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FORESTRY FOR PEOPLE CHALLENGE FUND
Article 52(b)(i)
Measure Code (321)
Rationale for Intervention
This measure supports the aims of the Scottish Forestry Strategy (2006) to deliver health and well-being outcomes to communities located close to woodland, and to involve local people in its management. A recent public consultation demonstrated strong support for this measure, as has the national stakeholder group, the Forestry for People Panel. The Scottish Forestry Strategy identifies a need for the following actions to enhance the potential of forests and woodlands to benefit local communities:
- local collaboration to secure new market, business and employment opportunities, including sustainable timber and non-timber forest products and services;
- greater use of woodlands for outdoor learning by the education sector;
- training and capacity-building among community volunteers in forestry skills and organisational management;
- community participation in forest ownership and management; and,
- underpinning of local identity through the cultural and historic environment of woodlands.
Objectives of the measure
To realise the potential of woodlands to provide health, learning, and community cohesion benefits to people who live close to those woodlands.
Scope and actions
Eligible activities include:
- feasibility studies and development of strategies and project plans;
- schemes that promote physical activity e.g. walking schemes, safe routes to school, natural play and adventure play;
- developing materials that promote the education, health and well-being benefits of using woodlands;
- facilitation of volunteering for health improvement, community development and social inclusion purposes such as woodland wardens and woodland motivators;
- schemes that encourage the health and education sectors to use of woodlands as a resource for education and health improvements.
- training of volunteers;
- supporting Forest School, including LEADER training and supply cover;
- providing resources to involve communities in the decision making process of managing their local woodland;
- development of non-profit distributing organisations that use local woodland products and services e.g. Wood school, woodland based social services, Green gym, small-scale local timber processing for local markets (not biomass because funded elsewhere); and,
- community events in the forest e.g. woodland shows, woodland health walks, community days out, art and drama based in the woods.
Eligible beneficiaries
Priority given to community and voluntary groups, development trusts, social enterprises, schools parent teacher associations, community councils, life long learning groups, and other non-profit distributing organisations with objectives of local community benefit. Private individuals and businesses and municipalities are potentially eligible but require clear demonstration of strong local community benefits.
Types of costs covered
Support will be provided against the cost of delivering projects or parts of projects that realise the potential of woods to provide health, learning, and community cohesion benefits to people who live close to those woods. Specific types of cost include staff time, training, hire of facilities, transport for participants, contracting in expertise, and purchase of small-scale resources and materials to promote and support events.
A Challenge Fund approach will operate whereby an potential beneficiary puts together a bid which is assessed for eligibility and scored against criteria to test additionality, social and environmental benefits, local involvement, value for money (including co-funding brought in), and feasibility. The bids are then assessed by a panel of judges during periodic bidding rounds. Top quality bids are approved for funding, sometimes with special conditions, and a formal offer of funding is made. There will be a simplified mechanism for bids where the total project cost is below £5000.
Payment regime: Period of agreement will be variable depending on the project, maximum 5 years. Payment against periodic claims. Periods may have to conform with, as yet, undefined payment windows.
Maximum rate:
up to 90% where the total project costs is up to £5,000;
up to 75% where the total project costs is up to £20,000; and,
up to 50% where the total project costs is up to £70,000.
Actual rate depends on co-funding drawn down by potential beneficiary. Lower Challenge Fund co-financing rate will be an advantage.
The value of volunteer time will be eligible at a maximum standard rate(s) to be determined.
Payment would be in arrears dependent on progress against agreed operations and following inspection of progress. Proportion of projects may be subject to detailed testing of expenditure, e.g.: require 10% of projects to supply proof of expenditure during the previous claim period.
For some significant items ( e.g.: operations above £10,000) a special condition may be set that the potential beneficiary supplies evidence of tendering when claiming the grant.
Transition arrangements (including estimated amount)
None
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