Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026

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Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026 – now open


The Moray Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme recognises the Moray coastline as a vital asset for sustainable development and has been designed to strengthen the economic, environmental and social resilience of Moray’s coastal communities.

The Coastal Communities Fund 2026 is now open for its second year, ensuring that coastal communities benefit from the net revenue generated by the Scottish Crown Estate’s marine assets. The scheme aligns with Scotland’s Blue Economy Vision: By 2045, Scotland’s shared stewardship of our marine environment supports ecosystem health, improved livelihoods, economic prosperity, social inclusion and wellbeing.


A total of £100,000 is available through this year’s Coastal Communities Fund. The remaining Crown Estate funding has been set aside to support longer-term strategic investment over the next five years.


Main Criteria

  • The location of the project must be within 12 nautical miles of the Moray coastline and have a tangible link to the coast and/or sea.
  • Projects must align with Moray Council priorities and deliver coastal community benefit.
  • Community groups, charities, social enterprises, development trusts, educational institutions, and public sector organisations are all eligible to apply.
  • Grants available are Medium Grants: £10,000– £20,000 (for medium-scale projects delivering clear community benefit) and Strategic Grants: £20,001– £50,000 (for transformational or multi-community/partnership projects).
  • Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 18th September 2026. Applications received after this time will not be considered


Grants can be up to 100% of the project cost however applications with some match funding are encouraged to maximise the community benefit from increased local investment.


Following the assessment process, eligible projects will go forward to a public vote on Moray Engage via a 2-week Participatory Budgeting exercise.


For more information of the fund please download the application form. For any enquiries about the fund, please email: CCF@moray.gov.uk.

Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026 – now open


The Moray Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme recognises the Moray coastline as a vital asset for sustainable development and has been designed to strengthen the economic, environmental and social resilience of Moray’s coastal communities.

The Coastal Communities Fund 2026 is now open for its second year, ensuring that coastal communities benefit from the net revenue generated by the Scottish Crown Estate’s marine assets. The scheme aligns with Scotland’s Blue Economy Vision: By 2045, Scotland’s shared stewardship of our marine environment supports ecosystem health, improved livelihoods, economic prosperity, social inclusion and wellbeing.


A total of £100,000 is available through this year’s Coastal Communities Fund. The remaining Crown Estate funding has been set aside to support longer-term strategic investment over the next five years.


Main Criteria

  • The location of the project must be within 12 nautical miles of the Moray coastline and have a tangible link to the coast and/or sea.
  • Projects must align with Moray Council priorities and deliver coastal community benefit.
  • Community groups, charities, social enterprises, development trusts, educational institutions, and public sector organisations are all eligible to apply.
  • Grants available are Medium Grants: £10,000– £20,000 (for medium-scale projects delivering clear community benefit) and Strategic Grants: £20,001– £50,000 (for transformational or multi-community/partnership projects).
  • Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 18th September 2026. Applications received after this time will not be considered


Grants can be up to 100% of the project cost however applications with some match funding are encouraged to maximise the community benefit from increased local investment.


Following the assessment process, eligible projects will go forward to a public vote on Moray Engage via a 2-week Participatory Budgeting exercise.


For more information of the fund please download the application form. For any enquiries about the fund, please email: CCF@moray.gov.uk.

  • Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026


    Moray Coastal Community Fund – Voting Now Open!


    Open from Friday 25 September to 5pm on Friday 9 October

     

    Moray Council is inviting residents to help allocate £100,000 from the Coastal Communities Fund Grant Scheme 2026.



    There are 17 projects to choose from, each project shows a brief description outlining the benefits, why it matters and why it deserves your vote.  



    Voters should choose their five favourite projects for their vote to count. Each person should vote only once. Duplicate votes and votes where five projects have not been selected will be removed before the final results are calculated. 

    There is no need to register for a Moray Engage account and voting is anonymous, making it as easy as possible for people across Moray to take part.

    Asking everyone to choose five projects is intended to make sure the results reflect priorities across Moray’s communities rather than support being concentrated on individual local areas. 


    Funding will be awarded to the projects with the highest number of votes, and successful applicants are expected to be notified by Friday 16 October 2026.



    Chair of Moray Council’s Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee, Cllr Marc Macrae, said: “We had a fantastic response to the Coastal Community Fund last year, both from the groups putting forward projects and the thousands of people who took part in the public vote. 

    “I offer my congratulations to the 17 projects now available for people to choose from this year, and I’d encourage everyone to take a few minutes to look through them and vote for the five they would most like to see supported.

    “This funding is about supporting projects that make a real difference to Moray’s coastal communities, so it’s important that local people have a direct say in where the money goes.”


    Vote here
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Page last updated: 29 Sep 2026, 02:06 PM