Inspiring Scotland Neighbourhood Ecosystem Fund

Total Value of Fund

Across its first two rounds (from its establishment in 2024), the Neighbourhood Ecosystem Fund has invested over £360,000 into community-led nature restoration projects.

Amount that can be applied for

Community groups can apply for grants of up to £13,500 per project to support early stage ecosystem restoration development.

Percentage that can be applied for

The Fund does not specify a fixed percentage share of project costs, applicants may request up to the maximum sum within the £13,500 cap, depending on eligible project activities and budget needs.

Who can apply

Place-based community groups in Scotland with annual incomes of less than £200,000 are eligible to apply. Organisations must be not-for-profit and community-led, focused on local ecosystem restoration rather than large national or commercial entities.

Aims of the fund

The Neighbourhood Ecosystem Fund aims to:
• Support local communities to develop and design ecosystem restoration projects around Scotland. 
• Encourage community-led action on biodiversity and habitat restoration, addressing barriers faced by grassroots groups. 
• Raise awareness of local ecosystem restoration and support feasibility and planning stages of larger projects.

Timing

• The Fund has operated in competitive rounds, for example, the second round opened in early 2025 and closed to applications on 3 March 2025, with delivery running from 1 June 2025 to 31 March 2026. Future rounds are to be announced by Inspiring Scotland.

Examples of successful projects

Funded community-led initiatives include (across Scotland): 
• Blackwood Estate Community Association (South Lanarkshire): restoring Cander Water stream habitat.
• Gallan Head Community Trust (Western Isles): surveying invasive species and planning removal.
• Anagach Woods Trust (Grantown-on-Spey): community training to lead woodland restoration.
• Other projects have improved freshwater wetlands, conducted ecological surveys, and supported woodland and species restoration across 12 local authority areas. 
• Smaller individual activities, such as ecological surveys for biodiversity planning, have also been funded; for example, Calton Hill Conservation Trust received £2,828 for vegetation and wildlife survey work.

Contact info

• Phone: 0131 442 8760 
• Email: nature@inspiringscotland.org.uk
• Website: https://inspiringscotland.org.uk/fund/neighbourhood-ecosystem-fund/ 
• Address: 
Suite 2, 
14 New Mart Road, 
Edinburgh, 
EH14 1RL