Grants on offer for vital services

COMMUNITY groups across Dumfries and Galloway being invited to apply grants in the latest round of funding from Development Trusts Association Scotland (DTAS). Organisations can apply for grants of up to £100,000 each to help safeguard vital services. The grants come from the Recovery and Resilience Programme, a £5 million initiative delivered by DTAS and funded by Foundation Scotland. The programme is designed to help development trusts move beyond day-to-day survival by investing in their organisational resilience – ensuring they have the knowledge and strategies in place to continue serving their communities for years to come. Among the groups that have benefitted from the scheme is the Castle Douglas Development Forum who received £30,240 to hire a Development and Project Lead to support the trust’s recent purchase of the Crannog. Carolyn Yates, trustee at Castle Douglas Development Forum, commented: “We’ve recently secured a long-term lease for the Crannog and are excited to begin transforming it into a family-friendly, intergenerational community hub. At the same time, we’ve been navigating reduced staffing and increased demands on our trustees, so this support comes at a crucial moment. This funding from DTAS means we can recruit a Development and Project Lead to help drive our plans forward and continue our mission to improve the health and wellbeing of people across our town and surrounding villages.” Errin Anderson, head of member support at DTAS, added: “At a time when many communities are facing rising costs and increasing demand for local services, development trusts play a vital role in driving regeneration and delivering social and economic benefits to communities. But to do that, they themselves need a strong foundation. “The Recovery and Resilience Programme isn’t about funding projects – it’s about helping organisations think strategically and strengthen for the long term.” Applications are open now for DTAS members on the DTAS website, with funding available until 31 December 2027.