Community housing projects and charities are being urged to put their case forward as Nationwide - the UK’s biggest building society - makes £250,000 available to help make a difference across communities in Scotland.
The Society is inviting applications for grants of up to £50,000 that have the potential to strengthen communities and help make a difference in local areas. Projects could range from innovative new housing, improving rented accommodation conditions, to supporting the most vulnerable.
Applications will be accepted from across Scotland, including the following areas: Dumfries and Galloway, Strathclyde, Central Scotland, Borders, Lothian, Fife, the Highlands & Islands and Grampian
Gary White, Nationwide’s Area Director for Scotland, said: “As a building society, ensuring that everyone has a place fit to call home is at the heart of what we do. Nationwide was founded to help people save and borrow money for land and materials to build their own homes. One hundred and thirty years on, we still have the same core purpose - helping people into homes of their own.
“We recognise there is a housing crisis, resulting in many people living in unsuitable, insecure or unaffordable accommodation. So, we are delighted to award £250,000 to communities within Scotland to support housing projects and make a real difference.”
"Our members voted for us to donate at least 1% of our pre-tax profits to good causes and asked that we focus on tackling housing issues.
“This is a fantastic way for them to make a difference to their local communities and tell us exactly where our funding should be focused – after all, our members know their communities better than anyone else, both in Scotland and across other regions of the UK. We urge local housing projects and charities in that area to get involved and make an application, so we can make a real difference and deliver the best possible results, together.”
Full details can be found at www.nationwide.co.uk/communityfunding or in local Nationwide branches in this region.