Community-led groups from across Central Scotland are being encouraged to apply to a new multi-million pound fund which will allow Scottish communities to buy, manage or develop buildings or land.

Between now and 2020 up to £45 million of Big Lottery Fund cash will be available through Community Assets to support community led projects to develop or build assets for their community use. Groups can apply for grants from £10,000 to £1 million and, where needed, will receive professional technical support and advice from Community Asset mentors to turn their project ideas into reality.

Last week staff members from the Big Lottery Fund joined Gartmore Community Trust in The Trossachs to find out more about their fantastic community owned Village Hall and the impact it is having at a local level.

Welcoming them, Eleanor Hamilton of Gartmore Community Trust, said: “We were delighted to have Big Lottery Fund staff visit us to see and hear about the difference our community owned building makes to the lives of local people.

"Now, thanks to this new Community Assets funding, local groups like ours will be able to follow in our footsteps by applying for funding to buy, manage or develop buildings or land today."

The Gartmore Community Trust received £708,000 of Big Lottery funding to refurbish, extend and re-develop the existing community-owned village hall located in the rural village of Gartmore.

The redeveloped facility provides tailored accommodation for a wide variety of activities, services and events for the local and wider communities and visitors.

The Hall boasts a large main hall, small and large meetings rooms and an upstairs exercise studio.

Launching Community Assets and encouraging other groups to consider and develop their project ideas, Maureen McGinn, Big Lottery Fund Scotland chair, said: “This is new funding which will allow even more communities to follow in the footsteps of organisations like Gartmore Community Trust.

"The Big Lottery Fund has 15 years of experience in supporting local communities to take greater control of their futures through the acquisition, management and development of local assets. And we know the positive difference this can make.

“Community Assets is part of a wider funding offering here in Scotland aimed at supporting activity which is people centred, strengths based and has good local connections. It recognises that there is strong appetite in communities across Scotland to purchase and develop local assets which can bring huge, lasting benefits such as sustaining jobs and helping connect people to activities and services.”

Big Lottery Fund is the leading non statutory funder of the voluntary and community sector and since 2006 has awarded over £768 million to over 27,000 projects here in Scotland.

Between now and 2020, the Big Lottery Fund in Scotland has £250 million to support people and communities dealing with challenging circumstances. Community Assets is the third and final stream of funding to open following the launch of Improving Lives and Community Led in November 2015.

If a group has an idea for Community Assets funding they should visit the website at biglotteryfund.org.uk/global-content/programmes/scotland/community-assets to find out more or email advicescotland@biglotteryfund.org.uk to discuss their proposal.