About Us
We are all about making a difference — supporting the communities and conservation of the Cairngorms National Park.
The story so far…
The Cairngorms Trust is the operational name for the Cairngorms Local Action Group Trust and was registered as a charity in April 2016. Since then our funding efforts have gone on to help many organisations, communities and individuals thrive throughout the Cairngorms National Park.
LEADER Projects:
projects supported
total grant value (£)
The cairngorm trust between 2016 – 2022:
with help from funding…
Projects supported
total grant value (£)
Moving forward we are continuing with our Community Led Vision Fund, Nature Resilience Funds, Path Maintenance Funds and Youth Fund. We’re also working hard to unveil other funds for projects within the National Park which will be opened up once we’ve successfully fundraised enough.
Who we are
At the Cairngorms Trust, we’re passionate about making a difference. We are a small independent charity based in the Cairngorms. We are on a mission to promote sustainable and community-led development throughout the local area for the benefit of the people who live here and the visitors who come to enjoy all that the Cairngorms National Park has to offer.
As a SCIO (Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation), we want to ensure access to funding and support for local projects and we are committed to working with individuals, organisations, businesses and communities within our region to achieve this.
The Cairngorms are at the heart of everything we do and we continually strive to
• Give •
Back to the local communities and residents.
• Protect •
The precious landscapes and wildlife.
• Grow •
The area's opportunities and economy.
What we do
The Cairngorms Trust proudly look after the communities, landscapes and wildlife within the Cairngorms National Park. We know that our area is a living, breathing thing – and we want to see it thrive!
That’s why we provide grants and support for a wide range of community-led projects across the Cairngorms which help safeguard our environment for future generations – investing in initiatives which inspire and support economic development, social enterprise and community projects.
We look at opportunities within the Cairngorms for…
Who decides
how to invest funding?
The Cairngorms Trust Board are the directors of the Cairngorms Trust and form the Local Action Group. The Cairngorms Local Action Group (CLAG) are a dedicated team of local people from all walks of life who represent different parts of the community, from residents and businesses to charities and the Public Sector. They’re the ones who decide how to invest funding in the Cairngorms to best deliver the Local Development Strategy (LDS).
Acting as the Accountable Body, the Cairngorms National Park Authority support the Cairngorms LAG members who generously volunteer their time, skills and knowledge to support community-led local development by securing and distributing funding for projects.
The CLAG came together through an open recruitment process, making sure to pool a diverse range of skills, experience and expertise needed to deliver the Local Development Strategy (LDS) successfully.
Trustees meet quarterly to decide how best to invest funds to deliver the LDS. 2026 meetings have now been set as: 10 February, 13 May, 20 August, 11 November. Venues rotate around the communities of the National Park and are often combined with a visit to a local project that has received Trust funding.
Our mission
To support projects that maintain and enhance the Cairngorms Landscapes, Wildlife, Habitat and Local Culture within the Cairngorms National Park.
We do this by:
- Supporting projects that aim to help the development, enhancement, sustainability and Economic Health of the Cairngorms’ rural communities.
- Encouraging donations through our visitor giving scheme from the people who visit and love the Cairngorms.
- To contribute to delivering the rural development priorities of an agreed Local Development Strategy and/or the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan.
- Helping to achieve the rural development priorities outlined in the Local Development Strategy and/or the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan.
- Encouraging and supporting local development initiatives through administering and awarding COMMUNITY LED LOCAL VISION FUNDS and other funds to community-led projects within the Cairngorms.
- Giving grants or loans, providing credit or other forms of assistance, financial or otherwise, to those undertaking projects, initiatives and/or activities which further support the Cairngorms community.
- Promoting knowledge transfer and sharing in the delivery of sustainable rural development projects.
- Commissioning appropriate activities or projects to further the vision.
Our vision
We aim to inspire communities and visitors to support the landscapes, wildlife, local culture and economic health and to encourage sustainable and community-led local development within the Cairngorms National Park.
Our history
The Cairngorms Trust acts as the Local Action Group (LAG) for the Cairngorm National Park area. This includes the decision making on the use of European Union LEADER funds allocated to the Cairngorms National Park LAG. From 2016 – 2018 LEADER funding has supported 34 projects with a total project value of £3,233,433.62 and of that the grants dispersed from Cairngorms LEADER to date are £2,002,774.63
The Small Grants Programme delivered by the charity in 2016, was its first charitable activity supported 7 projects with a total spend of £20,000.
Looking to the future we are looking to re-start the small grants scheme and raise funds for specific projects within the Cairngorms National Park area.
annual reports
Our full charity details can be found on the OSCR website www.oscr.org.uk along with abbreviated accounts. Our full accounts can be found on this website.
What Our Community Has to Say
"The Cairngorms Trust’s important work will help protect the Cairngorms"
“At Angels’ Nectar Scotch Whisky, we had been looking to start bottling limited edition single cask whiskies from local distilleries. By doing this in partnership with The Cairngorms Trust, together we are creating a wonderful collection of whiskies which allow visitors to the Cairngorms to give something back via their whisky glass. The Cairngorms Trust’s important work will help protect the Cairngorms, that we love, for future generations.”
- Robert Ransom -
"It only seems right that in using this network, we should support its maintenance and expansion"
“At Trail Running Scotland we have been supporting The Cairngorms Trust since 2019. Our business is based in Aviemore in the heart of the park and only exists because of the great network of trails that the area has to offer. It only seems right that in using this network, we should support its maintenance and expansion and the Trust offered us the perfect way to do this. For every booking we get, we take a £1 levy which we give to the Trust to invest specifically in local access projects such as the great work done recently on the trail network around Kingussie.”
- Ian Stewart -
"We admire the Cairngorms Trust's vision to support sustainable and community-led projects"
“Larick House B&B fundraise by asking guests to donate (minimum £1) when they are making an online reservation from our website (many guests enquire about the Cairngorms Trust work when they stay). We admire the Cairngorms Trust's vision to support sustainable and community-led projects and inspire communities to understand and appreciate the landscapes, wildlife and local culture that immerses the Cairngorm National Park.”
- Amanda Frazer -
Get on your bike with the Cairngorms Youth Action Team
New funding open for under 30s in the Cairngorms National Park
Cairngorms Community and Cultural Heritage Fund reopens
Notice of Cairngorms Trust AGM 2026
Trust launches response fund after Cairngorm wildfires
Apply for Nature Funds in the Cairngorms National Park
BUSINESSES INVOLVED WITH FUNDRAISING
