Bill Kidd, SNP MSP for Glasgow, has today (Wednesday 17th) welcomed the Scottish Government's £12 million Third Sector Enterprise Fund, which is aimed at helping voluntary organisations to increase their turnover and become more sustainable.

The Scottish Government announced that the Third Sector Enterprise Fund means that voluntary organisations can apply for grants of up to £100,000 from January 2009 [1].

Commenting, Mr. Kidd said: "This is excellent news for Scotland's Third Sector organisations, which will benefit greatly from this assistance – especially in the midst of the global economic downturn and its impact on the Scottish people.

"Third sector organisations in Glasgow, and across Scotland, will be the afforded the opportunity to apply for grants, of up to £100,000, to develop social business activities. I intend to write to third sector organisations in Glasgow to let them know about these new funding opportunities.

"This shows the Scottish government's resolution and continued commitment to Scotland's third sector in the coming New Year."

Notes:

1. For more information, see here and here.

2. Bill Kidd MSP's motion regarding the Third Sector Enterprise Fund:

£12 Million Third Sector Enterprise Fund - S3M-03129:
That the Parliament welcomes the Scottish Government's £12 million Third Sector Enterprise Fund, which is aimed at helping voluntary organisations to increase their turnover and become more sustainable, affording organisations looking to develop social business activities the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £100,000 from January 2009; notes, in the current economic climate, the importance of supporting the third sector, which contributes towards increasing sustainable economic growth in Scotland, and echoes the sentiments of Lucy McTernan, SCVO's acting chief executive, that this fund "will allow organisations across the sector to get the sort of investment they need to develop a more enterprising approach to their activities".