If you’re considering applying for LeithChooses funding but have any questions at all, you are very welcome to come to any of these support sessions:
No need to book – just come along!
If you can’t make any of these, you are very welcome to email us at LeithChooses@edinburgh.gov.uk.
Local charities and constituted community groups are invited to apply for project funding of up to £5,000. As usual, projects should be new or adding new value that will be of benefit to the community in Leith. Projects should start after 31st March 2026 and run until March 2027 at the latest. The theme for this year is ‘Well-being in Leith’. Continue reading
The Theme for 2025-2026 LeithChooses will be:
“Well-being in Leith”
Following feedback from previous years’ evaluations and our 2023 Community Conversation session, we asked members of the Leith community for their views on what the ‘Theme’ of next year’s LeithChooses should be, giving a choice of four possible options and also inviting them to put forward any other ideas. This was circulated in May/June via the LeithChooses website, and via NextDoor, FaceBook, ‘X’, and by email to all past applicants and to the wider mailing list. Unfortunately only 35 responses were received overall (thank you for those!), and no single option garnered even 50% of the votes. No new suggestions were put forward. The four options provided were:
Because 35 responses can hardly be considered representative of the whole Leith community, after careful consideration and discussion, the LeithChooses Steering Group decided on a different theme, which we feel encapsulates the core of the most popular theme ‘Healthier and Safer Leith’, and is also broad enough to cover project proposals from the other three suggested themes / areas of activity.
Therefore the Theme agreed upon for 2025-2026 LeithChooses is:
“Well-being in Leith”
Now – what exciting community projects will local groups come up with, in line with that theme? Can’t wait to find out!
Applications to £EITH Chooses 2025/26 will open on Wednesday 13th August 2025.
Thank you to everyone who applied to and/or voted during LeithChooses in 2024/25. We would be very grateful if you would complete a short survey about your experience as applicants and/or voters. These surveys should each take no more than 10 minutes to complete, and we would really value your feedback so we can keep working on improvements the LeithChooses process for this coming financial year.
The surveys are open for feedback until Monday 31st March.
The LeithChooses 24/25 results are in!
Following the voting period, and after totting up all the votes cast by the Leith community, the groups that have been successful in receiving funding for their community projects are now revealed (in no particular order):
Congratulations to all of them, and wishing them the very best of luck in getting their projects up and running.
Commiserations to all those who were not successful on this occasion. We wish you well in all your other undertakings.
Warmest thanks to ALL who took part.
Please get your application in for LeithChooses 2024-2025!
The deadline for applications is 10 October 2024. The vote will be in January 2025.
The theme this year is Leith Uniting.
Local charities and community groups* can apply for project funding of up to £5,000.
As usual, projects should be new or adding new value (not continued funding of an existing service) that will be of benefit to the community in Leith. Projects should be designed to start after 1 April 2025 and run until March 2026 at the latest.
Please do ask for help and support in putting together your application if you wish. Contact leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk Please submit your application as early as you can – or let us know that you are intending to apply – that then leaves time for any questions or adjustments that may be necessary, and avoids the stressful ‘last minute rush’!
*only organisations that have a Constitution and a bank account may apply
Please download an application form here, and be sure to also download and study the Guidance Notes, to help you ascertain if your project is eligible, and to guide you in putting together your application. Various formats are available:
| format | Application Form | Guidance Notes |
| DOCX | Application form (DOCX format) | Guidance notes (DOCX format) |
| DOC | Application form (DOC format) | Guidance notes (DOC format) |
| Application form (PDF format) | Guidance notes (PDF format) |
You can also pick up a paper form at Leith Library, McDonald Road Library, Leith Community Centre, Out of the Blue, or Duncan Place.
LeithChooses 2024-2025 is now open for applications!
Local charities and community groups* are invited to apply for project funding of up to £5,000 for a new project.
The new theme this year is Leith Uniting.
Hopefully this is open enough to allow for all sorts of creative interpretations. Looking forward to hearing your ideas for new projects!
As usual, projects are invited that are new or adding new value (not continued funding of an existing service) that will be of benefit to the community in Leith. Projects should be designed to start after 1 April 2025 and run until March 2026 at the latest.
Please do ask for help and support in putting together your application if you wish. Contact leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk Please submit your application as early as you can – that then leaves time for any questions or adjustments that may be necessary, and avoids the stressful ‘last minute rush’! At the very latest, application forms must be submitted by 10th October 2024.
*only organisations that have a Constitution and a bank account may apply
Please download an application form here, and be sure to also download and study the Guidance Notes, to help you ascertain if your project is eligible, and to guide you in putting together your application. Various formats are available:
| format | Application Form | Guidance Notes |
| DOCX | Application form (DOCX format) | Guidance notes (DOCX format) |
| DOC | Application form (DOC format) | Guidance notes (DOC format) |
| Application form (PDF format) | Guidance notes (PDF format) |
You will also be able to pick up a paper form at Leith Library, McDonald Road Library, Leith Community Centre, Out of the Blue, Duncan Place.
Hope everyone is enjoying the summer! Here’s the latest news from LeithChooses –
The new theme for LeithChooses for 2024/2025 is Leith Uniting.
Hopefully this is open enough to allow for all sorts of creative interpretations. We will look forward to hearing your ideas for new projects.
Applications are opening early, so you should have plenty time
Along with the ‘back to school’ bustle, LeithChooses will be open for applications from Wednesday 14th August. You will thus have the full school term to prepare and submit your application (until mid October). But please make good use of this long preparation time, and don’t leave everything until the last minute…!
Get Support
At our ‘community conversation’ day in May 2023, many groups expressed a wish for support in putting together their application, and we are very happy to offer as much support as necessary. It’s a good idea to get in touch early, to make the most of support opportunities. Contact can be made via: leithchooses@edinburgh.gov.uk
The new Application Forms and Guidance Notes will be available very soon, from this site. Watch this space! Paper copies will also be available to be picked up from the Leith libraries, The Leith Community Centre, Out of the Blue, and Duncan Place.
Only 4 more days to go. If you have not yet voted online, please do so before the end of Monday 5th February! So many brilliant projects to choose from so it’s difficult, as they all need funding. But it’s important that Leithers’ voices are the deciding factor – so we really want as many people as possible to vote.
This where to go, to cast your votes – https://consultationhub.edinburgh.gov.uk/cf/leith-chooses-2024/
PS. you can still vote online (once only) even if you have already voted once in person at the Community Centre.
All the applications for £eith Chooses are now in and being processed. Next comes YOUR chance to vote for which projects you think would benefit Leith the most.
Voting will be in January 2024. You will have 2 chances to vote –
You can vote once online and once in person. Please do try and come to the Voting Day in person, it is always a very lively day, fun for kids and a great chance to meet people and hear more about all the great organisations and groups that work to make Leith the fantastic community it is.
Get the date in your diary now!
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