GREG McCarra is chief executive of the Scottish Independence Foundation – the contributions of which to numerous grassroots Yes groups, as well as a couple of new national organisations, have been invaluable.
THE Scottish Independence Foundation (SIF) has just given out some large grants to new pro-independence campaigns. Last month we agreed to a grant of £10,000 to Believe in Scotland and a £3000 grant to Now Scotland, along with smaller grants to local organisations.
Most readers will have already seen the fruits of the Believe in Scotland grant: pro-independence messages displayed on massive electronic billboard screens in 98 locations across Scotland.
Like they did in 2014, Unionists lodged objections with the Advertising Standards Authority about the messages being displayed: how shoddy UK pensions are (and hinting at how much better Scotland can do). This time the Unionists failed, and voters are also seeing persuasive messages on subjects like Scotland’s right to choose its own future.
There are several great organisations that each bring together local groups around the country, but Now Scotland is a new mass-membership organisation providing a democratic forum for individuals in the independence movement. SIF’s grant helped
pay for their membership packs, allowing them to launch even quicker than expected.
The grants to Believe in Scotland and Now Scotland are simply the start for them, as we have told each organisation that we are open to considering future grants or loans to help them build on their work.
As for local organisations, we had pleasure in awarding smaller grants to Yes Inverclyde, Yes Bute, Hame Productions (for video work) and to Dumfries & Galloway English Scots for Yes.
All of this work has been going on during lockdown and before the starting pistol has been fired for indyref2. It is everyone’s hope that the May elections to the Scottish Parliament will put us firmly on the road to that referendum. At that point – and as we ease out of lockdown – we expect a ramping up of pro-independence campaigning activity in preparation for our second (and final) independence referendum.
Having already given out £200,000 in grants since we formed in mid-2018, SIF has being quietly building up a “war chest” in preparation for this stage in Scotland’s journey.
Any group with an oven-ready project to help that campaign can apply for a grant – see our webpage SIF.scot/apply. If you need more advice first then contact us at info@SIF.scot, and if you have some spare money that you want to be put to grassroots campaigning then you can visit SIF.scot/donate.
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