£50,000 available for projects to support Scotland's diaspora.
A fund to help strengthen Scotland's international diaspora has
opened for applications.
The £50,000 Scottish Connections Fund is open to bids from any
individual or organisation with a Scottish connection, whether
that link is through heritage, education, business, culture, or a
broader affinity.
Grants ranging from £2,000 to £5,000 will be awarded to support
at least 10 new innovative projects that will help bring together
Scotland's diaspora and promote Scottish connections worldwide.
This year's funding follows a successful pilot last year, which
supported four projects, including work by the New York
Genealogical and Biographical Society to help descendants of
enslaved Americans document their Scottish connections.
External Affairs Secretary 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.”
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society was one of the
beneficiaries of the pilot fund, using the funding to engage
expert researchers in compiling a guide and resource for those
researching the Scottish ancestry of enslaved individuals or
enslavers in North America.
New York Genealogical and Biographical Society 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.”
Background
Scottish Connections Fund:
guidance
Projects must be completed by the end of March 2025 and the
closing date for applications is 5pm on 4 September 2024.
The launch of the Scottish Connections Fund was a commitment
included in the Scottish Connections Framework, published April
2023.
