Inverness Common Good Fund supporting local community benefit

Monies collected in rent payments from businesses on Common Good Land (the historic burghs of Scotland) make up the Common Good Funds which are used for projects that benefit communities. The Highland Council administers 10 Common Good funds including the Inverness Common Good Fund.

Recent examples of funding include the refurbishment of the Inverness steeple and the Inverness Town House. The Inverness Common Good Fund also pays for the Inverness events and festivals, which puts on the biggest free Hogmanay concert in the UK. 

£298,957 (Over £203,289) was awarded to local groups who applied for grants in 2017-18 and a further £42,682 approved by the Grants Sub Committee in May.

Projects ranged from supporting sports teams and events such as Inverness Street League, Clachnacuddin FC Youth Development, and Inverness Primary Girl’s Shinty Festival to music and cultural activities including Ness Book Fest, Community pipe band, Gaelic choir, Music in Hospitals, and floral arts. Funds also went to supporting the Inverness Science Festival, The Shirlie Project, Signpost’s Recovery Café, The Archie Foundation Fresh Air Project and Cycle for Health amongst others.

The Inverness Common Good Fund Grant Sub-Committee meets quarterly to make decisions on how funds are spent for the benefit of communities.

Chair of the Grants Sub Committee and Depute Provost of Inverness, Councillor Graham Ross said: “The Inverness Common Good Fund supports a wide range of groups and projects which deliver benefits to the communities of Inverness in a wide variety of ways. Over the past year we have granted funds to a range of initiatives which seek to enhance culture, sport, music and inclusion, and help to make Inverness a great place to live and visit.”

If you have a project with wide benefits to Inverness, you may be able to apply for funding. The next deadline for applications is 13 July 2018 to be considered by the Grant Sub-Committee on 6 August.

For more information visit the Council website:

https://www.highland.gov.uk/info/677/council_and_government_grants/810/inverness_common_good_fund