RSS Press releases

Dumfries and Galloway Council have launched our next Tackling Poverty through Participatory Budgeting Fund. This fund follows the successful delivery of two previous rounds of Participatory Budgeting Funding which have resulted in 46 organisations receiving funding and successfully delivering projects which have tackled a wide range of types of poverty throughout our region in the last two years.

This fund is open to all third sector organisations who want to make a positive difference to the lives of our most vulnerable families and individuals who are experiencing incredibly difficult times through living with the effects of any form of poverty.

The outcomes that we plan to tackle with this funding round include all of the following:

• Rural isolation particularly rural transport

• Fuel poverty

• Food and eating

• Financial Planning and Wellbeing Courses

• Developing hands on experience and new life skills through employment, peer group engagement and volunteering

 Participatory Budgeting is a method of allowing all members of each community over the age of 12 the chance to vote on which projects they feel would make the most difference within their local area. It allows members of the public to prioritise spending on projects and gives them the power to make real decisions on how the funding will be spent. Public Voting events will be held along with online voting to ensure as many residents as possible are able to participate.

A total funding pot of £200,000 is available across the region with the application process open from now until midnight on 30 January 2020. Grant applications can be applied for from £100 to £5,000.

Councillor Andy Ferguson, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Communities Committee noted;

“Our Council has a priority of putting local people at the heart of decision making and giving them the opportunity to influence decisions that affect their everyday lives. Participatory Budgeting gives local people that opportunity. This third phase of funding highlights our Council’s continued commitment to tackling poverty in all of its forms within our region.”

John Martin, Vice Chair of Communities Committee, noted;

“We know the huge positive difference which the first phase of PB Funding has made to our communities through the outcomes and the positive effect which all of the original 20 projects have made from the first funding round. At this time through our region, 26 projects are currently being delivered which provide a vast range of supporting mechanisms to improve people lives and to help them to escape from the downward spiral of poverty. This third phase of funding allows us to continue to provide opportunities for third sector organisations to apply for projects which will make a real difference”.

Applications Forms can be downloaded from the link below and if you have any questions on this application process or would like any advice and guidance, please e-mail the Tackling Poverty and Inequalities Team on Challenge.Poverty@dumgal.gov.uk or call 01387 260243 or see https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/17630/Participatory-budgeting