The Edinburgh Airport Community Fund will award up to £140,000 to local projects throughout 2023.

The fund was established to ensure local communities share in the success of Scotland’s busiest airport. The fund provides financial support to community groups and charities committed to improving opportunities, facilities, and services available to local people.

Applications for the April meeting are now open until midnight 14/04/23.

Objectives of the fund

• Offer meaningful support to local groups, organisations, and charities in communities impacted by Edinburgh Airport’s operations. 

• Make a positive difference to those who could benefit from additional funding and potential increased public exposure.

• Fulfil the airport’s aspirational commitment to be a trusted neighbour that provides tangible benefits to its community.

Community Fund members 

The Community Fund consists of key representatives from Edinburgh Airport and the local community who each provide independent evaluations of applications.

• Alex Cole-Hamilton – MSP (Chairman)

• Lucy Henderson – Head Teacher, Kirkliston Primary School

• Esther Elliot – Workplace Chaplain, The Church of Scotland

• Sandy Legget – Head of Technical Services, Air Navigation Services 

• Seonaid Gow, Talent and Inclusion Manager, Edinburgh Airport 

• Aaron McKeen, Sustainability Manager, Edinburgh Airport (Secretary)

Charities or community groups associated with members of the Community Board can still apply for funding, but the Community Board member must declare their involvement and withdraw from discussions and the decision-making process.  

Community Fund meetings 

Meetings are triannual, occurring in Spring, Summer, and Autumn. The 2023 meeting dates are as follows:

• Friday 28th April 

• Friday 25th August  

• Friday 24th November  

Funding applications will close two weeks in advance of each meeting date. Any applications received after the cut off points will be kept for the next meeting.

Criteria for funding 

The fund will consider applications from Edinburgh, Falkirk, the Lothians, and Fife that support and reflect material issues and deliverables contained within one or more of the four pillars of Edinburgh Airport’s Greater Good sustainability strategy.

These pillars are: 

• Zero Carbon 

• Enhancing Scotland 

• Scotland’s Best Business

• Trusted Neighbour

Please familiarise yourself with our sustainability strategy and the four pillars here.

Priority will be given to proposals benefitting those living within the communities closest to the airport, or those most affected by aircraft noise and airport operations, and for initiatives relating to: 

• The mitigation against and reduction of the effects of a changing climate 

• The reduction of local, negative environmental impacts.  

• The enhancement of local business, community groups and long-term sustainable partnerships in the airport’s surrounding area 

• Improving healthy working lives and increase upskilling and employment opportunities for the socially isolated, economically deprived, and/or otherwise disadvantaged persons. 

• Improving care, expanding opportunity, providing shelter, and enabling rehabilitation of vulnerable groups in the community. 

• Providing urgent, targeted, local support during the cost-of-living crisis.

All applications are judged on their merits against the criteria. Please ensure you consult this fully before making an application. There is a cap on funding applications of £7,000.  

Before proceeding, please familiarise yourself with the criteria below.

Community Fund Criteria Guidance

Applying for funding 

Applications for the April meeting are now open until midnight 14/04/23

As there are a great number of applications to be reviewed for each meeting, we will only be able to provide feedback on the applications that meet our criteria - whether successful or unsuccessful - for their funding request.

Full eligibility details are provided within the application form. Please do not apply if your application does not meet the set criteria. No feedback can be provided for applications that do not meet the criteria.

If you have any questions about the criteria or the application form, please email [email protected] who will be happy to help.