Over the past decade, we’ve all felt the pinch. Across every level of society, we’ve had to make difficult choices about where limited resources are best placed.

Nowhere has this pressure been felt more acutely than in the public sector. Councils have faced the ongoing challenge of cutting millions from their budgets while still delivering the same outcomes, or more, for their communities.

All too often, that means vital community assets and services are the ones to suffer - swimming pools, libraries, children’s services, and local support networks that form the backbone of everyday life.

For ten years, the Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) has worked tirelessly to be part of the solution, bridging the gap between public sector challenges and community needs.

Through our collaborative procurement model, we’ve distributed over £1.3 million back into the public sector, and in the process, we’ve helped communities deliver projects that reduce food insecurity, build social connections, address inequality, and create positive change for close to 40,000 people across Scotland.

A further £4.8m has been given back to the public sector, generated from their usage of our frameworks.

Totalling more than £6m channelled back to public sector organisations, creating opportunities for community services to be maintained, initiatives to be supported and local areas to be revitalised.

Our approach is simple but powerful. By pooling the collective purchasing power of our public sector partners, we create efficiencies that deliver best value, ensure compliance, and, crucially, generate surplus funds.

Those funds are then reinvested into communities through our rebate programme and the SPA Community Benefit Fund, helping local organisations drive meaningful change on the ground.

In August last year, our rebate programme distributed £563,104 to 42 organisations across Scotland, supporting initiatives that improve wellbeing, strengthen communities, and create opportunities for people to thrive.

Ten years is a long time in any organisation. Over that period, the world has changed, and so too have the challenges faced by our partners and the communities they serve. The pressures on public finances have also deepened, demand for services has grown, and the cost of delivering meaningful community support has never been higher.

At SPA, we recognise that to keep creating real impact, we need to evolve too. It’s not enough to simply continue doing what has worked before.

We want to ensure that every pound we generate goes exactly where it can make the greatest difference.

That’s why back in 2024, we took the decision to enhance our approach by bringing together our long-standing rebate programme and our Community Benefit Fund (CBF) into one unified model. We provided one year’s notice to our public sector partners, explaining these changes.

This new model creates a smarter, fairer structure for community investment, one that’s transparent, targeted, and focused on revitalising communities and driving regeneration across Scotland.

This evolution reflects our unrelenting commitment to making a positive difference to Scottish communities through our influence as a driver of public procurement.

By harnessing the expertise and knowledge Lintel Trust has gained over the last 60 years, this partnership is fundamental to the successes and impact achieved. Every project funded by the SPA Community Benefit Fund is co-designed to reflect real, evidence-based needs.

At a time when support is needed at every level, we’re adapting our model to meet demand ensuring our collective efforts continue to deliver meaningful, lasting impact where it matters most.

We have the ability to equip passionate, committed people and organisations with the funding they need, derived from procurement activity, to bring meaningful projects to life in the places they call home.

This kind of investment pays dividends many times over. When communities are better connected and better supported, everyone benefits.

Whether it’s funding support groups that provide a lifeline in difficult times, helping men’s sheds create spaces for connection and skill sharing, or transforming vacant land and tired parks into vibrant community hubs, these initiatives all breathe life back into our neighbourhoods and deliver lasting, positive change.

At a time when challenges are growing, even the smallest act of investment, collaboration, or generosity can leave a lasting mark on the communities we serve.