Investing In Ideas
Funding to develop your promising ideas into successful projects
This programme is open to applications.
| Areas: | Application open/close dates | Minimum / maximum grants | Total available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotland | 31 January 2006 - See programme details | £500 - £10,000 | £4.6 Million |
Summary of the programme
Do you have an idea that could help benefit your local community but do not know if it would work? Would you like to start up a new activity for older people in your area but do not know if people would back it and make it viable? Investing In Ideas could help you carry out a survey and see if there is support for your idea.
The Big Lottery Fund has money to invest and we want to use it to turn your ideas into reality. We want to invest in Scotland’s communities – and we want you to come to us with ideas we can invest in.
We have £4.6 million to test and develop ideas that could eventually become fully-fledged projects. We may be able to fund your project too, but first we want to help you develop your idea and make sure your project will work.
The final deadline for applications is Friday 30 January 2009. However, if you think you might use Investing in Ideas to strengthen a future application to Investing in Communities, it’s crucial you plan ahead. You can’t wait until January 2009 as you need to take into account the final deadlines we've set for Investing in Communities.
The Investing in Communities deadlines
- Outline proposal form - Friday 1 August 2008
- Full application form - Monday 1 December 2008
Our advice is don’t hang around but send us your Investing in Ideas application over the next few months.
With grants ranging between £500 and £10,000 available, Investing in Ideas could pay for the things that can turn your basic idea into a well-planned project including:
- market research
- feasibility studies
- business planning
- training for your committee
- exchange visits in the UK to see how other projects work
- community consultation
- professional advice
- technical reports and scheme design studies
It is important that your idea has the potential to fit with one of our four areas of investment. More information on these can be found in the Investing in Communities section.
Got the idea?
What to do next
Questions about Investing in Ideas? Find out more.
Not eligible for a Investing in Ideas? Browse our other programmes
Contact
- If you’d like to discuss your idea to see if we’re likely to help you develop it, phone us on 0870 240 2391
- If you’d like to apply to Investing in Ideas and need a hardcopy of the application materials call 0845 606 11 99.
