Eleven Cumbernauld Community Projects Funded by Cumbernauld CAN Project Following Citizens PB Vote

Eleven Cumbernauld organisations have been awarded small funding grants following facilitation of a unique Participating Budgeting exercise in which local citizens decided which community proposals were funded. 

Participatory Budgeting (PB), a process where ordinary people are given power to democratically and collectively make key decisions on how public funding is spent, was used to distribute a total of just over £5,000 through Cornerstone House Centre’s Cumbernauld CAN (Community Anchor Network) project this week.

Over 1,000 people cast votes in an online Community Voting Survey during March and April 2020 to select which Cumbernauld-based voluntary sector groups would receive between £300 and £500 to deliver specified community initiatives to benefit the Cumbernauld area as part of the project’s Small Grants PB Fund Round 1 programme.

Cumbernauld CAN is a new Scottish Government-supported project introduced by Cornerstone House Centre in 2020 which aims to develop the connected capacity of the Cumbernauld community. Over a three-year period, the project will strive to enable Cumbernauld residents and organisations to work together to become better at responding to local needs, built on the theme of community empowerment.

The organisations successful in the Community Voting Survey and receiving funding were (in alphabetical order) 1st Condorrat Girls’ Brigade, CACE Older People Active Lives, Cumbernauld and District Kinship Carers Group, Cumbernauld Poverty Action, Friends of Cumbernauld Care Home, Glow Gang (Cornerstone Christian Fellowship), PALS (Play and Learning Support), Parkrun Cumbernauld, Tool Library Cumbernauld, Watch Us Grow and Westfield Lunch Club.

Mary McNeil, Development Manager at Cornerstone House Centre, commented: “We are delighted to announce the results of the Community Voting Survey for Small Grants PB Fund Round 1 and thank the hundreds of people who took time to participate by casting votes online at this very challenging time for everyone.

“Funding has been awarded to more than half of all proposals submitted, with grants provided to the most-voted-for organisations relative to the total funding pot available.

“The organisations funded included nine groups solely focussed on providing services within Cumbernauld and a further two delivering services to a wider area but using the money specifically for the benefit of people living in Cumbernauld. This consisted of eight registered charities and three unincorporated associations.

“The funds will enable activities such as establishment of a new weekly running event in Cumbernauld House Park, continuation of a ‘Sheila Shed’ group for older women in the local area, facilitation of outings for Cumbernauld children with additional support needs, teaching of repair skills to local citizens and provision of social outings for senior citizens living in Westfield.”

Organisations that were unsuccessful in obtaining funding through Small Grants PB Fund Round 1 will have an opportunity to apply again through Small Grants PB Fund Round 2, which will be launched by Cornerstone House Centre in a few weeks time. Distribution of this fund will once again be decided by local citizens through a community voting process.

In the interest of fairness and to allow as many local groups and people to benefit from the funds as possible, applicants who were successful in Small Grants PB Fund Round 1 will be ineligible to apply for funds through Small Grants PB Fund Round 2. They will be eligible, however, to apply to Small Grants PB Fund Round 3 later this year.

Due to the present restrictions imposed by UK Government, Cornerstone House Centre’s building will be closed most of the time until further notice. The organisation continues to operate remotely however, and if you would like further information or have an enquiry in relation to the Cumbernauld CAN project, please email Cornerstone House Centre at events@cornerstone-house.org.uk.

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LIST OF GRANTS AWARDED IN CUMBERNAULD CAN’S SMALL GRANTS PB FUND ROUND 1

In alphabetical order, the organisations funded to facilitate community initiatives in the Cumbernauld area through Cumbernauld CAN project’s Small Grants PB Fund Round 1 were:

1st Condorrat Girls’ Brigade (£500)

CACE Older People Active Lives (£500)

Cumbernauld and District Kinship Carers Group (£450)

Cumbernauld Poverty Action (£500)

Friends of Cumbernauld Care Home (£500)

Glow Gang (Cornerstone Christian Fellowship) (£300)

PALS (Play and Learning Support) (£460)

Parkrun Cumbernauld (£500)

Tool Library Cumbernauld (£300)

Watch Us Grow (£500)

Westfield Lunch Club (£500).