Community and neighbourhood issues

The Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) supports established local organisations to undertake programmes of creative and cultural activity that delivers public benefit and aligns with the council’s strategic aims for culture.

The objectives of the fund are to:

• enable cultural organisations to deliver long-term engagement with the arts, culture, and heritage through engaging and innovative programming
• strengthen organisational sustainability that continues to raise cultural ambition in Renfrewshire
• support organisations which have an ongoing commitment to diversifying and expanding cultural participation.

How much you can apply for

There are 3 tiers of funding you can apply for:

• £10,000 a year, up to a total of £30,000 over 3 financial years
• £15,000 a year, up to a total of £45,000 over 3 financial years
• £20,000 a year, up to a total of £60,000 over 3 financial years.

However, funding is limited, and we may not be able to give grants to all eligible organisations. 

The funding period is from 17 July 2025 to 14 March 2028, and the fund can be used across 3 financial years.

Your organisation should be a formally registered company or charity whose primary purpose is promoting culture and creativity. 

This includes:

• charities registered in Scotland and undertaking activity related to the arts, creativity, and culture.
• companies limited by guarantee that can clearly demonstrate their programme of work will promote the public good through arts and culture.
• community interest companies (CICs) registered at Companies House with a focus on arts and culture. 

Your organisation must:

• have a UK bank account in the same name as the organisation
• pay all hourly staff at least the National Living Wage
• pay freelance creative contracts in line with the Scottish Artists Union (SAU), Musicians Union (MU), or other relevant representative body’s rate.or other relevant representative body’s rate.

The funding can be used for programme or operational costs. 

Organisations can decide on the best use of the funds based on their needs and priorities throughout the 3-year funding period. 

However, a minimum of 40% of each annual budget must be allocated to programming. 

Programming costs

Funding can be used to undertake programmes of creative and culture activity including:

• promoting local culture and history from across the region
• improving the wellbeing of communities through engagement in cultural activity
• producing innovative cultural experiences in Renfrewshire for residents and visitors
• revitalising civic spaces in Renfrewshire’s town centres through cultural production
• offering employment opportunities that demonstrate Renfrewshire’s cultural sector as a positive place to work. 

Operational costs

This can include contributions towards overhead costs, such as:

• rental
• staffing
• services
• building repairs to help keep cultural spaces open for the community.

Application guidance

Your application should demonstrate how your proposed activity represents good value for public money.

Make sure you have read the full Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) guidance before you start your application.

You also need to complete a Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) equalities monitoring form which you can upload to the online form.

If you have any questions applying for it, email us at  cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Information you need to tell us on your application

Operational details

You need to tell us:

• your organisation’s name, address, website (if you have one), registration number, organisational status and aims
• the details of the lead contact person
• operational details including number of employees, volunteers, or practitioners you work with
• your target demographic groups
• main and secondary artforms
• what geographical areas in Renfrewshire you deliver activity in.

Business plan

You need to provide us with a business plan that includes:

• a full description of the activities and services your organisation offers
• the organisation’s strategic aims and benefits to the community
• a breakdown of your organisation’s planned expenditure for 2025 to 2026, 2026 to 2027, and 2027 to 2028, including projected income and expenditure across operational, staffing, and programming costs
• an outline annual plan for 2025 to 2026 (maximum 2 pages).

Financial information

We also need this financial information:

• the organisation’s bank account details
• a bank statement less than 3 months old
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved (you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file).

Organisation information

You will need to provide this information about your organisation:

• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s constitution or memorandum and articles of association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• your organisation’s safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• your organisation’s equalities policy or clear evidence of commitment to equalities and diversity
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided.

Any other relevant information

You can also add any other relevant information, ideally in PDF format, to support your application, such as:

• examples of previous work
• letters of support
• evidence of income from other sources
• CVs of artists or key staff involved in your project.

Before you start, you’ll need to register for MyAccount through mygov.scot. If you’ve already registered, you do not need to do it again.  

Help with registering and signing-in (mygov.scot).

You can save the form at any time by selecting Save at the bottom of any page of the form. 

You'll then get an email with a link to your saved draft. You can also access the saved draft from the 'My Requests' tab on the MyAccount home page.

We recommend you also keep a version of your application in a separate document. This is in case there are any connection issues while you are filling out the form and it’s not saved or submitted.

We cannot accept late applications. You must submit all required documents online by the deadline for us to consider your application.

If you need an application form in a different format, email cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
 

Information sessions

There are 2 online information sessions for prospective applicants:

• Tuesday 15 April 2025
• Wednesday 30 April 2025

Contact us at cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk to book your place at one of our information sessions. Let us know which date you want to attend.

If you need help to apply, email us at cof-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

We’ll check to make sure your application is eligible and complete. 

If it’s incomplete, we’ll contact you about the missing or incomplete information we need. You’ll have 5 working days to send us this information. 

If we do not get the information by then, your application will not be taken forward.

How we make a decision

We evaluate all applications based on these 3 criteria:

• how well the proposal fits with our 5 strategic aims for culture
• governance and management
• financial risk and mitigation.

You can read the full assessment criteria and scoring in Appendix 1 of the Cultural Organisations Fund (COF) guidance.

When we’ll tell you about your application

We’ll email you on Wednesday 16 July 2025 to let you know our decision.

If your organisation is awarded funding

You’ll receive an email with the grant offer letter, including information on payment schedules and reporting.

You’ll be expected to set annual targets with the council and report on the delivery of these aims at the end of each financial year.

If you do not get funding

If your organisation is not successful with your application, we’ll contact you to tell you why, but your application will not proceed any further. 

Contact us you have any questions about the fund.
 

The Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) is a fund for artists, organisations and communities to support creative projects and events throughout Renfrewshire and beyond.

The purpose of the fund is to raise cultural ambition and stimulate new cultural, heritage and events activity, aiming to create long-lasting cultural, economic and social transformation in Renfrewshire.

The objectives of the fund

The objectives of the fund are to:

• increase the number of people taking part in creative activity in Renfrewshire
• increase opportunities for young people to develop their creative ambition
• stimulate the local economy
• realise the potential contribution creativity can make to education, social inclusion and quality of life
• broaden the network of people developing cultural and creative projects in Renfrewshire
• increase the number of people visiting Renfrewshire
• raise the profile of Renfrewshire throughout the UK.
  The Culture, Heritage and Events Fund is funded by Renfrewshire Council.

Round 14 funding is open to organisations and individuals based or working in Renfrewshire who want to create or develop cultural or heritage activities that benefit or engage communities in Renfrewshire. 

This includes:

• independent artists, designers, makers and producers
• artists collectives, cultural organisations and networks
• voluntary or community organisations
• schools, colleges and universities
• businesses including social enterprises and creative industries.

Support for applicants representing black and ethnic minority communities or new Scots

As part of our commitment to increasing cultural diversity through fund-supported activities and projects, you can get one-to-one support with your application if you are representing Black and ethnic minority communities or New Scots. 

If you would like this support, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.
 

CHEF supports projects that encourage engagement and participation in cultural and heritage activities in Renfrewshire.

Activity supported includes:

• the production of new artistic work
• research and development for professional artists and creative organisations
• workshops
• performances
• festivals and events
• exhibitions
• tours
• other opportunities for residents and visitors to

Renfrewshire to engage with the arts, heritage and culture.
You cannot apply for activities that:

• are not related to culture, heritage and events
• do not benefit or engage people in Renfrewshire
• will start before 1 October 2025. 

You can apply for grants of up to £20,000. The average grant award in previous funding rounds was £8,621.

However, there is a cap on the funding, and it is expected demand will be high,  so we can't guarantee you'll get a grant or get the amount you've applied for.

You should demonstrate how your proposed activity represents good value for public money, and we encourage you to look for income from other sources and in-kind support where possible. 

In-kind support refers to non-cash contributions that directly benefit a project and reduce its overall cost, such as donations of goods, services, or time rather than money.

Information sessions

There are 2 online information sessions for prospective applicants:

• Tuesday 27 May 2025, from 10am to 11am
• Wednesday 4 June 2025 from 2pm to 3pm

Contact us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk to book your place at one of our information sessions. Let us know which date you want to attend.

Or if you can’t join the information sessions, and have questions about CHEF, email chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 
 

Application guidance

Make sure you have read the full Culture, Heritage and Events Fund (CHEF) guidance before you start your application.

Information you need to include in your application

Project details

If you’re an organisation, you’ll need to provide us with details of your proposed project:

• the name, start and end dates, purpose, identified needs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and who is involved in its delivery
• number of participants or audience members, location of activities, and types of artforms or cultural specialities
• total project costs, amount of funding requested, and breakdown of individual items.

Operational details

You need to tell us:

• your organisation’s name, address, website (if you have one), organisational status, registration number, years in operation, and aims
• the details of the lead contact person
• number of employees, volunteers, or practitioners you work with
• the main activities of the organisation
• what geographical areas in Renfrewshire, Scotland or the UK you will deliver activity in.

Financial information

We also need this financial information:

• the organisation’s bank account details
• a bank statement less than 3 months old
• a copy of your most recent annual accounts or an income and expenditure statement - these should be less than 15 months old, dated and signed as approved - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• details of any funding you’ve received from us in the last 3 years.

If you’re a new organisation, you can provide us with estimates of income and expenditure for the first 12 months in operation.

Organisation information

You will need to provide this information about your organisation:

• a signed, dated copy of the organisation’s constitution or memorandum and articles of association - you can include a link to the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) or to a Companies House submitted file
• your organisation’s safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• your organisation’s equalities policy or clear evidence of commitment to equalities and diversity
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided.

Any other relevant information

You can also add any other relevant information, ideally in PDF format, to support your application, such as:

• examples of previous work
• letters of support

For individual applicants  

If you’re applying as an individual, you’ll need to provide us with: 

• the name, start and end dates, purpose, identified needs, outcomes, monitoring and evaluation, and who is involved in its delivery
• number of participants or audience members, location of activities, and types of artforms or cultural specialities
• total project costs, amount of funding requested, and breakdown of individual items
• details of any funding you’ve received from us in the last 3 years
• a photocopy of your identity (ID), like a passport, birth certificate, or driving licence - this is only to verify your identity and will not be retained beyond our eligibility checks
• your bank account details – so we can pay you if you are awarded a grant
• safeguarding or child protection policies, if applicable
• a completed equalities monitoring form using the template provided
• any other relevant information to support your application, such as examples of previous work or letters of support.

See our privacy policy on how we use your data.

Before you start, you’ll need to register for MyAccount through mygov.scot. If you’ve already registered, you do not need to do it again. 

Help with registering and signing-in (mygov.scot).

You can save the form at any time by selecting Save at the bottom of any page of the form. 

You'll then get an email with a link to your saved draft.

You can also access the saved draft from the 'Requests' tab on the MyAccount home page.

We recommend you also keep a version of your application in a separate document. This is in case there are any connection issues while you are filling out the form and it’s not saved or submitted. 

You’ll also need to complete and return an equalities monitoring form with your application. 
 

If you need help to apply or you need an application form in a different format, email chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

If you need to contact us about your application, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

How we make a decision

We’ll assess your application based on the criteria for the fund. 
We’ll email you on Tuesday 30 September 2025 to let you know our decision.    

How we pay the grant

If we award you a grant, we will pay this into your nominated bank account. 

This is usually a first instalment of 80% of the grant and a second and final instalment of the remaining 20%.

Conditions of the grant

Your project can run for any length of time, but it must be delivered between 1 October 2025 and 14 March 2028.

If you are not awarded a grant

If you’re not awarded a grant, you can ask for feedback on your application at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

However, the decision is final, and unsuccessful applications will not be reviewed or reconsidered.

If you want more information about the fund or help with your application, email us at chef-enquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

A community council is a group of local people who volunteer to help improve the area they live in and the public services they use. 

They find out residents' views on issues and share those views with organisations that deliver services in the area - for example, Renfrewshire Council, the NHS, Police Scotland, and local businesses. They usually meet once a month.

Community councils also act as a focal point for community activity. They organise galas and events, deliver local community improvement projects, and mobilise community efforts to reduce the effects of severe winter weather.

You can find out more about community councils on the Scottish Community Councils website.

How a community council is established

Renfrewshire Council organises community council elections every four years. During elections, all current members must stand down, but they can go for re-election again.

If a community council receives more nominations than their maximum number of members, we'll hold a ballot election. If the number of nominated candidates is between the minimum and maximum number for that council, then those candidates will be elected automatically.

If there aren't enough nominations for a particular community council, that community council won't re-establish. We'll then call for more nominations.

Consultation

In 2025, we asked community councils in Renfrewshire, and anyone interested, to provide feedback on the draft Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils.

What happens after an election

After an election, Renfrewshire Council will verify the eligibility of all candidates before publishing the results of the election.

Newly elected community council members are then invited to attend the first meeting of the new community council.

Community councils in Renfrewshire

Renfrewshire has 25 distinct community council areas, with 21 currently having an active community council that represents all residents within their area.

Each community council has a set number of minimum and maximum members. 

Charleston, Glenburn, Gallowhill, and Hunterhill currently do not have active community councils.

Contact us at community-council.cs@renfrewshire.gov.uk if you're interested in establishing a community council in these areas.

What our Whole System Approach is

Our Whole Systems Approach provides social work services and support for young people who may come into conflict with the law.

By using a Whole Systems Approach, we aim to:

• focus on the wider needs of children and young people and their families
• help reduce offending behaviours
• divert children from criminal involvement where possible and it is safe to do so.

The approach is based on research, which suggests that better long-term outcomes for young people in trouble can be achieved by safely diverting them away from legal requirements, prosecution, and custody where possible.

Find out more about the Whole System Approach (WSA) to young offending (Scottish Government website), which is supported by the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) framework (Scottish Government website).

What services we provide for young people

If you have been in conflict with the law persistently or significantly, our Whole Systems Approach can provide:

• interventions and intensive support
• court support
• support if you are leaving secure care or a young offenders’ institution
• support for your family.

Other services our Whole Systems Approach provides are:

• early identification through referrals made by police, schools or the public
• assessment reports to court and the children’s panel
• diversion and bail services
• risk assessment and case management services
• support for problematic drug or alcohol use
• supervision of court or children’s panel requirements
• public protection duties, including child protection, public protection and adult protection.

Who can get support

Our Whole System Approach (WSA) may support you if you are:

• under 18 years of age, or
• aged up to 20 years old, if you’re care experienced.

You may get support if you:

• are involved in offending behaviour
• are at risk of being, or are, subject to measures by the Children’s Hearing due to offending behaviour
• are at risk of being, or are, involved in the criminal justice system.

How to contact us

You or a family member can contact us for support by:

What our women’s justice team is 

Our women’s justice team provides social work services for women involved in the justice system.

The team is staffed by women only and work with women during all stages of the criminal justice process. 

It works within a trauma informed approach, recognising the different and often complex circumstances and experiences of women involved within the criminal justice system.

What services the team provide

Services include:

• justice social work reports 
• diversion from prosecution
• bail services
• Community Payback Orders
• Structured Deferred Sentences
• Statutory and voluntary throughcare services.

How to contact us

If you want to find out more or discuss what services could be available to you, contact our justice social work service by:

What unpaid work is

Unpaid work is a requirement that can be made as part of aa Community Payback Order or it can be imposed on its own.

This gives someone the opportunity to ‘pay back’ their local communities for the harm their offence has caused.

The court can impose between 20 to 300 hours of unpaid work, which the person will need to complete within a specified timeframe. Unpaid work does not replace paid employment.

Unpaid work should:

• help people to develop and improve their social skills
• be of benefit to the local community, by taking place through a community group or project, or not for profit organisation
• be in a safe environment.

Levels of unpaid work

The court can sentence 2 levels of unpaid work requirement:

• Level 1: 20 to 100 hours - this is normally completed within 3 months unless specified by the court. This is a punishment by the court and can be imposed without requesting a social work report
• Level 2: 101 to 300 hours - this is a direct alternative to custody and is normally completed within 6 months unless specified by the court. This order requires a justice social work report to inform sentencing.

Types of unpaid work

Our justice social work service ensures that unpaid work benefits Renfrewshire’s communities. 

It also provides a learning experience for the offender to positively connect them to the community they may have harmed.

The types of work carried out includes:

• litter picking
• clearing and maintaining walkways, public routes, and cycle paths
• clearing snow
• painting and decorating community projects
• joinery activities
• environmental projects
• gardening
• placements in public, private and charitable organisations
• voluntary activities. 

Other activity

‘Other activity’ can also be provided as part of an unpaid work requirement.

These activities are aimed to help the person to develop helpful skills for the future or support underlying issues that lead to their offending behaviour. 

Other activities must be agreed with a supervising officer and can include personal and practical support, training, and interventions aimed to improve their personal circumstances. 

The maximum time allowed is 30 hours or less if under 100 hours is imposed.

How unpaid work is assigned

The person is assessed by our justice social work service for their general suitability to carry out unpaid work prior to court sentencing. 

Before starting a placement, a further suitability assessment is carried out and the person is matched to a suitable and available placement. 

How to request unpaid work for your community

Unpaid work can be requested by anyone in the community. 

It must directly benefit the wider community and not replace anything that is normally paid work.

To request unpaid work to help in your area, contact our justice social work service by:

• email unpaidworkjobreferrals@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

How to provide unpaid work placements

We welcome any requests or offers for potential new placements for those subject to unpaid work. 

If you're a not for profit, charity, community group or social enterprise and feel you provide unpaid work placements, contact our justice social work service by:

• email unpaidworkjobreferrals@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

All new placements require certain checks which our team can discuss with you, including health and safety, and disclosure checks. 

You can also tell us if you have any feedback on existing projects.

How to contact us

If you want to find out more, share your experiences, or discuss what services are available to you, contact our justice social work service by:

Requirements of a Community Payback Order  

Courts can impose one or more of 10 requirements as part of a Community Payback Order.

These include:

• Offender Supervision - the offender must meet with a social worker for a specified period between 6 months and 3 years. A full assessment will be completed, and a management plan will be created to address the issues and the risk of reoffending
• Unpaid work or other activity - the offender must ‘pay back’ the communities they have harmed by completing unpaid work of between 20 to 300 hours. the other activity gives them the opportunity to develop skills through education or training, to support their reintegration into the community
• Compensation – the offender must pay a financial amount to the victim of their offence
• Residence – the offender must stay at a specific address
• Programme – the offender must take part in a planned set of activities to address their behaviour. This could be part of a group or individual basis
• Mental health treatment – is directed if the offender has been diagnosed with a mental health condition or learning disability that contributes to their behaviour
• Drug treatment – is directed when an offender’s behaviour is found to be connected to drug dependency, and where a Drug Testing and Treatment Order is not suitable
• Alcohol treatment - is directed when an offender’s behaviour is found to be connected to alcohol dependency
• Conduct - where the courts specify the offender to do or not do something to reduce their risk of offending
• Restricted movement – such as a home curfew or electronic tagging. 

If you fail to meet the requirements of a Community Payback Order

When a person starts a Community Payback Order, they will meet with a social worker who will fully explain its requirements. 

If you fail to meet the requirements, our justice social work staff must inform the court.

This could lead to the court imposing different actions on you, including a custodial sentence.

More information

Read the Community Payback Order Summary of Local Authority Annual Reports for 2024 to 2025 (Community Justice Scotland website).

If you want to find out more or discuss what services are available to you, contact our justice social work service by:
 

A Community Payback Order (CPO) is a community based sentence imposed by the court. It orders one or more requirements to a person convicted of an offence to both payback to the community and address their behaviour.

These are significant sentences and can be imposed for a maximum of 3 years.

This order contains a number of possible requirements, each offering the offender the opportunity to change their behaviour, protect the public and promote payback and rehabilitation.