The Scottish Trail Fund has opened to grant applications for any trail associations looking for assistance in making the next steps.
If you’re a community organisation involved with bikes and trail access, then the Scottish Trail Fund has opened for grant applications to help grease those wheels.
Thanks to the kind donations from the Scottish mountain bike community, the trustees of the Scottish Cycling Foundation (SCF)* and Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland (DMBinS) are now able to open applications for grants to help support trails associations, local groups, and communities who are keen to improve their trail networks.
As the Scottish Trail Fund** is currently building its resources, it is likely that the grants will not be for large scale-capital projects (such as mountain bike trail centres and pump tracks). It is expected to support groups to be able to develop their trails by helping to get landowner approval, insurance, DIRTT (Developing Inter-European Resources for Trail Building Training) training courses, tools, materials, or studies.
Kathy Gilchrist, Trustee of the SCF, said:
“We are delighted to now open the fund for applications from trails associations, local groups and communities across Scotland. This is precisely why we set up a charitable foundation to be able to provide different sources of income leading to improvements for cyclists across Scotland. We are excited about seeing the different applications coming in for the fund and thank all the groups for their work and passion in improving trails across the country.”
The Scottish Trail Fund and the grant making process will be administered and supported by the staff of Scottish Cycling and DMBinS who will make recommendations to the trustees of the Scottish Cycling Foundation (OSCR NO. SC051130) for approval.
Graeme McLean, Head of DMBinS, said:
“We know the impact that trails associations and groups are making to the trails across Scotland. We believe that the Scottish Trail Fund can play a large part in helping groups set up, gain landowner approval, and help build the practical resources that will help build and maintain a trail network across Scotland.
If you can, please consider donating to the fund so we can help build this fund now and into the future.”
*What is the Scottish Cycling Foundation?
- The SCF is the official charity of Scottish Cycling
- The SCF supports the future of cycle sport in Scotland
- The SCF drives positive change for cycling in Scotland, be that by enhancing key projects or removing barriers to participation.
- The SCF delivers, in collaboration with Scottish Cycling, impactful projects and benefits through its Scottish MTB Health Fund, Scottish Trail Fund and Braveheart Performance Fund.
- It seeks and secures funding from a range of sources
- The charity has, and continues, to develop and deliver a programme of fundraising events and activities to deliver impactful programmes and raise awareness of its positive impact
**What is the Scottish Trail Fund?
Scottish Trail Fund seeks to:
- Protect and enhance our natural environment
- Develop and maintain an accessible & varied trail network
To do this we:
- Fund volunteer trail building courses – creating leaders to run trail building sessions from Trails Associations across Scotland
- Support and develop the strategic case for increased investment into the Scottish trail network
- Fund trail development feasibility study projects to be ‘shovel-ready’ for capital investment
- Match donations with at least 50% from public and private sector sources to grow the trail network in Scotland