Crown Estate funds are received annually by the council and distributed for the benefit of coastal communities.
Who can apply
You can apply if you are a constituted group or organisation that operates on a not-for-profit basis.
This includes community groups and charities.
Your project must be within 5 miles of Fife’s coastline and in one of these areas:
- North East Fife
- Levenmouth
- Kirkcaldy
- South and West Fife
You can get awarded £10,000 to £75,000.
In exceptional circumstances, we may consider applications for up to £100,000.
If you want to apply for more than £75,000, you must contact us before the application deadline to discuss your proposal.
Who cannot apply
We cannot fund those looking to cover:
- core staffing costs
- day-to-day running costs
- legal fees
- costs you have already paid
- VAT that you can reclaim
- building maintenance that has no environmental benefit
- costs relating to your organisation’s usual or recurring activities
We may fund staffing costs for a short-term project or trial where the role provides additional capacity.
New posts must be filled through an open and transparent recruitment process.
Eligibility
Your project must meet at least one of these Crown Estate priorities:
- environmental enhancement
- reducing emissions or removing waste
- adapting to climate change
Projects may score higher if they also support:
- jobs
- tourism
- skills development
- diversification
- investment for a community purpose
Projects that support the aims of the Climate Fife 2024 Strategy and Action Plan or Blue Economy Vision for Scotland are particularly welcome.
Criteria
Your project should be ready to start and claim funding in the financial year the funding is awarded.
Projects would not normally continue beyond the following financial year.
When you apply:
- most, if not all, necessary permissions and consents should already be in place
- most, if not all, other funding needed for the project should already be secured
You can receive no more than 3 awards within 5 years.
If your application is successful, you will need to:
- sign a Service Level Agreement with Fife Council
- provide progress updates and reports
- tell us about the outcomes of your project
If your application is unsuccessful, you cannot apply again for the same project unless we invite you to reapply or the project has changed substantially.
You can apply for feasibility study costs if the study supports the aims of the fund and meets all other eligibility criteria.
How to apply
The Fund will not necessarily be open at the same time every year. On occasion there will be two funding rounds in the same financial year.
The fund will open in November 2026. We will provide a link to our application form.
Applications will be assessed by the panel in late January/early February 2027.
For further information, email crownestate@fife.gov.uk
