Projects which support bringing together Scottish connections worldwide can now apply for funding from the Scottish Connections Fund.

Funded by the Scottish Government to the tune of £50,000, it is open to any individual or organisation with a Scottish connection, whether that link is through heritage, education, business, culture, or a broader affinity.

Projects must be completed by the end of March 2025 and the closing date for applications is 5pm on 4 September 2024.

A pilot fund was set up last year to see how it would function. One of those projects was run by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. The organisation’s President Joshua Taylor said:

“With a generous grant from the Scottish Connections Fund, our organisation had the singular opportunity to explore and share an important but unexamined part of the Scottish diaspora— descendants of enslaved Americans and their connections to Scotland.  

“We engaged two genealogists to conduct comprehensive research in Scotland and the United States, compiling a list of resources that will serve as a primary reference for individuals tracing biographical and genealogical connections to those enslaved ancestors with ties to Scotland.

“We are grateful for programmes like the Scottish Connections Fund, which enabled us to develop an important tool that empowers more people to discover and learn more about their family history as part of the Scottish diaspora. We encourage any organisation engaging in Scottish culture and heritage to explore this vital resource.”  

You can find out more about the fund here: Scottish Connections Fund

External Affairs Secretary in The Scottish Government Angus Robertson said:

“This is a fund that I’m extremely passionate about. We’ve long believed that better engaging our diaspora – family and friends of Scotland globally – can benefit Scotland economically and enrich our culture. It can also improve Scotland’s connections and reputation and we want our efforts to benefit our diaspora too.

“The Scottish Connections Framework, which was launched in 2023, laid out our commitments to support and expand this global community. These connections raise Scotland’s profile and reputation and encourage individuals and companies to visit, study, live, work and do business here.”