TranslateWee Grants for Islands 2025 to 2026 is a pilot islands-only fund to enable locally led action on Arran and Cumbrae, building on their strengths and opportunities, supporting local need and strengthening Community Wealth Building by implementing actions that deliver priorities identified in the Local Island Plans.
This pilot is fully funded by Crown Estates Scotland and delivered by the North Ayrshire Islands Programme, a partnership of North Ayrshire Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government.
The fund aims to address small-scale social, economic and environmental issues by delivering improvements.
The fund is open for applications from 12pm on Tuesday 2 December 2025 until 11.59pm on Sunday 11 January 2026. Applicants can edit their submissions once submitted, until the closing date. Applications will be then be assessed and applicants will be notified of the outcome late January 2026.
1. Introduction
The Wee Grants for North Ayrshire Islands Scheme ('the grant') has been created to help the island communities of Arran and Cumbrae deliver projects that will support local priorities and help them to thrive and grow.
2. What the Wee Grants for North Ayrshire Islands Scheme will support
The proposed project will deliver one, or more, of these objectives:
- assist local businesses to strengthen local supply chains
- maximise community assets to support wellbeing
- digital solutions to improve online presence and/or access
- enhance culture and heritage
- deliver activities including those that tackle inequalities and disadvantage
- active travel and transport solutions
- improve preparedness to deal with the impacts of climate change
2.1 The Grant
The council will award grants between £500 and £1,000 in 2025 to 2026 to eligible organisations. The Grant can support one element of a larger project, including projects which are already underway.
If you have any questions that are not covered within this guidance, please contact islands@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
The total award must be spent in full by 31 March 2026.
Criteria:
- constituted organisations delivering community focussed projects only on the islands of Arran and/or Cumbrae can apply
- applicants must be financially viable and efficiently and effectively managed
- applicants must have all insurances appropriate for the proposed project in place
- applicants will be required to submit any relevant documentation supporting delivery of the project
- applicants must commit to the Fair Work First criteria in a reasonable and proportionate manner in relation to their organisation.
3. Application and assessment
An authorised member of the eligible organisation should apply for the grant by completing the standard application form ('the application form').
Applications must meet the following essential criteria:
- the applicant must be constituted
- if successful, the grant will be fully spent by 31 March 2026, with evidence provided to confirm
- the project must meet at least one of the Wee Grants for Islands objectives
- grantees must commit to the Fair Work First criteria (section 6 provides more detail) in a reasonable and proportionate manner in relation to their organisation
Applications proceeding to full assessment will be reviewed by an assessment group of North Ayrshire Council officers from a range of services.
Applications will be scored on three aspects:
- The project plan, outputs and outcomes, for instance, what does the Applicant hope to achieve, because of the project. We look forward to considering the detail in the Project Information section of the application form. Section 4 has further information below.
- The projects fit with the Local Island Plan and how it supports Community Wealth Building principles. We look forward to considering the detail in the Community Wealth Building section of the application form. Section 5 has more information below.
- How you will deliver the project including aspects such as staffing arrangements, management of any risks associated with the project and whether required permissions are in place. We look forward to considering the detail in the Deliverability section of the application form. Section 6 has further information below.
Match funding (actual or planned) and partnership delivery are not requirements of the grant but will greatly enhance any application. You can also tell us about these in the Project Costs section of the application form.
Applicants will receive feedback when notified of the outcome of the application. Each section of the application will be scored according to how well it demonstrates the requirements of the grant. Applications will be ranked by highest to lowest score and funding awarded to the highest scoring applications.
The panel can decide to offer a lower level of grant than requested based on the information submitted.
4. The Project
This is an opportunity to explain your project in detail, including:
- project information - please complete the table to confirm the project name, location, start and end date
- what island(s) of North Ayrshire will benefit from the project - it must benefit one or more islands in North Ayrshire
- if this project will be delivered in partnership with any other organisations - please provide names of partners, further detail to be provided in response to 'tell us about your project'
- how you want to achieve the project - describe the project as if you are telling someone who does not know anything about it, including why you think the project is needed, provide more detail about the project and what objectives it will deliver, when the project starts and finishes, who will benefit, where it will take place, if you are working with any other partners, please tell us about this. It is not essential that you work in partnership with other groups or organisations, but we strongly encourage applicants to consider this aspect of delivery and how it can enhance the outcomes and impact of your project.
- what outcomes you expect the project to achieve - use this section to tell us what you think the project will achieve and what difference it will make to the island. Please refer to the list of outputs and outcomes when describing what you will achieve
- why your project requires a Wee Grants for Islands - tell us about any gaps in the project's funding that you think the grant can fill, any other funding that the applicant has applied for or has received to support the project, the costs for which the grant is being sought must not be incurred prior to funding being approved. Tell us if you hope to use the grant to attract further match funding for the project. Match funding is not essential, but we strongly encourage applicants to consider what other funding sources might work well with this grant, to maximise the project's impact.
Potential output examples:
- amenities/facilities created or improved
- local events or activities supported
- new or improved cycleways or paths
- tourism, culture or heritage assets created or improved
- low or zero carbon energy infrastructure installed
- decarbonisation plans developed as a result of support
- village improvements
- volunteering opportunities supported
Potential outcomes examples:
- increased footfall
- increased visitor numbers
- improved perception of facilities/amenities
- increased users of facilities/amenities
- improved engagement numbers
- increased volunteering numbers as a result of support
- increased take up of energy efficiency measures
5. Community Wealth Building
Please tell us how the project will support local Community Wealth Building. Describe how the project supports local Community Wealth Building.
Key local strategies applicants should consider the Arran or Cumbrae Local Island Plans, the council's Community Wealth Building Strategy, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy and the current National Islands Plan.
The council’s Community Wealth Building Mission is to support the vision of a North Ayrshire that is ‘Fair for All’ by enhancing local wealth, creating of fair jobs and maximising the potential of all our places by working in partnership with our communities and businesses.
6. Deliverability
To assess applications fully, we need to understand what arrangements are in place to carry the project out and what might stop the project from happening.
Please tell us about how the project finances will be managed and what staff or volunteers are required to deliver the project. If staff or volunteers are not already in post, please tell us what your recruitment plans and processes will be.
Please tell us about the project timeline and how the grant could support that.
It is also important that applicants demonstrate that they have considered what the risk factors are for the project and how these risks will be addressed.
Please also tell us how you plan to monitor and evaluate the project. We will ask for monitoring and evaluation information (see Section 9).
A separate table requests detail of any permissions required to carry out the project, for example, planning permission.
Where relevant, we will ask for proof of ownership of the land or buildings affected by the project. If the owner’s permission is required, we will contact the owner to verify their consent to the project taking place.
In carrying out the project, the grantee will be expected to give regard to and promote the Fair Work Framework. The grantee is is required to commit to the following Fair Work First criteria in a way that is relevant and proportionate for the organisation and promote this with employers with whom you engage while delivering the project:
- support and promote appropriate channels for effective voice, such as trade union recognition
- encourage employers to invest in workforce development
- encourage employers not to have inappropriate use of zero hours contracts
- support and encourage employers to take action to tackle the gender pay gap and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace, and
- promote the payment of the real Living Wage
7. Project costs
Total project cost - only non-recoverable VAT should be included, as part of the relevant project costs
Wee Grants for Islands Grant Requested - we ask you to submit two quotes for any goods or services required. Where these are not supplied, we can provisionally approve applications, subject to provision of quotes in a timely manner. The timetable for submission of quotes will depend on the nature of the project and will be communicated to applicants with the notification of the application outcome.
Other Funding Secured - provide details.
Expenditure funded by Wee Grants for Islands - tell us about the activities, goods or services to be funded by the grant.
8. Submission
A checklist has been provided to help applicants ensure that all relevant documentation is included with the application. Failure to include all information requested may result in the application process being delayed.
Applicants should note the content of the Data Protection statement.
Please ensure that the application is signed by a signatory formally authorised by the applicant. The Constitution may provide for this aspect. If not, please submit a copy of the minute of the meeting authorising the appointment of the signatory.
By signing the application form, the authorised signatory, confirms for and on behalf of the applicant that the applicant has read and understood the Wee Grants for Islands Guidance and declares that to the best of the applicant’s knowledge and belief, the information given in the application form and any supporting documentation is correct and accurate.
The applicant understands that acceptance of this application by the council does not itself guarantee that a grant will be offered.
No approval of this application or any related documentation will impose or be deemed to impose any liability whatsoever on the council, as to its accuracy or otherwise and any offer of any grant by the council to the applicant is made purely in the council’s capacity as grant funder, under the Wee Grants for Islands 2025 to 2026.
The applicant is further aware that the project must be completed by 31 March 2026, failing which the council reserves the right to recover a proportion of the grant.
For any enquiries contact islands@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.
9. Monitoring and reporting
The applicant will ensure that projects have measurable outcomes to enable progress to be reported to the council on a regular basis.
The council will ask successful applicants to provide a progress update on projects covering the date of project commencement to 31 March 2026.
Successful applicants will be asked to report on the outputs and outcomes identified in the Application (see Section 4). Applicants will be asked to demonstrate how they have used the grant and how it is enabling the project.
Applicants will also be given an opportunity to share case studies, good practice or innovative approaches.
The applicant must provide completed monitoring forms on request, to enable the council to fulfil reporting requirements.
If further guidance on completion of the application form is required, or once projects are underway, please contact islands@north-ayrshire.gov.uk.