Paint the town red with cash grants extensions

COMMUNITY groups in the city have been given an extra week to gain their share of a £50,000 Comic Relief Edinburgh cash pot.

Scottish Community Foundation, a funding body overseeing the allocation of Red Nose Day Community Cash grants, says it has so far been "undersubscribed" with fund applications - available at between 500 and 1000 - and has pushed back its original deadline until March 18 to apply.

Red Nose Day chiefs warn this will be the final opportunity for the Capital's most deserving causes to make their case for funding.

Organisations eligible to apply include parent and toddler groups, community festival bodies or youth clubs and pensioner groups. Candidates should have had an income of less than 50,000 in the last year.

The money could be used for staff training, new equipment, wages or improvements, but cannot be used to fund trips abroad, buses or other community transport schemes, or building costs, including access adaptations to buildings.

Statutory organisations, schools, non-constituted groups and individuals are not eligible to bid for grants.

A panel of judges, including Evening News editor Tom Little, will determine the grant allocation with all bids being judged on individual merit.

Sue Wicks, Comic Relief's UK grants manager, said: "From our experience of making grants in communities all over the UK, we know that local groups are able to make a huge impact on their communities with a small amount of money.

"It's crunch time now and we're urging all community groups in Edinburgh to get online and apply for their Community Cash grants.

"We've extended the deadline so you now have an extra week to think about how your group could use 1000 to benefit your local community.

"I encourage people to apply now at www.scottishcf.org/rndcommunitycash."