A fund to help strengthen Scotland’s international diaspora has opened for applications. The £50,000 Scottish Connections Fund is open to bids from any individual or organisation with a Scottish connection, whether that link is through heritage, education, business, culture, or a broader affinity.
Grants ranging from £2,000 to £5,000 will be awarded to support at least 10 new innovative projects that will help bring together Scotland’s diaspora and promote Scottish connections worldwide. This year’s funding follows a successful pilot last year, which supported four projects, including work by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society to help descendants of enslaved Americans document their Scottish connections.
Family and friends of Scotland globally
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “This is a fund that I’m extremely passionate about. We’ve long believed that better engaging our diaspora – family and friends of Scotland globally – can benefit Scotland economically and enrich our culture. It can also improve Scotland’s connections and reputation and we want our efforts to benefit our diaspora too. The Scottish Connections Framework, which was launched in 2023, laid out our commitments to support and expand this global community. These connections raise Scotland’s profile and reputation and encourage individuals and companies to visit, study, live, work and do business here.”
Projects must be completed by the end of March 2025 and the closing date for applications is 5pm on 4 September 2024.
For more information, and to apply, see: www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-connections-fund-how-to-apply