What environmental improvement grants are currently available to community councils and other community groups.

A wide range of grants for environmental improvement are available from the Scottish Executive and others. I have listed some of the main sources.Scottish Executive: Sustainable Action FundThe fund supports organisations which promote sustainable development in Scotland, and Sustainable Action Grants are available to support a variety of the most innovative projects which are put forward. Further information is available at www.sustainable.scotland.gov.uk. Scottish Executive: Community Environmental Renewal GrantsBids are invited from local communities, or bodies which can demonstrate that they are working with local communities, for projects which address the environmental effects of past or present aggregates extraction. Further information is available at www.sustainable.scotland.gov.uk. Forward Scotland: Small Project GrantsLaunched in 1997, Forward Scotland's Small Project Grants scheme has successfully assisted, advised and financially supported over 200 projects, in 30 local authority areas. The scheme provides grants of up to £1,000 to assist constituted groups to research, plan and build the capacity to implement sustainable development projects within their community that improve the quality of the local environment. Further information is available at www.forward-scotland.org.uk.Scottish Natural HeritageScottish Natural Heritage offers grants to help individuals and organisations carry out projects which match its aims. Grants are available for a wide range of projects which: improve the conservation of species, habitats and landscapes;promote public enjoyment of the natural heritage, andincrease awareness and understanding of the natural heritage.The Community Grant scheme is available to help people take a more active role in enjoying and managing the natural heritage in their local area by: increasing awareness and understanding of local natural heritage; improving degraded areas through active management; improving access for all; acquiring and managing land, and supporting communities to develop the longer term capacity to undertake and manage projects. Further information is available at www.snh.org.uk.Fresh Futures has over £3 million to support communities throughout Scotland (with priority given to those living in deprived areas) to improve local green spaces and progress projects working towards sustainable solutions to issues surrounding energy, transport and waste. The scheme has a total of £1 million (of which £250,000 has yet to be committed) to provide grants to local community groups, community councils, and other organisations that are working for communities, to support a range of projects including:developing community use of school grounds and other institutions;adapting school grounds for community use; improving the look of (and access to) community green spaces; enhancement of green corridorsdeveloping local nature reserves and enhancing local biodiversity; education and awareness programmes based on local green space;local waste management schemes, including community composting and vermiculture; community energy schemes supply community facilities; energy advice, fuel poverty and fuel efficiency;providing an alternative to road transport, such as footpaths and cycle routes, andimproving community access to information on public transport. Fresh Futures is a partnership between Scottish Natural Heritage and Forward Scotland. Further information is available at www.fresh-futures.org.uk.Transforming Waste.The New Opportunities Fund Transforming Waste programme will be launched in February 2003. In Scotland the