University invites bids for latest wave of community funding

The University of Glasgow - the academic partner within Glasgow Riverside Innovation District - is inviting organisations to apply for financial support through its community support fund. 

Since launching in spring 2024, the GRID Civic Grant Fund has supported more than 50 projects with combined investment exceeding £125,000. The third wave of funding will see a further £50,000 distributed to eligible, supportive causes through a mixture of awards of up to £5,000 and smaller sums capped at £850. 

Projects assisted through the programme have already demonstrated substantial community impact. Final reporting from the first wave showed that more than 3,100 people in Glasgow directly benefitted from supported initiatives, with second wave projects expected to achieve similar levels of reach and engagement. 

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The latest round aims to build on this momentum by supporting a new cohort of community organisations and initiatives that contribute to local opportunity and long-term community sustainability across the GRID area. 

• 12 Guitars is one of the organisations that has benefitted from funding

Sectors and organisations that have benefitted so far include: schools and parent councils - such as Govan High School and Anderson Primary Parent Council, supporting educational and community engagement activities; and social enterprises and CICs - including Boomerang Woodworking CIC and Make Do and Grow CIC, delivering projects linked to sustainability, skills development, wellbeing and community participation. 

In the arts, heritage and cultural sector, organisations include Halo Arts and After the Garden Festival, respectively addressing inclusive arts participation and creativity and storytelling to strengthen local identity and inclusion.  

More broadly, the fund supports organisations working in areas including health and wellbeing, environmental sustainability, employability, youth engagement, culture, social inclusion, community resilience and refugee and asylum seeker communities. Many are small, locally rooted groups that may otherwise struggle to access larger funding programmes. 

The deadline for the larger grants is 17 July 2026, while applications for the smaller awards are open throughout the year. 

Feedback from recipients and stakeholders has been incredibly positive, with strong engagement and satisfaction reported regarding fund management and support offered. Meanwhile, the fund has been recognised as a finalist at both the Glasgow Business Awards and Inspiring City Awards, further strengthening the University’s relationship with the local community. 

These partnerships demonstrate the power of collaboration between universities, local organisations and civic leaders in addressing real-world challenges. We are incredibly proud to back initiatives with such a rich civic purpose, bringing forward opportunities that will continue to benefit people across our city.

Uzma Khan, Vice Principal for Innovation & Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Glasgow

One of the recipients in wave two was social enterprise 12 Guitars that is bringing music to the community by providing free lessons, refurbished instruments and access to a new recording studio.  
 
Steve Plummer, co-founder and director at social enterprise 12 Guitars, said: “12 Guitars has been going for seven years and we've very much lived hand to mouth through donations, through gifts coming in and through some corporate sponsorship. 

“The GRID Civic Fund has allowed 12 Guitars to expand our Waterfront Nights Out community music and creative evenings programme, and to create a small recording studio for our playing community. The funding has been instrumental in taking what we do and just making it better for the communities that we support.” 

Important

Another recipient, Glasgow-based Momentum Films, is using the money to connect and amplify South Asian screen talent. Rakasree Basu, founder and producer, said: “This source of funding is very important because organisations like ours are often building new spaces from the ground up.  

“We may have strong ideas, strong community relationships and some real ambition, but early support like this gives those very ideas structure, visibility and the much-needed momentum.  

“It also allows us to test a concept, reach audiences, build partnerships, and create something that can grow beyond a one-off project. The Grid Civic Fund support has allowed us to launch the South Asians in Cinema Collective as a meaningful new platform for dialogue, access, and connection.” 

• Momentum Films has received GRID Civic Grant funding

Uzma Khan, Vice Principal for Innovation & Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer at the University of Glasgow, said: “The third wave of funding through the GRID Civic Grant Fund reflects the University’s continued commitment to our community, helping exceptional individuals, volunteers and community-led project together deliver projects for truly meaningful social and civic impact. 

“These partnerships demonstrate the power of collaboration between universities, local organisations and civic leaders in addressing real-world challenges. We are incredibly proud to back initiatives with such a rich civic purpose, bringing forward opportunities that will continue to benefit people across our city.” 

Title image: Pictured: Invisible Cities, a social enterprise that offers guided walking tours with a social purpose, was successful in accessing Civic Grant Fund support in the first wave of funding. Photo credit: Image courtesy of Invisible Cities