Community Link Worker Third Sector
Remote and Rural Fund

Courtesy of NHS Highland, third sector organisations are invited to apply for up to £10,000 to be spent between 2025 and 2027, to increase their capacity to accept referrals from Community Link Workers, or to create new activities for referral.

Social prescribing focuses on improving health outcomes for people experiencing stressors in their lives due to social issues. GPs refer patients to Community Link Workers, who take a person-centred approach to each referral. This fund aims to offer grants to third sector groups so they can accept (increased) referrals from CLWs for community-based activities.

The graphic below shows the relationship between GP Practices, Community Link Workers and the Third Sector Support Services:

Funding will be awarded to groups focused on one or more remote and rural GP Cluster areas, or a location within these clusters:

Cluster 1:

Aviemore

Grantown

Kingussie

Gergask (Laggan)

Cluster 4:

Foyers

Cluster 6:

Fortrose

Munlochy

Airds

Croyard

Drumnadrochit

Cromarty

Cluster 7:

Dornoch

Creich (Bonar Bridge)

Cluster 8:

Armadale

Lairg

Assynt

Tongue

Scourie/Kinlochbervie
/Durness

Cluster 10:

Applecross

Aultbea & Gairloch

Lochcarron

Torridon

Ullapool

Cluster 11:

Carbost

Dunvegan

Glenelg

Kyle

Small Isles (Eigg)

South Skye

Cluster 12:

West Highland Medical Practice

Cill Chuimein (Fort Augustus)

Ballachulish

Mallaig & Arisaig

Applications must be submitted online using the form provided. In your application, you will be expected to show indicative costs for the proposed project and a summary of how you identified this need and developed your proposed project.

Important Dates:
Applications open Monday 21 April 2025
Applications must be received no later than Friday 6 June 2025 at 12.00midday.

The funded services should support social prescribing by enabling increased capacity to accept referrals from community link workers or create new activities for referral.

Services must be primarily aimed at adults (over 18 years) and could potentially cover a wide range of social issues that can impact on health and wellbeing, which may include:

housing issues
employment and learning
support groups
money worries
physical activity
long-term conditions
caring for relatives and friends
improving emotional wellbeing
social isolation

Grants up to £10,000 maximum

£75,420 available for grant funding (non-recurring funds)

This fund is open for any constituted third sector organisation, charity or community group operating or delivering services in Highland to submit an application. Please attend a briefing session to ensure you understand how the aims of the fund align with your plans.

All groups applying must have a bank account and accounts from the previous financial year, which provides evidence of their ability to competently deliver their plans and account for the spend provided through a grant.

Applications can be accepted from:

Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIO)
Companies Limited by Guarantee
Trusts
Not-for-profit company or asset locked company or Community Interest Companies (CIC)
Cooperative and Community Benefit Societies
Community councils

Unincorporated Associations will not be eligible to apply for a grant, but you may collaborate with another organisation which has the infrastructure and safeguards to help minimise risk.

Collaboration

We actively encourage collaborative approaches, and those including organisations from other sectors are not excluded, but a third sector organisation needs to be the accountable and lead member of the collaborative project.

Applications must be submitted online using the form provided, showing indicative costs for the proposed project and a summary of how you identified this need and developed your proposed project.

Essential Criteria

Evidence of need and community-led development
Experience operating services in Highland and working with vulnerable people
Able to expand capacity in existing services or create new activities
Fit with the aims of social prescribing
Quality/competency/viability

If you have any doubts or questions regarding the guidelines, we recommend you contact us for clarification. This can help prevent misunderstandings and save time.

Important Dates

Applications open Monday 21 April 2025.

Applications must be received no later than Friday 6 June 2025 at 12.00 midday.

Late submissions will not be accepted.

Guidance on how to complete your application is available below. This document is designed to guide you through the application process, question by question.

Your application will be assessed against the criteria by a panel of health and social care professionals from both public and third sector, including people with lived experience.

If you have any questions about the Fund, please contact Marion MacNeil at funding@highlandtsi.org.uk.

Application Form

Applications are to be completed using Jotform available via the link below.

If you have any issues using Jotform please contact enquiry@highlandtsi.org.uk.

Application hyperlink