This year, the fund, which comprises £400,000, is accepting applications through an online portal until 18 August. Money will be awarded to successful applicants in October.

The CIF budget is divided and administered on a ward-by-ward basis. A Ward Panel made up of local community members and local elected members will assess applications from the community and agree funding in late August.

Any community organisation, big or small, can apply for funding. In Kinross-shire, the local committee will make the final decision on awards.

So far, just over £2 million of council funds have been allocated to grassroots organisations through CIF, supporting almost 400 individual applications from community groups for local support services.

Councillor Tom McEwan, convener of Perth & Kinross Council’s Housing and Wellbeing Committee, said: “We are committed to working with our communities to deliver the services they need. Nobody knows more about what a community needs than the people who live there.

“This is why we have invested in programmes like the Community Investment Fund, which supports those right at the heart of their communities.”

Later in the year, community groups will also be able to apply to the Warm Welcome Fund for money to support the provision of warm spaces across Perth and Kinross.

In addition, there will also be a round of participatory budgeting starting towards the end of 2023 and into early 2024.

This participatory budgeting scheme will enable local organisations to propose funding for projects, with an emphasis on tackling climate change effects on the cost of living. The seven Local Action Partnerships of Perth and Kinross will be expected to allocate the majority of their £200,000 funds through this process. Funding allocation will be determined by the votes of community members.