In this briefing, Community Land Scotland sets out their proposals for how to improve the Land Reform Bill as well as their reflections on the Stage 1 report from the Net Zero, Energy and Transport (NZET) Committee, including:

• Welcoming the Stage 1 report on the Land Reform Bill from the Committee which highlights significant areas of weakness within the draft legislation and several important ways in which the legislation will not meet its stated policy objectives, as things stand.  The chief concern with the Bill as drafted is that it does not seriously address the question of land ownership diversification in Scotland and offers limited influence on the issue of lesser significance, land use and management.
• Agreeing with the Committee’s conclusion that the principles of the Bill should be supported but that significant amendment is needed for the Bill to deliver the policy outcomes of more diversified ownership and greater transparency over land management and ownership.

Find out more in Community Land Scotland’s briefing.

Financial sustainability is a pressing concern for our sector. Navigating an unpredictable funding landscape has shifted thinking in how we might move towards self-generated income. There is recognition that the need to secure funding can sometimes steer organisations away from their core mission, resulting in less autonomy to respond to community priorities. This tension highlights the importance of financial independence, with some organisations exploring revenue-generating models such as community-owned wind farms.

The emotional well-being of those working in the community sector is tied to addressing urgent social and environmental challenge, which can take its toll. How we sustain ourselves and our teams, from simple but meaningful check-ins at the start and end of meetings to fostering a culture of mutual support is important. Laughter, celebrating small victories and spending time to visit and learn about successful community endeavours are essential to stay hopeful and connected to our practice. Some organisations have introduced more flexible working structures, such as a nine-day fortnight, to promote staff well-being. The value of storytelling is a way to showcase impact and a means of uplifting those doing the work by reminding them of the positive change happening daily in communities.

Environmental sustainability and the difficulties of integrating climate-conscious practices within financially strained organisations can sometimes feel like a competing concern when immediate financial and social needs take precedence. When we reframe the issue in a way that positions sustainability as an affordability issue rather than an additional burden, we help bridge the gap between environmental goals and economic realities. There is a growing interest in exploring renewable energy solutions, such as repowering community-owned wind farms, as a way to build long-term financial and environmental resilience.

Waiting for a broader cultural shift in attitudes toward these and other sorts of sustainability of human life and activity is not an option. Action desperately needs to come from within communities, driven by those already committed to change.

How we work together now to access collaborative funding models, emotional well-being strategies, and practical environmental solutions is also key to how we support sustainable community organisations—it all hinges on shared learning, mutual support, and a commitment to working together toward a more resilient future.

Community energy is about people and communities taking democratic control over their energy future, by understanding, generating, using, owning and saving energy in their communities, as well as working together across regions and nationally.

This database and research provides the most comprehensive and inclusive view of community energy in the UK and highlights sectoral achievements, makes a positive case for community energy and its role in the Net Zero transition, and plays a crucial role in influencing government policy and other key sector decision makers.

Community Energy Scotland State of the Sector portal

A new Fairer Funding pilot to deliver on the Scottish Government’s top priority of eradicating child poverty will provide additional multi-year funding in the form of 45 grants to organisations across Scotland.

The funding, subject to budget approval, will support projects in areas including health, education, poverty and culture and have a total value of £61.7 million in 2025-26 and £63.2 million in 2026- 27.

As well as retaining the fee waiver for qualifying voluntary organisations, fees for the new Level 1 and Level 2 disclosure products will remain at their broadly equivalent levels in 2025.

Read more at Disclosure Scotland

Before looking at how Bridging the Gap is working in Scotland, it’s worth understanding a little more about the work happening within and around Scottish Government that provides opportunities – and barriers – north of the border.

The Good Food Nation Act (Scotland) 2022 was one of the most eagerly awaited pieces of food policy in recent years.  The Act is a landmark piece of systems-led legislation aimed at ensuring that Scotland’s food system evolves to meet pressing social, environmental, and economic goals. It requires Scottish Government and all local authorities and Health Boards to develop and report on cross-cutting plans to address food system challenges; creates a duty to engage in inclusive consultation; and establishes an independent scrutiny body, the Scottish Food Commission.  Put simply – if done well, it has the power to fundamentally change how we do food in Scotland.

Continue to read the blog by Simon Kenton-Lake, Nourish Scotland for more information on this work.