EGL1 Community Benefit Funds Online Webinar

£800,000 of EGL1 Community Benefit Funds in Scotland is now open for applications.

The fund will support communities in Cockburnspath & Cove, Dunbar, East Lammermuir and West Barns, helping to deliver social, environmental and economic benefits that reflect local priorities.

The first round of funding is open from 28 September until 6 November (midnight) 2026.

Two funding streams are available:

Local Grants: Between £20,000 up to £500,000, managed by Foundation Scotland

Grassroots Grants: Between £1,000 up to £20,000, administered by Localgiving

To find out more about the funding available, eligibility and how to apply please see the appropriate Fund Administrators website (link below)

Our Fund Administrators will be hosting an online webinar on Wednesday 7 October 2026, 12:30pm to 1:30pm, to provide an overview of the funding, explain the application process, and answer questions from prospective applicants. This session is open to community organisations and groups interested in applying for funding. Details for joining will be emailed to you the day before the webinar. A recording of the webinar will also be shared here after the event.

Register your place here:

For further information, contact the Community Benefit team at: cb_egl1@spenergynetworks.co.uk

The Community Benefit Fund supports communities located along the Scottish section of the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) project. EGL1 is a major electricity transmission development that will transport renewable energy via a subsea cable from East Lothian to County Durham.

The project is eligible for community benefit funding in accordance with current government guidance.

Further information: EGL1 Project Profile

Funding Themes

The Community Benefit Fund will support projects aligned with the following themes:

Financial resilience and educational inclusion

Employability support and skills development

Social and digital inclusion, health and wellbeing, and active lifestyles

Community facilities, spaces and buildings

Green spaces and access to the natural environment

Sustainable and inclusive transport

These themes will be considered alongside locally identified priorities. Community input will play an important role in determining how funding is allocated.