Stalled Spaces Scotland

A constituted group is a community group or organisation with a written document—a constitution—that describes what the group’s going to do and how they’ll do it. You need to create a constituted group for the following reasons: 

• To set up a bank account 
• To qualify for most funding 
• To create a common understanding of the rules and structure of the group, scope, what is expected of everyone 
• For future considerations your group and potential ongoing maintenance of the space 

There are lots of ways to raise funds such as applying for a grant, crowdfunding, community shares or fundraising. You can find more information on different ways to secure funding by researching online or at your local library.  

Whatever way you decide to raise funding for your project, you’ll need to create a project plan to showcase what you’re aiming to achieve and how to do it.  

A project plan is a vital tool to secure funding. Here’s what you should include: 

• Objective of your project – why you’re doing it and proof of need 
• Timeline – a calendar to showcase your proposed activities  
• Basic budget – costs involved in your planned activities 
• Staffing needs – examples of support you’ll need to deliver project activities 
• Resources – an outline of what you already have and what you need (e.g., funding, space, equipment, materials, etc.) 
• Link-ups – external agencies, communities, or individuals you’ll need to liaise with (e.g., local authority or council, health bodies, charities, etc.) 
• Impact – the difference(s) a grant would make and who would benefit 
• Exit strategy – an outline of what you will do at the end of the project 

Good financial management is a must if you want your stalled space project to succeed. Even if it’s just a small initiative, writing a budget should be one of your group’s first priorities. A budget can help you: 

• understand (in monetary terms) what your group is going to do 
• estimate how much your project will cost  
• identify the funding you need to raise 
• avoid unexpected costs 
• keep track of payments 
• make financial decisions 

Your budget is an internal document for your group’s use. Funders or other external bodies won’t hold you to it. 

You’ll need to find out who owns the stalled space you hope to make use of before going forward with your plans. Why do you need the landowner's permission? 

• To obtain a lease agreement with owner 
• To gain planning permission or other consents to use the land 
• To identify ‘particular controls’ on the land (e.g., listed building or if the site is a site of specific interest)  
• To receive funding post owner consent 

As covered in the previous section, you MUST get written permission from the landowner before you begin any work on your stalled space site. This should take the form of a document that states exactly when your presence on the land will begin and end.  

It doesn’t have to be complicated. It only needs to be a couple of pages long. First, however, you need to get the owner to agree to you using their land. 

Think about the land from the owner’s perspective. What are their main needs, aims and concerns? If you know what these are and address them, you’ve got a much better chance of securing a lease with the landowner.  

And don’t forget, only include items in your agreement that are relevant to your stalled spaces project and site. 

You may need to secure planning permission even for a temporary use of a site. This will depend on the land’s current use, existing permissions and regulations, and the details of your specific project.  

It’s important to know in the early stages of your project if you’re likely to need planning permission. This will enable you to factor in any related costs to your budget and start the application process as soon as possible.  

Anything you build on the site will need to be cleared or removed when the time comes to vacate the space. 

To reduce the likelihood of objections being made to your planning application, try to get local residents and relevant public bodies on board. Address any concerns BEFORE you apply. Typical concerns include traffic, parking, building location and how the site will look. 

Even voluntary groups have to comply with insurance regulations so it’s vital that you have adequate coverage to protect your organisation’s money, people, property and its reputation. 

There are many types of insurance, but they won’t all be necessary for your group. You have to decide what you’ll need based on your group’s aims and objectives, and the activities you’ll undertake to achieve them. 

Make enquiries into what insurance cover you’ll need while you’re negotiating the lease. This will give you time to consider the risks and whether the landowner or the tenant will need to take out the policy. 

Find out what insurance the landowner has, as this might cover your activity. 

There are various risks that community groups of any size can face—from health and safety issues to losing funding sources. Sensible risk management can help you deliver your project even when there are bumps in the road. 

Risk management is identifying, assessing and controlling situations where things could go wrong. For the most part, it just involves using common sense. 

Known risks can be listed in a risk assessment document, alongside details on how you plan to manage (or avoid) them.  

You don’t have to eliminate risks. You just need to reduce the risk to a level that your group is comfortable with. The key is to strike a balance between the level of risk while still being able to get on with the activity. 

Volunteers are the lifeblood of community group initiatives. Whether they provide an extra pair of hands or valuable skill sets, your project’s unlikely to succeed without the time and energy of a reliable group of people. 

But before you start drumming up help, you must be clear about what you need your volunteers to do and what skills or qualities they should have. 

Making a list of all the things your volunteers will do can help identify the types of people you’ll need. And don’t forget to note the time or skills required for each task. 

To build awareness, community support and excitement about your stalled space project, you’ll need to promote it. There are several ways you can promote your project from good old fashion leaflets to digital marketing such as social media.  

It’s important to remember who your target audience are. This will enable you to identify the types of marketing initiatives you can take to market your project. 

Finally, remember to check with your local authority to find out if you need permission or licenses to carry out promotional activities.