A new £15 million funding programme has been launched in Edinburgh to support long-term, community-led projects addressing poverty, racism, and climate change over the next decade.
The initiative, called the Regenerative Futures Fund, will distribute funding to 11 organisations and partnerships working across the city. Each selected group will receive up to £1 million spread over 10 years, allowing them to plan beyond short-term grant cycles and focus on sustained community impact.
The fund is designed to support initiatives that are rooted in local participation and lived experience. Funding decisions were made by a Residents’ Panel composed of individuals who have experienced poverty and racism firsthand, reflecting an effort to shift decision-making power closer to the communities affected by the programmes.
Supported projects include efforts to reduce stigma and improve financial stability within Edinburgh’s Sikh community, expand paid opportunities for Black creatives in the arts, and develop community-led food and medicine production networks. Other initiatives focus on housing, climate action, and resident involvement in the planning of future heat networks across the city.
The programme is backed by a coalition of public and philanthropic organisations, including the City of Edinburgh Council, The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, The Robertson Trust, and Foundation Scotland, alongside other partners such as Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and Turn2us Edinburgh Trust.
The fund aims to strengthen long-term resilience in communities by supporting locally designed solutions rather than short-term interventions, with a focus on structural change over the next decade.
