Another diverse range of grant applications was received during the last funding round and was considered at the April meeting of the Carraig Gheal Wind Farm Community Benefit Fund Steering Group. The Steering Group is made up of two representatives from each of the five Community Council Areas that benefit from the Wind Farm Fund.
Main Grants (max £7,000)
Five projects out of seven were awarded grants ranging from £3,000 up to £7,000. The total number of main grants approved since the inception of the fund is 44 with over £220,000 being awarded.
The five most recent projects to benefit the local community are:
| Kilmelford and Kilninver Village Hall | New lighting | £7,000 |
| Kilmore and Kilbride Village Hall | Insulation to two external walls and new rendering | £7,000 |
| Dalmally | Two defibrillators to be installed at either end of the village | £3,000 |
| Kilchrenan Inverinan and Dalavich Coastal Rowing Club | Painting of second skiff and provision of essential equipment | £4,090 |
| Friends of Kilbride | Removal of significant invasive ivy from MacDougall Memorial Aisle | £7,000 |
Micro Grants (max £500)
The Micro Grants are allocated directly by the five Community Councils that benefit from the Wind Farm Funds. At the last meeting of the Steering Group it was decided that for the financial year of 2019/2020, Micro Grants would be increased to a maximum of £500 per application. As a result the funds allocated to each of the Community Councils would also increase from £1,000 to £2,000 for the coming year. So far 48 Micro Grant applications have been approved with over £9,250 awarded.
The next funding round for the Main Grants will open on 1st May 2019 with the closing date being 31st July 2019. The Steering Group will then meet at the beginning of October to decide which applications to approve and how much to award.
Details of how to apply for either a Micro Grant or Main Grant can be obtained through the Carraig Gheal website or by contacting Jennie Cowley at jennifer@greenpowerinternational.com