Supporting Communities Fund 2025/26
Argyll and Bute Council · 10 September 2025
Back to Oban Lorn & The Isles Area Committee — 10 September 2025 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL OLI AREA COMMITTEE CHIEF EXECUTIVE UNIT 10 SEPTEMBER 2025 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES FUND 2025/26 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 The purpose of this report is to decide on the allocation of the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund (SCF) for Oban Lorn and the Isles. 1.2 The total Supporting Communities Fund budget made available by the Council for allocation in Oban Lorn and the Isles for distribution in 2025/26 is £22,500. 1.3 It is recommended that 16 applicants are awarded funding. 1.4 Applicants awarded funds from the Council’s SCF have 18 months in which to spend the funds.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL OLI AREA COMMITTEE CHIEF EXECUTIVE UNIT 10 SEPTEMBER 2025 SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES FUND 2025/26 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 The report details recommendations for the award of the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund (SCF). The Supporting Communities Fund budget made available by Council in Oban Lorn and the Isles for 2025/26 is £22,500. 2.2 Organisations applying to the fund were able to request up to £1,500. The SCF is popular, and this year has attracted 25 applications from the Oban Lorn and the Isles area, requesting a total of over £35,000. 2.3 Applications have been scored by the Council’s Community Development Team against criteria set out in the SCF Application Guidance on the councils webpages. Projects are scored by officers, based on a scoring matrix which can be found here. The fund is oversubscribed each year and funds are distributed based on scores, with partial funding being awarded, where insufficient funding remains to fully fund, and no award when no further funding is available. 2.4 A summary of all applications is appended to this report. 16 are recommended to be funded. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 Members are asked to agree that the 16 applications, marked as ‘Award’ or ‘Partial Award’ within Appendix 1 are awarded funding from the Supporting Communities Fund totalling £22,500. Detailed information about these projects is contained within Appendix 2.
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4.0 DETAIL 4.1 Changes to the SCF in 2025/26 include an online application form and a reduced maximum award per project. These were implemented following a review after last year’s round of SCF, which included feedback from community groups, officers and comments from area committees. 4.2 The SCF is assessed through a robust process which involves Community Development Team contact with the applicant to verify any information where required. All applicants need to provide satisfactory essential information on governance and finance to be eligible. Scoring is based on a set of criteria outlined in the guidance and made available on the council’s website: SCF Application Guidance. Applications to the fund must be for projects that come under one or more of these categories: • Fairer Communities – tackling poverty by sharing opportunities. • Resilient Communities – community capacity building/rebuilding and repairing from a pandemic • Greener, Cleaner Communities – environmental action to support addressing climate change • Creative Communities – creativity for health and wellbeing 4.3 Of the 25 applications received 1 was withdrawn or ineligible and of the 24 eligible applications, 20 are new applicants to the fund. 4.4 Of the eligible applications to the SCF, 16 are recommended to be awarded funding. 4 of these are for island based projects. The applications recommended for funding are labelled as ‘Award’ or ‘Partial award’ in the recommendation column in Appendix 1. The detail of the projects are in Appendix 2. 4.5 The projects recommended will deliver a wide range of activities from a program of craft skills workshops for island residents to badminton tournaments for young people. 4.6 Unsuccessful applications are marked as ‘No award’ in Appendix 1. These applicants will be offered support from the Community Development Team and provided with information on alternative sources of funding. 4.7 This year the total of £22,500 available for allocation is comprised of: • £22,500 from the Council’s Supporting Communities Fund. 4.8 Projects awarded funding complete a report at the end to evidence the impact of the funded project. The results of this are brought to Area Committee in Summer 2027, if not before depending on project duration.
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5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 The Supporting Communities Fund application and assessment process has been completed as set out within its guidance SCF Application Guidance 5.2 The recommendations made fully allocate the funding available for financial year 2025/26. 5.3 The 16 projects being put forward for an award will help communities to deliver priority activities in their area in 2025/26. 5.4 All applicants to the fund are supported throughout the process and beyond by the Community Development Team. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy - none 6.2 Financial: Recommendations in the report are limited to the budget allocation available in 2024/25 for the Supporting Communities Fund in Oban Lorn and the Isles. 6.3 Legal: Applications are initially assessed to ensure that groups are constituted with managed accounts. 6.4 HR - none 6.5 Customer Service - none 6.6 Risk: risk to the public pound is managed through the assessment and scoring, and through end of project monitoring process. 6.7 Climate Change - none 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty: The Supporting Communities Fund supports community groups in tackling poverty, reducing inequality, and building a fairer and more inclusive Scotland. 6.9 Equalities - protected characteristics: Applicants are given the options of receiving the application in large print and other languages and support with online applications. 6.10 Consumer Duty - none 6.11 Island Communities: 6 of the applicant projects are island based. 4 of these are being recommended funding. 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing - none
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Pippa Milne Chief Executive Policy Lead Cllr Mark Irvine 28 July 2025 For further information contact: Ailie Law – Community Development Officer Tel: 01546 604707 Email: Ailie.Law@argyll-bute.gov.uk Julie Fish – Community Development Officer Tel: 01369 708669 Email: Julie.Fish2@argyll-bute.gov.uk Suzanne Mason- Engagement and Communities Lead Tel. 01436 658933 Email. suzanne.mason@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1 – Assessment and Recommendations Appendix 2 – Project Summary Sheet
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Appendix 1 – Assessment Score and Recommendations
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Appendix 2 – Project Summary Sheet Applications Received (in order of scoring by Community Development Officer) For submission to Oban, Lorn and the Isles Area Committee for final decision (maximum value £1,500). Ref: 1 Applicant: The Ardchatten Centre Project Summary: Application to cover venue operating costs, advertising costs and materials; to provide a core programme of monthly activities and events. Activities include popup tearoom, up-skill and exchange craft and repair classes, new knowledge classes, walking groups, reading groups and cinema nights. Recommendation: Award Ref: 2 Applicant: Oban Connecting Communities Collective/ Oban Youth Café Project Summary: Application to cover venue, travel, and accommodation costs to enable Oban Connecting Communities Collective in partnership with the Health and Wellbeing Network to hold 2 public events: 1 in Oban and 1 in Mull. The public events are free, aiming to bring the 57 members of the Health and Wellbeing Network together in one place to increase the health and wellbeing of people in the community. Recommendation: Award Ref: 3 Applicant: Isle of Lismore Art Group Project Summary: Funding is requested to support a program of craft skills workshops at a subsidised cost to island residents. This will provide opportunities to learn new craft skills associated with the island. Funding to support venue hire, tutors, materials, and refreshments. The activities will include: 3 x 6 session blocks, thematic focus, led by island artists/makers 1 x 4 session blocks, thematic focus, led by island artists/makers 2 sessions per block delivered by a guest tutor. 4 full days focused on crafts connected with the Lismore landscape. 1 showcase exhibition in the Island Hall Recommendation: Award
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Ref: 4 Applicant: Appin Community Development Trust Project Summary: The community transport scheme enables access to medical care, food shopping and transportation to social events enhancing mental wellbeing and reducing the impact of social isolation. Funding is requested to run a promotional campaign, including marketing materials and venue hire for a social event to showcase the community transport scheme and raise donations. Recommendation: Award Ref: 5 Applicant: Dalmally Community Company Project Summary: The community website needs updating and to be running smoothly. Local people will develop digital skills contributing to their community and for personal benefit. The training course will be delivered in person at the community center, enabling social interaction. Funding is requested for 12 training sessions with a professional website designer. Recommendation: Award Ref: 6 Applicant: Tiree Makery CIC Project Summary: Funding to support the project ‘Creative Connections: Art and Crafts for Wellbeing in Later Life.’ This is a visual arts and crafts project designed to engage elderly people living in rural remote areas. Funding is requested for, materials, tutor/course co-ordinator, venue hire, advertising costs, refreshments. The activities will include: 4 x half days workshops. Recommendation: Award Ref: 7 Applicant: Avich and Kilchrenan Community Heritables (AKCH) Project Summary: Website build and design to create a ‘What’s On’ calendar of events to improve inclusion within the community with a particular focus on local walking and cycling paths. The Project aims to increase the awareness of local events to help tackle social isolation, particularly in the older generations. It would provide information on walking and cycling paths in local area as highlighted in the Community Action Plan. Recommendation: Award
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Ref: 8 Applicant: An Iodhlann Project Summary: Tiree History Ceilidhs aim to create an impact, inviting presenters to perform a spinning demonstration, create a sheep and wool guidebook, hosting crofting conversations and archive talks, bringing the rich local Gaelic heritage to life and reinstating the museum at the heart of the community. Funding is requested towards the provision of 4 events with refreshments including the presenters' fee and transport. Recommendation: Award Ref: 9 Applicant: Dalmally Primary Parent Council Project Summary: Funding to support the launch of a Parent Council-led afterschool gardening club, initially for P5–P7 pupils. The club will offer weekly sessions during term time, giving children free access to hands-on, outdoor activities focused on growing food, learning about nature, and engaging in creative, practical tasks. Funding requested for plants, seeds, garden equipment, compost, craft materials and volunteer travel expenses. Recommendation: Award Ref: 10 Applicant: Oban Badminton Club Project Summary: The club would like to offer free badminton tournaments for young people, hosted across the local authority area, removing barriers and increasing participation and training volunteers to strengthen and sustain local clubs. Funding is requested towards the provision of venue hire, prizes, stationery and shuttlecocks for 6 badminton tournaments. Recommendation: Award Ref: 11 Applicant: Appin Agricultural Show Project Summary: This year the agricultural show’s focus is mental health and wellbeing within the farming community. Funding is requested towards the provision of running costs of the agricultural event, including marquee hire and purchase of tables to reduce future hire costs. Recommendation: Award
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Ref: 12 Applicant: Lismore Historical Society Project Summary: The wider archaeological project included a published book about the monastery and cathedral. The archaeological discoveries boost visitors to Lismore, improving the wellbeing of the community, raising their profile and helping secure the island’s economic future. Funding is requested towards hosting an open day celebration of the archaeological finds with an educational conference at the heritage centre to include venue hire, advertising, travel expenses, refreshments, and publicity. Recommendation: Award Ref: 13 Applicant: Oban Pride Project Summary: Funding is requested to support the Oban Pride festival event. Oban Pride provides a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community to come together to talk, feel supported, to celebrate and to promote equal rights. Funding is requested to support the venue hire, security, insurance costs, stage, light and sound technicians, march band, publicity, performers, and venue décor/signage. The festival will include, a stall village, karaoke, music, storytelling, evening events and Pride March. Recommendation: Award Ref: 14 Applicant: Kilmelford and Kilninver Community SCIO Project Summary: A Christmas concert will bring people together over a wide geographical rural area to have fun after the challenges of the pandemic, cost of living struggles and isolation in the rural community. It will be a chance to showcase what is on offer at the hall and opportunities to participate throughout the year. Funding is requested for musicians, festive food and transport to the event. Recommendation: Award Ref: 15 Applicant: Spotlight Musical Theatre Group Project Summary: Spotlight Musical Theatre Group is looking for funding towards rental of microphones for an upcoming production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Funding is requested for 1 week hire of 24 microphones and a sound technician hire for 1 week. Recommendation: Award
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Ref: 16 Applicant: Oban Bowling Club Project Summary: Bowling green maintenance by skilled volunteer members is needed to address the rising costs in the use of contractors, improving playing surface quality and attract more and diverse membership, increasing wider participation in the sport. Funding is requested towards the provision of 3 tons of top-dressing sand mixture; a levelling drag mat and dressing brush tool to improve the quality of the green playing surface. Recommendation: Partial award Ref: 17 Applicant: Police Scotland Youth Volunteers Project Summary: PSYV program aims to strengthen the relationship with the Police and young people, breaking down barriers and promoting positive role models. PSYV promotes a practical way for young people to understand policing by supporting the Police in their local area through volunteering. Funding is requested to support the running of the group and the costs of uniforms and boots. Recommendation: No award Ref: 18 Applicant: Lismore Community Trust Project Summary: A social media presence and improved website will raise the profile of the Trust's work including promoting opportunities to involve residents in local projects, promoting events and providing volunteer opportunities. Electronic surveys will gather community feedback and ideas for future projects. Funding is requested towards the provision of administrator time and volunteer expenses to develop and administer existing website and social media pages. Recommendation: No award Ref: 19 Applicant: Comunn Gàidhealach an Òbain (Mod Acadamaidh an Òbain) Project Summary: The project aims to support the development of the Gaelic language through the teaching of songs and conversations to children. Funding is requested to support, tutor fees, musical admin and travel costs. Recommendation: No award
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Ref: 20 Applicant: Isle of Seil Coastal Rowing Club Project Summary: Rowing skills, seamanship and navigation are taught in the 5-person skiff. Free or low-cost membership benefits include exercise and mental health. Funding is requested towards the provision of 5 automatic lightweight rowing lifejackets. Recommendation: No award Conditions: Ref: 21 Applicant: Oban Festival Lights Project Summary: Application to cover the storage of lights and insurance costs for the Oban Christmas lights festival. This a free event in the Oban community. Festival activities include entertainment, food, tree lighting, reindeer, and a Santa parade. Recommendation: No award Ref: 22 Applicant: Oban Camanachd Club Project Summary: Oban Camanachd Club is applying for funding to support the running costs of four community shinty teams (U14, U17, Junior, and Senior) from September 2025 to March 2027. Funding is requested to support the costs of training equipment, kit, travel costs for youth teams, hire of training facilities, Pitch hire and first aid supplies. Recommendation: No award Ref: 23 Applicant: Anamcara Fas Gadh Project Summary: Poppy’s Place is a sanctuary offering emotional respite and compassionate support to bereaved families, locally and from elsewhere, grieving the loss of a baby, child, or young person. Funding to help subsidise short restorative breaks for families across Argyll and Bute. These costs include cleaning, gas and electricity, Recommendation: No award
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Ref: 24 Applicant: Oban Youth Shinty Club Project Summary: Funding is requested towards a container to store shinty equipment in a central location to be accessed by all coaches on the days they train. Also, towards 6 x helmets and 5 x shinty sticks to enable those with no equipment of their own to participate. Recommendation: No award