We are delighted to announce the launch of the Democracy Matters Community Engagement Fund 2023 – 2024. Impact Funding Partners is managing the fund on behalf of the Scottish Government and COSLA.

Impact Funding Partners is inviting applications from third sector organisations and community groups to this fund. The fund will open for applications on Monday 28th August 2023 and will close on Friday 26th January 2024. Funded activity must take place between 28th August and 14th February 2024. Grants of up to £300.00 are available on a rolling basis during the fund period and must be used to support conversations, events or gatherings in person or online.

Following a highly inclusive process of engagement with communities in 2018, the Democracy Matters Fund has developed into phase two. Phase one showed that different places and diverse communities work best when they have local control and influence over decisions that affect them most.

This fund aims to develop the thinking around how a vibrant, equal system of local democracy, where people understand their rights and actively participate in civic life, can be made to work in practice.

The Fund will:
• Support organisations and groups to host conversations and gather the views of people across Scotland on how we can create a system of inclusive local democracy;
• Reach out to all communities across Scotland no matter how small, large or what their geographical influences are;
• Reach out to marginalised individuals and communities whose voices are not heard.

For further information, guidance on how to apply and relevant documents, please visit our webpage here.

After reading through the Fund Information found on our webpage you find that you are not eligible to apply for funding, you can still contribute to the conversation. You can hold a conversation using the available documents on our website, either as a group of people or as an individual and submit your feedback. Details on how to feedback and contribute to the conversation are also available on our webpage.

Please get in touch with our team if you wish to discuss anything relating to the fund. You can email us on democracy@impactfundingpartners.com or you can contact us by phone on 01383 620 780.