£700,000 funding bid for Cumnock and Doon Valley projects
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GROUPS across Cumnock and Doon Valley have applied for a total of £700,000 in community benefits.
More than 90 groups across the area applied in response to the third funding round of wind farm community benefit being released by The 9CC Group.
Since the charity organisation was formed to collectively and collaboratively manage and administer grants from wind farm developers across the region, it has awarded almost £1m and secured an addition £1.9m in match funding.
In the first funding round, it issued £800,000 in grants and supported 52 community facilities, 77 jobs, 31 events and 79 projects.
The second round saw a further £100,000 to fund more than 40 projects.
All of the funds are being provided by wind farm developers in advance of their regulatory obligations and as part of their commitment to The 9CCG’s vision to make Cumnock and Doon Valley a better place to live, work, play and visit.
Alex Baird, chair of The 9CC Group, said: “This latest round of advance funding will once again make a huge difference to so many community groups, organisations and projects.
“That we have been able to secure advance funds is down to having a widely recognised best practice model for administering and distributing these funds and developers sharing our commitment to a collaborative approach and the fair and equitable funding of all nine communities.
The funding applications saw 13 bids from Auchinleck; 13 from Cumnock; 10 from Dalmellington; seven from Drongan, Rankinston and Stair; five from Logan, Lugar and Cronberry; nine from New Cumnock; eight from Netherthird; three from Ochiltree and Skares; and eight from Patna.
More than 60 projects are looking for grants above £1,000, including 24 seeking in excess of £10,000, such as £17,578 for the refurbishment of Word Wisdom Café in Cumnock; £25,894 for Dalmellington Bowling Club; £35,000 for an after schools project in Drongan; and £20,000 for an apprenticeship post at the East Ayrshire Coalfields Environmental Initiative.
Georgette Fulton OBE, 9CC Group board member for New Cumnock, said: “To date New Cumnock has received the largest share of 9CCG funding given the proximity to wind farms but all communities have benefited because of our collective and collaborative funding model.
“That is so important if we are to avoid the divisive mistakes of the past where unilateral funding decisions were made and individual communities were funded to the exclusion of their neighbours.
“There is no doubt we and developers can achieve so much more by working together and being united around a common goal to create a lasting legacy for all nine communities.”
For more information
Please refer to the 9CCG website
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