INSIGHTS into one of Scotland’s most successful community benefit programmes were offered to public sector bodies at a recent AGM.
Held in Livingston, the event provided details of the work delivered through the Scottish Procurement Alliance’s Community Benefit Fund (CBF), which has distributed £910,000 worth of funding in seven years – achieving an additional £1.1 million in match funding.
Lesley Anderson, regional director of SPA, said, “The success of our Community Benefit Fund over the past seven years is a testament to the power of collaborative effort in driving positive change. By providing £910,000 in funding and leveraging an additional £1.1 million in match funding, we’ve been able to make a significant impact on Scottish communities.
“This AGM has not only showcased our collective achievements with the help of our committee partners and Lintel Trust but it also highlighted the incredible work being done by our public sector partners across Scotland.”
Since 2017, the CBF has provided over £2 million in grants and match funding to 103 community groups and charities. The SPA explained these efforts have positively impacted the lives of at least 27,931 people.
The AGM was attended by organisations including LHC Procurement Group, Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC), South Ayrshire Council, Hawthorn Housing Cooperative and South Lanarkshire Council. Each organisation shared insights into their projects, as well as how they achieved success and their future ambitions.
SPA works with 135 public sector organisations, offering frameworks designed to simplify the procurement process for sourcing works and services linked with the construction, refurbishment, and maintenance of social housing and public buildings.
SPA is currently managing 621 active projects valued at £1.1 billion, while also providing 260 suppliers access to support the delivery of works and services to public sector partners.
