Update on Aspiring Places for 2026
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A huge thank you to everyone who has taken part in Aspiring Places so far. Your ideas, your enthusiasm, and the feedback you shared for our recent evaluation have all played a big part in helping us understand how the platform is working and how it can support our communities better.
These are some things we have learned from the evaluation:
- Aspiring Places launched successfully and is still being used by community groups, funders and the Council as a live, helpful space.
- Lots of people across Argyll and Bute have taken part, and we’ve seen great engagement from different community groups.
- As more grants and funding opportunities appear, the whole system has become more complex, and we want to make sure we manage it in a fair and sustainable way.
- Because of this, the Council is now carrying out a review of our internal approach to grant management so we can make good, well‑informed decisions for the future.
Funding in 2026
In 2026, all external funding opportunities will be shared through the Funding Alert. Make sure you are signed up so you never miss an opportunity: https://argyllandbute.custhelp.com/app/admin/Contact_Preferences_CD
Each funding opportunity will have its own application process this year, separate from Aspiring Places.
Keeping Aspiring Places Going
Even though the Council won’t be using Aspiring Places to link projects with funding during the review, we would still love you to keep using the site.
Sharing your projects helps:
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Showcase the brilliant ideas happening across Argyll and Bute
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Connect you with others who may have similar aims
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Keep your plans visible as we shape future support
What happens next?
As we review and improve our practice, we will have the additional information we need to decide how we can best connect community projects with funding in the long term. We’ll share an update on the review and the future of Aspiring Places in early 2027.
Thank you once again for your continued energy, creativity, and commitment to strengthening communities throughout Argyll and Bute.