The Partick and Thornwood Ideas Fund has funded a range of local projects from one-off events, to series of workshops, to supplies for groups.

The Ideas Fund will be open for applications from the 17th to the 31st of May. Community voting will be open from the 21st to the 28th of June, with the aim of funds being dispersed to the successful applicants at the start of July. Perfect for any groups looking to hold events over the summer holidays! During the voting week, there will be a Meet the Ideas event on the 25th of June, where applicants showcase their ideas to the public.

The Ideas Fund is a participatory budgeting (PB) project funded by the Scottish Government’s Investing in Communities Fund. PB is a decision-making process through which citizens deliberate and negotiate over the distribution of public resources. It allows citizens to play a direct role in deciding how and where resources should be spent. These programs create opportunities for engaging, educating, and empowering citizens, which can foster a more cohesive and just community.

Previous successful ideas have ranged from activities for a sheltered housing complex, running costs for men’s groups, equipment for outdoor growing projects, to vital equipment for art and knitting groups, so the world is your oyster.

A member of Partick Community Growing Project said about applying to the fund: “It was a success personally for me as my first time at getting funding for any idea. That inspired me and I am now more confident to apply another time or for other funding.”