Eastern Green Link 1 launches £800,000 community benefit fund

Community organisations in eastern Scotland can now apply for a share of an £800,000 benefit fund. The first round of the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) community benefit fund is currently open, offering grants ranging from £1,000 to £500,000 for projects in Cockburnspath, Cove, Dunbar, East Lammermuir, and West Barns.

The funding is part of an £8 million community benefit package committed by SP Energy Networks for the EGL1 project, a major electricity transmission scheme. The project involves a subsea cable designed to transport renewable energy from Torness to Hawthorn Pit near Dunbar, and onward to County Durham.

Two distinct funding streams are available: local grants between £20,000 and £500,000 managed by Foundation Scotland, and grassroots grants between £1,000 and £20,000 administered by Localgiving. Supported themes include financial resilience, employability, health and wellbeing, community facilities, green spaces, and sustainable transport.