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Kincardine and Mearns area funding

Find out about grants and funding available in the Kincardine and Mearns area:

View the Kincardine and Mearns area funding privacy notice (PDF 140KB) to find out what we do with your data. 

Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee funding

The Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee has a budget available for projects within the area that respond to local needs. The budget can be used to 'top up' other funding sources in cases where otherwise there would be inadequate funding to allow something to happen. You will need to prove that a funding package is being assembled and can't be met from normal budgets.

Applications must be submitted by 28th February 2026.

The maximum payment for any one project or initiative is £3,000.

Grants should be claimed within 6 months of award and before the end of the financial year (31st March 2026).

How to apply

Please view the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee funding criteria (PDF 36KB) before submitting an application.

To apply for the funding, please complete the application form (available in two formats):

View the Kincardine and Mearns area funding privacy notice (PDF 140KB) to find out what we do with your data. 

Contact

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please email kincardineandmearns@aberdeenshire.gov.uk.

Local Place Plan and Community Action Plan grants

Grants of up to £500 are available, from the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee budget, to support community groups in the Kincardine and Mearns area to develop Local Place Plans (LPP) or Community Action Plans (CAP).

View the Kincardine and Mearns area funding privacy notice (PDF 140KB) to find out what we do with your data. 

Apply for a LPP or CAT grant

Kincardineshire Educational Trust

The Kincardineshire Educational Trust was set up for residents, schools and organisations in the former County of Kincardine, under the Kincardineshire Educational Trust Scheme 1962.

The Trust awards grants to individuals, schools and organisations to help with the cost of school trips, further education and funding for sports clubs and facilities.

The Trust has limited resources and in the interest of fairness, all applications received are means tested.

Please note the fund opens for application on 1st July. The closing date for applications is 31st December.

Who can apply for the grant

To be eligible, you must be a resident in a property which is within the former Kincardine County Council area. You can check the former Kincardineshire boundaries on the National Library of Scotland website.

Further education students and clubs who need financial assistance can apply for an educational grant if they meet the criteria.

Parents and guardians can apply for school travel grants on behalf of a pupil if they receive any of the following benefits:

  • Free School Meals or School Clothing Grant
  • Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction
  • Income Support
  • Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance
  • Any income related element of Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credit or Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit Guaranteed Credit
  • Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Parents and guardians can also apply if they are on a low income with capital under £10,000.

How to apply

Please see below for the appropriate application form. Please send completed forms by email to kincardineandmearns@aberdeenshire.gov.uk. Alternatively, please post them to the Kincardine and Mearns Area Office.

School travel

To apply for a grant to help fund the cost of a pupil going on a school trip please complete the application form, available in two formats:

Further adult education

Further education grants can cover:

  • Entrance fees
  • Examination fees
  • Cost of books, equipment, special clothing and other items specifically required for course
  • Accommodation costs for living away from home during term time only - please note living expenses such as utilities are not covered
  • Travel to college or university
Eligibility

To be eligible for a further education grant you must be a young or an independent student, and your income must not exceed £34,000 per year.

To be considered a young student you must:

  • Be under the age of 25 at the start of the academic year
  • Not have supported yourself financially outside of education for 3 years
  • Not be married, in a civil partnership or living with a partner
  • Have no dependent children

If you don’t meet the young student criteria, you’re classed as an independent student.

If your household income exceeds £34,000 per year, then you will not be eligible for a grant payment. Find out what counts as household income for young and independent students.

How much you can get

The table below shows the amount of grant you might be eligible for subject to meeting all the relevant criteria. 

Household income (gross) Maximum grant award
£0 to £20,999 £664
£21,000 to £23,999 £332
£24,000 to £33,999 £166
£34,000 and above £0

To apply for funding, please complete the application form available in two formats:

As part of your application, you will have to provide supporting information. We will email you to advise what we need you to provide after your application is received.

Sports clubs and facilities

To apply for funding relating to a sports club, please complete the application form available in two formats:

What happens next

All applications submitted prior to the deadline of 31st December  which meet the criteria will be considered by the board of Trustees in June of the following year. Once the members of the board have made their decision, applicants will be advised as soon as possible of the outcome of their application.

For pupil travel grants, we will advise both the applicant and the school of the award. Further educational and sports grant applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application.

Please note the Trust has limited funds available and may not be able to approve all applications or may approve a percentage.

Payments

Grants for school trips will be paid directly to the school that the pupil attends, after the trip has taken place.

Further education grants will be paid directly to the applicant once we have received any supporting documents and confirmation that they have started their course.

Sports facilities and equipment grants will be paid directly to the sport facilities bank account.

Contact

For more information on Kincardineshire Educational Grants or help on completing the forms please contact us at kincardineandmearns@aberdeenshire.gov.uk, or write to the Kincardine and Mearns Area Office.

Aberdeenshire Charities Trust funding

Aberdeenshire Charities Trust (ACT2) administers charitable funds in Aberdeenshire and is a registered charity (SC045539). There are designated funds available to the council wards in the Kincardine and Mearns area that can be used for purposes set out by the trust.

View information about charitable trust funds in Kincardine and Mearns:

Eligibility

Individuals that live in any of the areas specified in the trust or who can demonstrate that they have a reasonable connection to these areas can apply for funding. The maximum grant available to individuals is £500. 

In addition, companies, associations and other organisations who provide services, projects or facilities in the areas may apply for grants of up to £1,000. 

Applications can only be considered if they meet the purposes detailed in the trust.

Available funds

View funds available as at 31st December 2022.

Our Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee accepts applications for the local council wards:

There are no Aberdeenshire Charities Trust funds available for Ward 17 - North Kincardine (Newtonhill and Portlethen).

Ward 18 - Stonehaven and Lower Deeside (Drumoak and Stonehaven)

Fund purposes Total Fund Revenue Capital
The prevention or relief of poverty £0.15 £0.15 £0.00
The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage

Ward 19 - Mearns (Fettercairn Gourdon, Inverbervie, Johnshaven, Laurencekirk and St Cyrus)

Fund purposes Total Fund              Revenue     Capital
The prevention or relief of poverty £86,901.67 £84,334.48 £2,567.19
The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage

How to apply

You can apply for funding by completing the appropriate application form, available in two formats:

Send completed applications to the Kincardine and Mearns Area Office.

What happens next

The Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee will review your Aberdeenshire Charities Trust funding application. Find out about how we deal with your application.

Contact

If you have any questions please contact the Kincardine and Mearns Area Office.