GreenLight Funded Projects 2025–26

2050 Climate Group delivered its Climate Action Leadership Programme, equipping young people with the confidence, skills and networks needed to become climate leaders through training, field trips and peer learning. The programme supported participants to deepen their understanding of climate justice while developing practical leadership skills and lasting connections with others taking action across Scotland.

Dana Stoyanova developed a climate education board game designed to make conversations about climate change more accessible, engaging and interactive. Through play-based learning, the project helped participants explore climate issues, discuss possible solutions and build confidence in taking positive action within their communities.

Impact Arts worked with unemployed young people through conservation activities in Holyrood Park, helping participants build skills, confidence and environmental awareness while creating educational resources for wider use. The project provided opportunities for hands-on learning, wellbeing support and meaningful engagement with Edinburgh’s natural environment.

ELREC delivered sustainable rug-weaving workshops using reclaimed materials, combining creative skills development with conversations about waste reduction and resource reuse. Participants learned practical crafting techniques while exploring ways to reduce consumption and extend the life of everyday materials.

Edinburgh Library of Things expanded access to shared household equipment, helping residents save money, reduce waste and access items without needing to buy them. The project promoted a culture of sharing and reuse while making practical resources available to more people across the city.

Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust delivered a sustainable fashion programme that encouraged repair, reuse and more conscious clothing choices through workshops and community events. The project helped participants develop practical skills while exploring the environmental impacts of the fashion industry.

Edinburgh Tool Library organised volunteer build weekends supporting local organisations with practical construction projects, while promoting sharing, repair and community skills exchange. The project helped strengthen community connections while demonstrating the value of borrowing, repairing and making use of existing resources.

ELREC’s Waste to Wonder workshops transformed discarded materials into creative projects, helping participants develop new skills while reducing waste. Through hands-on activities, the project encouraged people to rethink what can be reused and explore more sustainable approaches to everyday consumption.

Granton Goes Greener delivered mindful weaving workshops using reclaimed materials, bringing residents together to learn new skills while exploring creative approaches to reuse. The project combined wellbeing, creativity and sustainability, encouraging participants to see value in materials that might otherwise be discarded.

Pianodrome engaged volunteers and community members in building a café from reclaimed pianos and materials, demonstrating the creative potential of reuse while creating a unique community space. The project showcased how discarded materials can be transformed into valuable community assets through collective effort and imagination.

Remode Collective delivered sewing workshops for young people, helping participants learn repair and upcycling skills while promoting more sustainable approaches to fashion. By building confidence in clothing repair and creative reuse, the project encouraged participants to reduce textile waste and extend the life of their garments.

The Ripple Project established a community reuse shop, making affordable second-hand goods more accessible while reducing waste and supporting local residents. The project helped divert usable items from landfill while creating opportunities for people to access essential goods at low cost.

1000 Better Stories Collective used storytelling, arts and crafts to help people explore their relationship with place, encouraging reflection on community, environment and climate through creative expression. Through shared stories and creative activities, the project helped participants imagine positive futures and strengthen connections with the places they live.

Networking Key Services engaged communities through a culturally relevant theatre project hosted at North Edinburgh Arts, using storytelling and discussion to open conversations around climate change and everyday action. By creating welcoming spaces for dialogue, the project helped participants explore climate issues in ways that felt accessible, relevant and rooted in their own experiences.

Sett Studios delivered Folk Folly, a community arts festival celebrating local folklore, creativity and place. The project connected people through shared cultural experiences while encouraging reflection on environmental themes and the relationship between people, landscape and local heritage.

CHEF delivered family-friendly workshops exploring low-carbon heating and heat networks, helping school communities understand Edinburgh’s transition to cleaner energy systems. Through practical activities and discussion, participants gained a greater understanding of how heat networks work and the role they can play in reducing emissions.

EdinBRIC’s Retrofit Rover project helped residents learn more about improving the energy efficiency of their homes through practical advice, guidance and community engagement. The project aimed to increase understanding of retrofit measures, reduce household emissions and support people to make informed decisions about creating warmer, more energy-efficient homes.

Porty Community Energy supported residents to improve home energy efficiency and reduce energy costs, combining practical guidance with community engagement around sustainable living. The project helped people better understand energy-saving measures while strengthening local networks and resilience.

QPC Homes helped residents explore community-led improvements to shared housing spaces, laying the groundwork for future energy-saving and environmental upgrades. By bringing neighbours together around shared priorities, the project encouraged collaboration and long-term thinking about sustainable housing.

Bikes for Refugees provided refurbished bicycles and cycling equipment to refugees and people seeking asylum, improving access to employment, education and essential services. By removing transport barriers and promoting active travel, the project supported social inclusion while encouraging a lower-carbon alternative to car journeys.

Cadi Couriers expanded zero-emission cargo bike deliveries across Edinburgh, replacing van journeys with sustainable transport and reducing carbon emissions. The project demonstrated how cargo bikes can provide an efficient and practical alternative for urban deliveries while supporting local businesses to reduce their environmental impact.

Dalmeny and Queensferry Parish Church installed secure cycle parking at Dalmeny Kirk, making active travel easier for church users, community groups and visitors. The project encouraged more people to travel by bike, helping to reduce car dependency while improving access to a well-used community space.

The Sorted Project reduced emissions from its community boats by switching from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a lower-carbon alternative fuel. The project explored practical ways to reduce the environmental impact of maritime activities while demonstrating how existing transport systems can transition towards more sustainable solutions.

Mwamba brought climate awareness and action to a community whose voices are often missing from climate conversations through zero food waste cooking workshops and climate awareness Conversation Cafés. Reaching over 150 participants across Edinburgh and the Lothians, the project helped people build understanding of the climate crisis through practical, everyday action around food, cooking and waste reduction.

Bridgend Farmhouse explored circular food systems through mushroom-growing workshops, helping local people learn how to grow food from waste materials. The project increased understanding of the circular economy while building practical skills around sustainable food production.

Community Foundation for Planetary Healing delivered a series of food-growing workshops, helping participants build confidence in growing food at home. The project encouraged sustainable food production and greater self-sufficiency through practical learning.

Craigmillar and Niddrie Matters encouraged local food growing through a community garden competition, inspiring residents to enhance green spaces and celebrate gardening across the neighbourhood.

Duncan Place Community Hub transformed outdoor spaces with planters for vegetables, flowers and pollinator-friendly planting. The project strengthened community connections while supporting biodiversity and local food growing.

Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust delivered nature-based workshops in Craigmillar Castle Park, helping local people connect with nature and take practical action for biodiversity and climate resilience.

Forgotten Edges CIC restored neglected street planters, bringing greenery back into urban spaces and creating opportunities for residents to take part in local environmental action.

Friends of Burdiehouse Burn Valley Park improved habitats for pollinators through targeted planting and conservation work, supporting biodiversity while encouraging community involvement in caring for local green spaces.

Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden installed rainwater harvesting infrastructure, improving the sustainability of the garden and supporting long-term community food growing.

Friends of Meadowfield Park worked with local children to plant native bulbs, create bug hotels and establish new trees. The project enhanced biodiversity while helping young people learn about nature and climate action.

Friends of St Margaret’s Park installed secure storage to support community gardening activities, making it easier for volunteers to care for and develop the park throughout the year.

Gorgie Community Farm and Capella Charity strengthened community-led food growing through accessible gardening activities and shared learning. The project helped build local climate resilience while connecting people through food and nature.

Granton Community Gardeners expanded their programme of community meals, bringing people together around locally grown food while reducing isolation and strengthening community connections.

Grow2Eat helped people learn how to grow food in small spaces, demonstrating that food production is possible even without access to a garden. The project encouraged sustainable living through practical, accessible techniques.

Jewel Miners Welfare Charitable Society created new raised-bed growing spaces for local residents, providing opportunities for food growing and outdoor activity, particularly for older people waiting for allotments.

Jock Tamson’s Gairden installed solar panels on its community building, reducing emissions while supporting the long-term sustainability of the garden and its activities.

Oxgangs Community Gardeners transformed a disused bowling green into a biodiverse community garden, creating a welcoming space for food growing, wildlife and neighbourhood participation.

Pilmeny Development Project brought older people from diverse communities together through food growing, cooking and climate action activities. The project combined cultural exchange, wellbeing and environmental learning.

Rhyze Mushrooms developed a shared food processing and seed-saving space at Lauriston Farm, supporting collaboration between growers and strengthening local food resilience.

SCOREscotland combined cooking and allotment skills training with community building, helping participants develop practical food-growing skills while improving wellbeing and environmental awareness.

BANZAI engaged residents in shaping a Local Place Plan for South Central Edinburgh through assemblies, surveys and school engagement. The project helped communities imagine and plan for a more sustainable future neighbourhood, ensuring local voices were central to discussions about long-term change.

Edinburgh Can B supported grassroots community projects through Edinburgh Soup events, creating opportunities for local people to share ideas, build connections and secure small-scale funding. The project encouraged collaboration and helped turn community-led ideas into practical action.

Extinction Rebellion Edinburgh & Lothians expanded climate outreach and public engagement activities, helping more people learn about and participate in climate action. Through events, conversations and public-facing activities, the project raised awareness of climate issues and encouraged greater community involvement.

Northfield & Willowbrae Community Council delivered climate resilience workshops to inform its Local Place Plan, helping residents identify priorities for adapting to future environmental challenges. The project supported community-led discussion about local resilience and how neighbourhoods can respond to a changing climate.