USE: IMMEDIATE   ISSUE DATE:  FRIDAY 18 MARCH 2005

HIGHLAND 2007 – COMMUNITY PROGRAMME

A funding formula for the distribution of community grants for promoting Highland 2007, the year that Scotland celebrates Highland culture, has been agreed by The Highland Council’s Education Culture and Sport Committee. A total of £1 million is available for distribution in 2005-2006 for both running events and for embarking on projects, such as hall upgrades. A further £1 million will be available in each of the following two financial years.

The allocation for 2005-2006 is: -

Badenoch and Strathspey, £92,600; Caithness, £110,000; Inverness, £197,000; Lochaber, £123,200; Nairn, £75,200; Ross and Cromarty, £185,000; Skye and Lochalsh, £95,000; Sutherland, £122,000.

The funding formula for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 will be reviewed at the end of the first financial year.

Applications for assistance are now available from The Highland Council’s network of area Community Learning and Leisure Offices or from the Highland 2007 website: www.highland2007.com.

The Programme is split into to two funding streams – one (revenue) for events and the other (capital) for projects.

The  revenue aspect  amounts to £1.5 million over three years and is funded jointly by the three partners of Highland 2007 - The Scottish Executive, The Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.  It is the responsibility of the Highland 2007 Project Team – led by Director Fiona Hampton - to manage and administer the fund, with assistance of a network of area Highland 2007 Management Groups, yet to be established.  The role of each local 2007 Management Group will be to stimulate bids and to make recommendations on which applications should receive revenue funding for this strand of the programme in their area. 

The capital element, also worth £1.5 million over three years, is funded solely by The Highland Council. It falls on the Council, through its eight Area Committees, to disperse.  The purpose of the capital grants is to allow communities to take forward small projects that will help deliver the aims of Highland 2007.

To keep the bidding process as simple as possible, one application form will be used for both capital and revenue projects, which will then be directed in each area to the local 2007 Management Group in the case of revenue grants, or to the Area Committee in the case of capital grants.

 -ends-

For general enquiries, please contact Morven MacLeod at the Highland 2007 office on 01463 702007.