and under), and their carers (adult and/or young carers).
Better Breaks funds a wide range of short breaks projects and activities including holiday activity programmes, after school clubs, sports coaching, and youth groups. The activities can be for children and young people without their carers, with their sibling/young carer, or for whole families to enjoy together.
This funding is for third sector organisations operating in Scotland. The organisation does not have to be a registered charity to apply. However, it must have a constitution that states the organisation’s purposes are solely charitable and that it delivers public benefit in achieving its purpose(s).
Find out more here.
“Rights Here. Rights Now.” is a Scotland-wide storytelling and public engagement campaign highlighting how human rights affect everyday life and why stronger human rights protections matter. It aims to strengthen public understanding of human rights and build support for stronger protections, including a Human Rights Bill for Scotland.
The campaign is a collaborative project of JustRight Scotland and Human Rights Consortium Scotland, and is funded by The Independent Human Rights Fund for Scotland and Corra Foundation.
Learn more here.
Grants for Good provide unrestricted funding to small and growing local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises. They support those making a big impact on people, communities or the environment.
Flexible grants of £2,000 – £5,000 are available.
To be eligible for small charity funding, applicants must:
- Be a UK-based community group, charity, voluntary group or social enterprise
- Have an annual income of less than £50,000.
- Have a bank account in the organisation’s name.
To find out more about eligibility and making the best of your application before applying, read the eligibility guidance here.
The Kincardine & Mearns Citizens Advice Bureau (KAMCAB) is welcoming school students as well as those who want to learn about Youth CAB, and the CAB service as a whole, to an information on Thursday 8th October from 5pm. The venue is the Courtroom at the Sheriff Court Building, Stonehaven.
They will also have the Therapy Dogs, Yogi and Cindy, along and will provide pizza.
Get more information by emailing bureau@kamcab.org.uk
The Worshipful Company of Information Technologists Charity provides grants of up to £15,000 to UK-registered charities for innovative technology projects.
They focus on projects that use tech to improve lives, strengthen charities, increase inclusion, improve education or help people better understand technology.
Applications for the next funding round will close on November 3 (or sooner if they reach the cap of 50). It will reopen again every three months.
Successful applicants will be notified by December 8.
Before applying, please familiarise yourself with the eligibility criteria and guidelines.
Organised by SCVO, the Gathering is the largest free voluntary sector event in the UK. It’s an opportunity for all the amazing people working in and with the voluntary sector to network, showcase what they do and learn from each other.
The Gathering returns to the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on 2 and 3 February 2027 and will offer a packed programme of workshops, seminars and activities, as well as their popular exhibition.
Find out how you can be part of delivering the UK’s biggest free voluntary sector event here.
The Kincardineshire Educational Trust was set up for residents, schools and organisations in the former County of Kincardine, to help with the cost of school trips, further education and funding for sports clubs and facilities.
There are limited resources and in the interest of fairness, all applications received are means tested.
To be eligible, you must be a resident in a property which is within the former Kincardine County Council area. You can check the former Kincardineshire boundaries here, and learn more about the grant here.
DTAS has launched a Community Ownership Support Service (COSS) Webinar Series. This series covers three topics, with two available dates for each:
Gain an overview to Community Asset Transfer, the legislative process that enables the community ownership and management of publicly owned land and buildings
Tuesday, 27th October 2026, 6.30-8.30pm – Sign up here
Thursday 21st January 2027, 10am-12pm – Sign up here
Join this session to discover the key steps to success when setting up a community-controlled organisation and pursuing asset ownership.
Tuesday, 24th November 2026, 6.30-8.30pm – Sign up here
Tuesday, 2nd March 2027,10am-12pm – Sign up here
Gain an introductory overview to the legislative processes of Community Right to Buy. Discover how community groups can become eligible Community Bodies and register an interest in or buy local land and buildings in Scotland.
Thursday 17th December 2026, 10am-12pm – Sign up here
Wednesday 24th March 2027, 10am-12pm – Sign up here
NESCAN Hub’s Seed Fund is designed for small community projects to address community climate action and biodiversity within Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire.
Any local not-for-profit community-led organisation, with an annual income under £50,000 that is based in Aberdeen City or Aberdeenshire can apply. In some cases, they can accept applications from individuals on behalf of informal groups.
Unless there are exceptional circumstances, grants are now a maximum of £500 per organisation to enable as many organisations and projects as possible to be funded.
They Fund is currently open whilst funds remain.
Visit NESCAN Hub for more information.
The Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Energise grants programme will reopen on 28 September 2026, offering two-year unrestricted grants to small Scottish charities supporting vulnerable people.
Charities with annual income below £50,000 can receive £20,000, while those with income between £50,000 and £150,000 can receive £40,000. Funding can support core costs, salaries, service delivery, projects and general running costs. Vulnerability may include poverty, homelessness, unemployment, poor mental health, learning disabilities, family difficulties, education barriers, transport or mobility problems, poor English-language skills and alcohol addiction.
Applicants must be Scottish-registered charities operating in Scotland, have at least one year’s accounts lodged with OSCR, and place vulnerable people at the heart of their work.
Applications close at noon on 7 October 2026, with decisions expected by mid-December and funding awarded in January 2027.
More here.
