This year, 14 inspirational community projects across Scotland are receiving funding to bring people together to grow and learn about food.
The Growing Food Together Fund is more than a grant—it’s an investment in resilient, empowered and healthy communities that are better connected to nature, food and one another.
It plays an important and strategic role in Scotland’s efforts to address food insecurity, climate action and community wellbeing.
Its value goes well beyond just growing vegetables—it supports a broad ecosystem of social, environmental and health benefits.
From Angus to Islay, down to the Borders and across the Central Belt, projects in disadvantaged areas are helping communities to create and develop community growing spaces, plant trees, and get involved in bee keeping.
The projects will increase food security for local communities, extend the growing season with polytunnels and raised beds and share knowledge on nature friendly gardening. The successful projects will also promote healthy eating and outdoor exercise as well as improve social connections and mental health benefits. The scheme is now in its sixth year.
‘Growing Food Together’ is a £100,000 fund provided by the Scottish Government. The Green Action Trust, a leading charity in environmental regeneration, manages the fund as part of its work to drive the delivery of the Central Scotland Green Network – itself a commitment to a greener, safer and more sustainable Central Scotland.
Tom Campbell, Chief Executive at the Green Action Trust, said:
“We are delighted to announce these inspirational projects that will bring lasting impacts to their communities. The Green Action Trust has a huge amount of expertise and experience in the development of greenspaces and community engagement which was brought to bear in our assessment of the excellent applications received. We very much look forward to the continuation of the Growing Food Together Fund and to following the real difference it makes to the people and places involved.”
The map below shows the locations of all fourteen projects across Scotland:
Details of all the projects receiving funding are listed below:
| Group | Project Name | Region | Outline |
| Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland | Drumchapel Wellbeing Garden | Edinburgh | Enable CHSS to increase learning opportunities for their service users and volunteers. |
| Gallowshade Community Links | Gallowshade Community Links Community Garden | Angus | Create accessible raised garden beds and a shared food distribution area to foster social inclusion, promote healthy eating and enhance community cohesion. |
| Lochwinnoch Community Larder | Learn, Share, Grow | Renfrewshire | Establish two food growing sites; develop two existing food growing sites; maintain and develop Seed Libraries across Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire. |
| Dualchas Beo | Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile | Islay | Establish a Gaelic-rooted community garden on the Isle of Islay. The garden will grow native plants, herbs and heritage crops – labelled and learned in Gaelic – supporting education and intergenerational language use. |
| Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust | Prestonfield Community Garden | Edinburgh | Support running of a programme of events and workshops to develop skills and encourage long-term participation in the project. It will provide resources for paths, raised beds, seating, tree planting and meadow grass creation. |
| Traquair Food Forest | Traquair Food Forest | Borders | Establish a site for a community food forest that will be maintained by volunteers and used as an educational space. Installing a deer fence and a shrub layer to protect the site, purchase tools. |
| Eat Sleep Ride CIC | Eat Sleep Ride | Borders | Constructing a garden tool shed and polytunnel to grow food, store materials and host future activities. |
| Crossroads Community Hub Ltd | Let’s get Growing | East Ayrshire | Establish a community garden on a derelict area by. Construction of paths, polytunnel, potting shed, compost heap and raised beds accessible to all. |
| Flourishing Faifley | Growing Connections | West Dunbartonshire | Install greenhouses, polytunnel and additional raised planters. Develop beekeeping and gardening skills. |
| St Angela’s Parent Council | SALTIRE Community Allotment | Glasgow | Install raised beds and a rainwater collection system. Deliver a series of family gardening workshops to increase local community engagement. |
| PKAVS | The Walled Garden | Perthshire | Supports young people and adults in their recovery from poor mental health and wellbeing issues through gardening. Install raised beds, irrigation systems and heating to a walled garden glasshouse. |
| Branching Out Community Initiative | Knockinlaw Community Garden | East Ayrshire | Repair storm damage to vegepods and the pergola in the community garden. |
| CLEAR Buckhaven and Methil | Aberhill Growing Space, Methil | Fife | Create a growing, gathering and learning space on a derelict site in front of Aberhill Primary School. |
| NDT – Newtongrange Community Garden | NCG Food for Thought | Midlothian | Construct six raised beds with accessible pathways on underused land. Host weekly gardening sessions and food education workshops for and volunteers. |