The Cairngorms Trust

Charity Number: CUSTOM_516ABAD8

Annual Expenditure: £0.2M

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Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: £200,000+ (2024/25 CLLD allocation)
  • Success Rate: ~48% (based on Recovery Fund data)
  • Decision Time: Quarterly LAG meetings (end of June, July, August)
  • Grant Range: £500 - £15,000
  • Geographic Focus: Cairngorms National Park only

Contact Details

Address: 14 The Square, Grantown-on-Spey, Scotland PH26 3HG

Phone: 01479 870552

Email: communitygrants@cairngorms.co.uk / cairngormstrust@cairngorms.co.uk

Website: www.cairngormstrust.org.uk

Pre-application support: Staff available to discuss project ideas and application completion

Overview

The Cairngorms Trust, operating as the Cairngorms Local Action Group Trust, was registered as a Scottish charity (SC046495) in April 2016. The Trust manages Scottish Government Community Led Local Development (CLLD) funding on behalf of the Cairngorms National Park communities. Between 2016-2022, the Trust distributed over £2.2 million through the LEADER programme to 34+ projects. The organization's mission is to support community-led projects that maintain and enhance the Cairngorms' landscapes, wildlife, habitat, and local culture. Operating on three core pillars—Give, Protect, Grow—the Trust swiftly redistributes funds to community groups, ensuring donations have immediate local impact. In recent years, the Trust has pioneered inclusive funding initiatives, including the Park for All Fund targeting BAME communities, demonstrating a commitment to both environmental conservation and social equity.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Community Grants: Up to £1,000

  • For smaller community projects
  • Rolling application basis
  • Quick turnaround

Campaign Projects: £5,000 - £10,000

  • Main annual funding stream
  • For larger community-led initiatives
  • Fixed application deadlines

Nature Resilience Fund: £5,000 - £15,000 (larger projects); up to £1,000 (small community projects)

  • Supports building nature resilience to climate change
  • Tackles biodiversity decline
  • Freshwater habitat enhancement, wildlife corridors, species conservation
  • Native tree planting and pollinator-friendly habitats

Community Led Vision Fund: Variable amounts (distributed £265,500 over 19 projects in recent cycle)

  • Approximately £200,000 available annually (mix of revenue and capital)
  • Community capacity building and upskilling
  • Net Zero economy support
  • Youth attraction and retention
  • Cultural heritage and wellbeing projects

Youth LAG Fund: Variable amounts

  • Co-designed and run by young people aged 14-26
  • 66 projects funded since 2021
  • Training, equipment, community initiatives for young people

Cairngorms Park For All Fund: £500 (individuals); £1,500 (groups/organisations)

  • Co-developed with Lived Experience panel
  • Supports BAME community access to outdoor spaces
  • Training courses, outdoor equipment, guided activities
  • Cannot fund retrospective activities

Path Maintenance Fund: Variable

  • Supports trail accessibility and maintenance
  • Opens January 6, 2026

Communities and Cultural Heritage Fund: Variable

  • Opens October 9, 2025

Priority Areas

  • Nature conservation and restoration: Habitat rejuvenation, native species restoration, biodiversity protection, riparian planting
  • Community-led development: Projects that build community capacity and deliver lasting benefits
  • Sustainable development: Net Zero economy initiatives, green skills, energy efficiency
  • Youth programs: Youth-led projects, education, outdoor skills development
  • Path maintenance: Keeping trails accessible
  • Cultural heritage: Supporting local traditions and community identity
  • Sustainable transport: E-bike projects and alternative transport options
  • Social inclusion: Increasing access for underrepresented groups
  • Poverty alleviation: Fuel poverty projects, community support services

What They Don't Fund

  • Projects outside the Cairngorms National Park boundaries
  • Retrospective activities or purchases (particularly for Park for All Fund)
  • Projects not demonstrating community benefit or environmental impact
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Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (Local Action Group)

The Cairngorms Local Action Group (CLAG) comprises volunteers from diverse backgrounds including residents, businesses, charities, and the public sector. They meet quarterly to make funding decisions. The Cairngorms National Park Authority acts as the Accountable Body.

Roger Clegg, Chairman: Convenor of the Association of Cairngorm Communities, member of Kirriemuir Landward West Community Council, former teacher and school governor

David Cameron, Vice Chair: Qualified accountant (CIPFA) with HR and organizational development expertise, employed by Cairngorms National Park Authority, serves on sportscotland Board

Karen Derrick, Co Vice Chair: Twenty years of community development experience, heads Voluntary Action in Badenoch and Strathspey, director of Grantown Initiative and Citizens Advice Bureau

Other Board Members:

  • Cattie Anderson: Scottish Natural Heritage Area Officer, 40-year park resident
  • Brian Wood: Retired educator, 30-year Justice of the Peace
  • Eric Baird: Head Ranger Glen Tanar, Scottish Wildlife Forum Executive Committee member
  • Eleanor Mackintosh: CNPA board representative, Glenlivet resident
  • Rachel Avery: Founder Director Roots and Shoots Highland
  • Scott Sangster: 30 years youth and community development experience

Staff Team

Nancy Chambers, Trust Manager: Passionate about the environment and local communities within Cairngorms National Park

Bridget Trussell, Community Grants Manager: Leads the team managing Scottish Government CLLD funding, background in community and youth development

Samantha Masson, Community Grants Officer: Twenty-year Cairngorms resident. States: “Working in Community Led Local Development allows me to give something back to the National Park.”

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Review all guidance documentation for the specific fund
  2. Obtain the Themes, Outcomes and Indicators document
  3. Contact staff to discuss project ideas (strongly encouraged)
  4. Complete the application form
  5. Submit via email to communitygrants@cairngorms.co.uk by the deadline with supporting materials

Applications are accepted through a mix of rolling and fixed deadline processes, depending on the specific fund.

Decision Timeline

  • LAG meetings held quarterly (end of June, July, and final meeting typically in August)
  • Decision timelines vary by fund
  • Staff contact applicants after LAG decisions
  • Projects typically must complete within specified timeframes (e.g., by end of March for annual cycles)

Success Rates

While comprehensive success rate data is not publicly available across all funds, the Cairngorms Recovery Fund provides insight: 27 applications received, 13 projects funded (£130,000 total), representing approximately a 48% success rate.

The Trust has a strong track record:

  • 2016-2018: 34 LEADER projects funded (£2,002,774.63 distributed)
  • 2014-2020 LEADER programme: £2.241 million committed across multiple projects
  • Community Led Vision Fund: £265,500 distributed over 19 projects
  • Youth LAG: 66 projects funded since 2021
  • Green Recovery Fund: 39 projects supported

Reapplication Policy

No specific waiting period for unsuccessful applicants was found in public materials. Contact staff directly to discuss unsuccessful applications and potential resubmission.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from the Trust

Staff emphasize that successful applicants should “concentrate on projects that promote capacity building and up-skilling of communities, instilling the skills needed to manage project outputs and realise benefits beyond the end of the project.”

Pre-application engagement is strongly encouraged. The Trust states that staff can provide guidance on “shaping potential projects and completing the form.”

Recently Funded Projects

Nature Conservation:

  • Royal Zoological Society of Scotland: Conservation breeding programme for blood-red longhorn beetle
  • Dee District Salmon Fishery Board: Glen Muick Woodland Connectivity
  • Spey Catchment Initiative: River Truim Riparian Planting

Community Infrastructure:

  • Grantown YMCA Community Centre: Lift installation for accessibility
  • Dalwhinnie Community Council: Ben Alder Road Carpark improvements
  • Marr Log Bank Project: Fuel poverty alleviation through log distribution

Youth Projects:

  • Black Scottish Adventurers
  • Scottish Canoe Association: Young ambassadors
  • Home educated young people: John Muir Award activities
  • Abernethy Primary School: Community orchard planting
  • Ellie Moore: Conservation videography equipment

Community Development:

  • Blair Atholl & Area Tourism Association: Community and Business Development
  • Countryside Learning Scotland: Pathways to Rural Work Cairngorms
  • Aboyne & Upper Deeside Rotary Club: Litter Picking Upper Deeside

Key Language and Terminology

The Trust uses specific terminology that applicants should mirror:

  • “Community-led” development
  • “Capacity building”
  • “Net Zero economy”
  • “Nature resilience”
  • “Wildlife corridors” and “habitat connectivity”
  • “Give, Protect, Grow” (their three pillars)
  • Projects with “lasting benefits beyond the project end”

Standing Out

  1. Demonstrate community engagement: Show how your project involves local people and builds local capacity
  2. Align with National Park priorities: Connect your project to environmental protection and community wellbeing
  3. Show legacy: Explain how benefits will continue after funding ends
  4. Engage early: Contact staff before applying to shape your project
  5. Youth involvement: Where relevant, show how young people benefit or participate
  6. Environmental impact: Clearly articulate positive environmental outcomes
  7. Innovation: The Trust has pioneered inclusive funding (e.g., Park for All Fund), showing openness to innovative approaches

Common Success Characteristics

  • Geographic location strictly within Cairngorms National Park boundaries
  • Clear community or environmental benefit
  • Feasible within timeframes
  • Strong community support or partnership
  • Realistic budgets and project plans
  • Alignment with multiple Trust priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Location is non-negotiable: Your project must be based in the Cairngorms National Park. This is the single most important eligibility criterion.
  1. Pre-application contact is crucial: Staff actively encourage discussion before submission. Use this resource to shape your project and ensure alignment with priorities.
  1. Think beyond the project end date: The Trust prioritizes “capacity building” and “upskilling” that creates lasting community benefits. Demonstrate how your project creates sustainable change.
  1. Multiple funds may apply: With various funding streams (Youth LAG, Nature Resilience, Community Led Vision, etc.), consider which best fits your project or whether a phased approach using different funds makes sense.
  1. Community-led is the operative word: This isn't traditional grant-making. The Trust values local ownership, volunteer involvement, and community decision-making. Applications from outside organizations working in the area need to demonstrate genuine local partnership and community leadership.
  1. Youth projects have dedicated pathways: If your project involves young people (14-26), the Youth LAG fund offers peer-reviewed funding and is notably successful (66 projects funded).
  1. The Trust moves quickly: Unlike many funders, the Trust explicitly aims to “swiftly redistribute funds” for “immediate impact.” This suggests they value practicality and deliverability over lengthy, complex projects.

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References