The Berry Burn Community Fund has allocated an emergency pot of £6,000 to help front-line community groups and voluntary organisations in Forres and surrounding areas to deliver services during the Covid-19 pandemic. The focus of the funding is for those offering direct support to people and communities affected most.
The Community Fund receives an index-linked annual budget from international renewables company Statkraft, whose 29-turbine Berry Burn wind farm lies between Forres and Grantown-on-Spey. The community fund is overseen by eleven volunteers living and working within its operational boundary, and the annual budget is normally spread over three scheduled awards rounds held during the year. These will not be affected by the current situation.
Groups eligible to apply are community and voluntary organisations at the frontline of providing services to people in the fund area communities, with a focus where communities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Service examples include (but are not restricted to) preparing and delivering food, co-ordinating the delivery of essential supplies, providing befriending services, practical support for those with mental health challenges, etc.
The Berry Burn Community Fund will administer this grant, deploying resources quickly to community and voluntary organisations in the Fund area where communities are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This is short-term/emergency funding and we envisage most grants will be for a few hundred pounds, however, there is no maximum grant size. The fund will reserve the option to make a contribution to costs as opposed to giving the full amount requested where it is felt this will make best use of the funds available. There is no fixed deadline for applications, however funds are limited.
For any group or organisation requiring funding to support work during this emergency, guidelines and an application form can be found on the website at www.berryburncommunityfund.co.uk
