Funding for communities near the Eastern Green Link 2 project in Peterhead
Value:£2,159,444 Format: Larger awards for strategic projects and mico-grants for local causes Status:Our large project fund and micro-grants are open for applications now. The closing date for the large project fund is Wednesday 22 July at 12 noon.
About the Eastern Green Link 2 Peterhead Local Funds
We recognise that major infrastructure projects have a direct impact on the communities they pass through. The Eastern Green Link 2 Peterhead Local Funds are designed to make sure communities share in the benefits of this investment.
Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) is a nationally important energy project, designed to transport clean electricity from Peterhead in Scotland to England via a 505 km subsea cable.
There is a large fund, which can support strategic community improvement projects across Peterhead and the surrounding area, and micro-grants of up to £500 are available to support community groups and individuals with smaller, local projects and causes. Funding is available between 2025 and 2029.
The large fund and micro-grants each have their own application process and eligibility criteria, and guidance for how to apply can be found further on this page.
Who these funds are for
These funds are aimed specifically at communities in the following Community Council areas:
Funding to support strategic development across Peterhead and the surrounding area.
The fund is currently open for applications. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 22 July 2026 at 12 noon.
To find out more about this fund, including how to complete a strong application, we are hosting online webinars on 12 and 14 May 2026. Register to attend using the following links:
To be eligible for funding from the large project fund, your community project must support one or more of the following themes:
Education, employment and skills
Protection and enhancement of the natural environment (including land and sea, natural habitats, and biodiversity)
Transport and connectivity (including path / cycle networks and community transport)
Community infrastructure and regeneration
Heritage and culture
Community action planning and capacity building
Applications willnotbe considered if they fall under the following categories:
The advancement of religion or politics (including requests to support the core activities of religious or political groups)
Direct costs of energy consumption
The repayment of loans or payment of debts
Trips abroad
Costs already incurred or activities which will take place before the funding decision has been made (retrospective funding)
Payments towards areas generally understood to be the primary responsibility of statutory authorities
Anti-electrical infrastructure/renewable energy activities, including activities contrary to the interests of SSE and its subsidiaries
To be eligible for this fund, your community group must have a constitution and not be set up for individual profit.
It is important for your organisation to have a written constitution as this outlines the purpose, rules and regulations of the organisation. If you need support in writing a constitution or setting up your group, there is advice available through the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and through your local Third Sector Interface.
You can apply for funding up to the maximum amount available in each round, which is £410,294.
The decisions on who should receive funding are made by an independent panel made up of community representatives from the local area.
The members of the panel are:
Jim Buchan (chair)
Jason McKinnon
Tina Gibbins
Keith Skinner
Eileen Buchan
Steph Swales
Regrettably, due to the volume of applications received, we can not guarantee all applications will be awarded funding.
The fund is currently open for applications. The closing date for applications is Wednesday 22 July 2026 at 12 noon.
To apply for funding, read this guidance section in full, and make sure you meet the elegibility criteria, then submit your application via the online portal.
This fund will open for applications in phases between now and 2029.
You can sign up to our mailing list to receive key updates about community benefit funding, including notification when this fund opens in future.
Information on past funding awards can be found in ourannual reporting.
You can also explore our dedicatedcase studies pageto hear from projects who have benefitted from community benefit funding.
To help you prepare your application, this template sets out the questions that you will be asked during the application process, and provides guidance on how to answer each question properly. Final applications must be completed via the application portal. Any applications sent via email will not be considered.
It’s important to us that these funds reflect what matters most to your community.
The Eastern Green Link 2 funds have been designed in partnership with local Community Councils and key community representatives.
Our commitment to communities
The Eastern Green Link 2 project is a long‑term investment in the region’s energy future. Alongside this, we’re committed to working with communities to ensure the benefits are shared fairly and deliver real, meaningful outcomes.
Through these funds, we want to support projects that strengthen communities now and leave a positive legacy for the future.
Get ready to apply by reading the fund guidance on this page, and by reviewing the large fund application template which sets out the questions that you will be asked during the application process, and provides guidance on how to answer each question properly.
Once you are ready to apply for funding, start your application over on our Community Benefit application portal. Make sure you meet the eligiblity criteria and have prepared your application before you start.
After starting your application, you can login here to manage your draft applications. You will need to have an existing user account to access this portal.
