£80,000 awarded to support climate action in Forth Valley communities
FEL Scotland has received an £80,000 funding boost from Foundation Scotland to grow its work across the Forth Valley Climate Action Hub, enabling more local people to get involved in community-led responses to climate change.
This award will help the hub support a growing number of grassroots initiatives throughout Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire – empowering local residents to develop practical climate solutions such as sustainable transport, food growing, waste reduction and energy efficiency.
Clara Walker, Executive Director, FEL Scotland, said: “We are grateful to Foundation Scotland for this investment, which complements existing Scottish Government funding and supports a crucial step forward for a number of Climate Action Hubs in central Scotland.
“Importantly, this funding enables us to explore and share learning across the wider network of 24 hubs, helping us understand how community funding can be scaled to create the most positive impact – particularly for the communities that need it most.”
The funding is part of a wider £500,000 investment by Foundation Scotland into five Climate Action Hubs across central Scotland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and East Dunbartonshire.
In Scotland, there are 24 Climate Action Hubs that enable community-led climate action initiatives. These hubs, supported by the Scottish Government, aim to empower local communities to address climate change at a local level, offering practical, tailored support, funding opportunities, and access to expertise. By building climate literacy, social confidence and the life skills to grow, cook, repair and share, they create more capable communities with bigger sustainability goals.
The Scottish Government has already allocated £5.5 million across 2024-2025 to support this network of regional community climate action hubs. Foundation Scotland’s funding will further enable a shift from short-term project cycles to building longer-term resilience in central Scotland. It will support hubs to distribute more grants to grassroots groups, so that communities gain the tools, knowledge, and financial support needed to drive meaningful climate action from the ground up.
Awards made:
- Forth Valley: £80,000 to FEL Scotland
- Glasgow: £110,000 to the Glasgow Climate Action Hub partnership
- East Dunbartonshire: £50,000 to Twechar Community Action, for an outreach officer employed until March 2027
- Edinburgh: £110,000 to Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network (ECCAN)
- Dundee: £55,000 to Dundee Changemakers Hub
Foundation Scotland is also providing £95,000 to support the development of a multi-hub climate adaptation initiative to work in more traditionally disadvantaged communities. FEL Scotland will coordinate this effort and share learning across the national hub network.
Rachel Searle, Head of Communities and Impact at Foundation Scotland said:
“We know that in face of the continuing climate emergency we all need to take action to increase resilience and adapt to the impacts of climate change. That’s why Growing Climate Action and Sustainable Natural Environments is one of Foundation Scotland’s impact themes. Providing this funding to five of central Scotland’s climate hubs will enhance their ability to respond to increasing demand and interest from communities to take action to tackle climate change locally. We’re looking forward to hearing how this funding helps with that.”
Climate Action Secretary Gillian Martin said:
“Established by the Scottish Government, Scotland’s Climate Hubs play an influential role in their local communities, and provide valuable support and inspiration for people looking to take climate action. This funding from Foundation Scotland will support grassroot activity through five of our hubs – making a huge difference to people who want to make a positive change in their communities. It is a fantastic endorsement of the work carried out by Climate Hubs across the country and their ability to support and drive local change.”
