In addition to the many scholarships offered by the RSCDS, we also help fund various initiatives directed at growing and developing Scottish Country Dancing. To learn more about these opportunities please see below, and if you have further questions please get in touch with the RSCDS office. Each year during Global Youth Week, we will be offering Development Fund awards to each to the 3 best proposals from Branches and Affiliated Groups in regard to how to further develop engagement of young people in the long term.
Youth funding
The RSCDS is particularly keen to support and encourage young dancers. The Youth Services Committee offers occasional competitive awards to support initiatives to encourage young dancers. These include Youth Development Award awarded annually to three Branches or Affiliated Groups in conjunction with Global Youth Week.
Each year the Youth Services Committee offers three awards of £500 to develop projects to make SCD accessible to young people within their community.
Any Branch (though not Affiliated Groups) can put together a proposal and apply for one of these Youth Development Awards. Information on criteria for such projects and how to apply is available in the section below and supplied on the Global Youth Week page, along with fascinating details of some successful 2017-2018 YDA projects.
Please provide the following information:
- Name and short profile of the affiliated Group/Branch (how many dancers, how often do you meet, etc.)
- A description of the project in roughly 200 words
- A short description of the long-term benefit of the project
- A rough schedule of your project
- A rough budget (indicating possible other sponsors and a possible long-term development plan of the financial input (if there is one))
Criteria for selection:
- How much does the initiative support young dancers, musicians or teachers (young meaning up to 35 years)?
- How far is the initiative a long-term investment into the young local dance community (or, if the project doesn't aim at a local scene - into the young dancers' community)?
Please send all these details by email to the RSCDS Finance Manager, Sandra Parish at Sandra.Parish@rscds.org
Jean Milligan Memorial Fund
Worldwide grants of up to £1,000 are offered to support new initiatives, innovation, creativity and outreach activities that further the aims of the RSCDS and can demonstrate benefit to their area, community or Branch.
To learn more please visit the JMMF page, where you can find the Guidelines and Application Form available for download.
Development Fund
The RSCDS Development Fund (DF) came into existence on 1 October 2010 with initial funding from reserves (boosted subsequently and substantially by VAT refunds) equal to £100,000 to further develop the worldwide knowledge, practice and spread of Scottish Country Dancing and the RSCDS, within its overall aims and objectives.
The development fund will be used to support SCD worldwide in the following areas:
- Supporting the objectives formulated within the RSCDS Strategic Plan;
- Marketing SCD to members of the general public, statutory bodies (particularly education authorities), sport and fitness organisations and decision-makers;
- Involving or representing the RSCDS in high-profile major UK/international events eg Commonwealth Games and others where SCD and/or the RSCDS profile can be raised;
- Major website developments;
- Strategic/corporate marketing for the RSCDS to government and educational bodies;
- Partnership projects with Branches and other SCD groups/organisations.
Download the guidelines and application form below:
International Teacher Development Scheme
This JMMF scheme offers financial assistance with travelling expenses for:
- Overseas teachers invited to teach at Summer School or Winter School in Scotland
- A member of the teaching staff invited to teach at an RSCDS residential school outside Scotland
- Invited staff on a regional course supporting teacher development. Financial help with course running costs is also available.
Applications from organisers (Branch, Committee or Teachers’ Association) should indicate how financial support from the fund would fit into the overall budget and must be submitted at least six months in advance of the proposed activity.
Usually only one award in each category is made annually; preference is given to support for younger people.
Applications for financial support under this scheme may be made in one of three categories by the following bodies or office bearers:
- To support the travel expenses for an overseas member of teaching staff invited to teach at either the RSCDS Summer School or the RSCDS Winter School in Scotland. This application would normally be made by the Schools’ Director.
- To support the travel expenses of a member of teaching staff invited to teach at any RSCDS residential school outside Scotland. The application should be made by the relevant RSCDS Branch or appropriate organising committee.
- To support the travel expenses of invited staff and/or running costs of a regional course designed to support teacher development. The application should be made by the relevant RSCDS Branch, regional organising committee, or Teachers’ Association.
Procedures for application to the fund
Applications are to be made in writing, using the JMMF application form, showing how financial support from the fund would fit into the overall budget.
Completed forms should be sent to JMMF Application (ITD), RSCDS, 12 Coates Crescent, Edinburgh, EH3 7AF, or by email to info@rscds.org (with "JMMF Application (ITDF)" in the subject line) by either 28 February or 30 August and at least six months before the proposed travel or event.
Applications will be considered by the E&T Committee during the March and September meetings. Applicants will be informed of the decision within 10 days of the relevant meeting.
Under normal circumstances only one award will be made in each category each year. Preference will be given to the support of “emerging” or developing teachers in the younger age range.
