Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust

Kyle of Sutherland Development Trust (KoSDT), a Scottish registered charity and company limited by guarantee established in 2011-2012 by local residents in the Kyle of Sutherland area—including Ardgay, Bonar Bridge, and Creich—serves as a community anchor organisation driving long-term economic health, social wellbeing, and regeneration. Born from local challenges like the loss of key assets, its mission emphasises empowerment, sustainability, social justice, and partnership with statutory and voluntary bodies to build resilience, strengthen identity, and enable communities to lead their own prosperity through asset-based development and holistic projects.

KoSDT funds physical regeneration (e.g., Falls of Shin Visitor Centre redevelopment, affordable housing from derelict sites, community-owned post office), social initiatives reducing isolation and supporting health/wellbeing (e.g., community café, loneliness programmes for older residents), economic efforts (energy advice, superfast broadband, apprenticeships, employability schemes), and capacity building for vulnerable groups across all ages, businesses, families, and remote communities. Collaborations with windfarm funds, Big Lottery, and Highland Council amplify community-led priorities identified via consultations and Local Place Plans.

Eligible applicants are strictly invite-only UK-registered charities, community groups, or social enterprises rooted in the Kyle of Sutherland area, with a preference for small to medium grassroots organisations delivering local benefit; larger entities may partner but face geographic limits. No unsolicited applications, public deadlines, or forms exist—funding follows internal planning and trusted partnerships, with no set meeting frequency. Grants range from under £10,000 for initiatives to over £500,000 for capital projects, covering revenue, capital, and social enterprise but excluding unrestricted core funding or external bids. Distinctively, KoSDT integrates regeneration, social care, and economic confidence in a tightly place-based model, prioritising community agency over open grantmaking.