Where our support is going
Twenty-two groups and charities are benefiting from new grant funding launched by the University of Glasgow to support local projects doing important work in their communities.
Civic Grant Fund projects
Boomerang Woodworking CIC
Focused on sustainable woodworking, and offering a variety of workshops that promote skills development, creativity, and mental well-being. The community interest company provides hands-on sessions tailored to different groups such as young people, individuals with disabilities, and women, while also working with community initiatives to design and create outdoor spaces such as planters and raised beds.
Amount awarded: £3,000
Govan High School
Working with FARE Scotland, Govan High Scholl is using its Civic grant to expand much-needed student services to keep attendance and attainment as high as possible and allow students to thrive.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Make Do and Grow CIC
A family-oriented community project in Govan, Make Do and Grow supports sustainable living by offering upcycling workshops and selling affordable, second-hand children's clothing and toys. Its mission is to reduce waste and provide practical solutions to families, while promoting creativity and learning through hands-on activities.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Moogety Foods Ltd
Moogety Foods is committed to addressing food insecurity by providing locally-sourced, nutritious meals to the community. They operate in Govan, using their social enterprise model to deliver affordable food options and build stronger, healthier communities through educational initiatives and meal services.
Amount awarded: £3,502
Partick Community Growing Project
A community pillar that works to support the local area in any way it can, especially with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis being felt so strongly by the most vulnerable in the community. Alongside growing food in a plot in Partick, the project also runs a weekly cafe providing locals with a homecooked meal and time to connect as well as social support.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Sunny Govan Community Radio
A Govan-based community radio station that aims to serve the diverse communities of Govan and surrounding areas, giving locals a platform to share their stories, voice concerns and participate in discussions on issues affecting the community. The station's work, however, goes well beyond broadcasting, providing workshops and educational training throughout the year. A new production, ‘The Community Connections Podcast Series’, will highlight all the amazing activities, areas and organizations within GRID.
Amount awarded: £3,300
Weekday Wow Factor
Weekday Wow Factor offers a unique set of activities aimed at improving the well-being of older adults in the community. From disco and yoga to mindfulness workshops and road trips, the organisation ensures that participants remain socially active and mentally stimulated, contributing to a happier, healthier lifestyle.
Amount awarded: £5,000
Africa Future
Focused on empowering the African diaspora in Glasgow, Africa Future provides educational IT training to bridge gaps in employment opportunities. The group aims to foster integration and improve the prospects of African immigrants and refugees by equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to succeed.
Amount awarded: £4,810
Anderston Green Spaces
Working to add little pockets of greenery for the residents of Anderston, creating thriving spaces for plants, animals and the community. Support from the GRID Civic Grant Fund will go towards making the spaces more accessible for all.
Amount awarded: £2,590
Central and West Integration Network
Supporting asylum seekers, refugees, migrant workers, and Black and minority ethnic communities in Glasgow’s central and west areas. The network fosters integration through a range of services, including ESOL classes, community meals, and cultural activities. By bringing together diverse groups, CWIN works to alleviate poverty, improve living standards, and build connections within the wider community, ensuring equal access to vital resources.
Amount awarded: £4,475
Community Veterans Support
Aiming to bring veterans together to foster friendship and offer specialist support – from hot meals, washing machines and tumble dryers to a 'scoff and banter' initiative, CVS provides support in whichever way it is needed. A new wellbeing walks initiative will see weekly walks take place locally and across Scotland to help further improve physical and mental wellbeing of service users.
Amount awarded: £4,850
Drumoyne Community Council
A community-led initiative that has developed a dignified food bank system allowing residents to shop for food with a heavily-discounted membership. Unlike traditional food banks, where individuals receive pre-packed food parcels, Drumoyne's system offers members the autonomy to choose the items they need, preserving their dignity and empowering them in the process. This approach addresses food insecurity while creating a more supportive environment for those in need by offering a more personalised and respectful service.
Amount awarded: £3,360
Gilded Lily Inspiring Enterprise
Gilded Lily focuses on empowering women, particularly those facing barriers to employment, by providing creative and entrepreneurial skills training. Its workshops on crafting and business management aim to foster confidence and self-sufficiency, helping women to start their own businesses or gain meaningful employment.
Amount awarded: £2,300
Glasgow Boxing Academy
A volunteer-run boxing club located in Govan, working with people of all ages and with the aim of increasing participation in sport while encouraging a healthy lifestyle and creating a positive environment in the area.
Amount awarded: £1,800
Invisible Cities
Meet Me in Govan is a project run by the amazing Invisible Cities – a social enterprise that trains people who have experienced homelessness to become tour guides in their own towns and cities. This new project is a collaborative community-led initiative that revolves around a weekly walking group, aiming to unite individuals while fostering well-being and promoting community involvement.
Amount awarded: £3,750
Wing Hong Elderly Centre
Offering culturally-sensitive care services to the elderly Chinese community in Glasgow. With a focus on mental health and social inclusion, the centre provides a space for older people to connect, receive support, and participate in community-driven activities. The group is currently rebuilding a communal garden for the benefit and use of the community.
Amount awarded: £2,500
Govan Appliance Project
Supporting individuals and families facing financial difficulties by offering free or low-cost essential household appliances. The project aims to alleviate poverty and improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable people in Govan. It also provide workshops and training courses on how to repair domestic appliances.
Amount awarded: £2,500
Projects funded via the micro GRID Civic Grant Fund
Topple the King
An outreach programme operating across Glasgow for chess players of all ages. Working with partners such as Glasgow Science Centre, Govan Community Project and the Homeless Projects across the city, the programme aims to promote chess to people from all walks of life – utilising special dice and giant chess boards to bring the game to life.
Amount awarded: £850
Anderston Primary Parent Council
Capoeira, the Afro-Brazilian dance form, is used across the world to promote physical and mental wellbeing combining elements of dance and aerobic fitness to create a sociable and fun environment while promoting a healthy lifestyle. Young pupils at Anderston Primary will now take part in weekly hour-long after-school Capoeira classes free of charge thanks to the Civic Grant Fund.
Amount awarded: £850
After The Garden Festival
A project which aims to ensure the form, story and legacy of the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival is recorded and celebrated. Festival Park is the only remaining part of the festival’s landscape, however, many residents do not know of the park's or the festival’s significance in Glasgow’s recent cultutral history. By integrating information about the festival and its importance throughout the park, the project hopes to spread awareness and bring life back to an underused and neglected public space.
Amount awarded: £850
Halo Arts Typically Diverse
Halo Arts is a not-for-profit, community-focused arts company with a remit of delivering a range of high-quality and inclusive projects, productions and events with communities across Glasgow. Its new project ‘Typically Diverse’ will work with young people and adults with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodivergent conditions living in Govan, to create a verbatim piece of theatre giving voice to their unique experiences.
Amount awarded: £850
Healy Arts
A charity that provides specialist materials and endangered crafts training, alongside cutting-edge technology. Working with local communities across GRID and in partnership with the Craft Prospects, a micro space satellite design company, Healy Arts will design models and artworks relating to Scotland’s micro satellite spaceships.