The Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund launched to power the future of community rugby

The new fund will support up to five clubs each year for the next three years, with successful clubs able to access up to £20,000 in matched funding by running a crowdfunding campaign to support their project. 

Find out more about the Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow fund here.

The programme is designed to help clubs take on larger, more impactful improvements to their existing facilities which will improve energy efficiency and upgrade other sustainable features identified through specialist Scottish Gas retrofit surveys. 

For clubs at the heart of communities across Scotland, the clubhouse is about much more than changing rooms. It is where players prepare to scrum down, volunteers give their time, events take place and communities connect. 

The Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund will help clubs invest in these spaces where community rugby happens, creating greener, more energy-efficient clubhouses, which in turn helps to reduce the long-term operating costs. 

The programme also supports the wider ambition of helping rugby clubs contribute to the Scottish Government’s Net Zero targets while delivering lasting financial and environmental benefits across the community game. 

The Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund brings together specialist energy advice and crowdfunding support, giving clubs practical assistance from identifying improvements through to delivering them. 

Each participating club must first complete a Scottish Gas retrofit survey, which will identify opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of its existing facilities and provide recommendations for potential projects. Clubs can then apply to the Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund based on those recommendations. 

Successful clubs will receive support from Scottish Rugby and Scottish Gas to develop their project and build a crowdfunding campaign around it through a leading online fundraising and crowdfunding platform. 

Clubs will then be able to raise funds from their communities and supporters, with The Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund providing up to £20,000 in matched funding. 

The model is designed to give clubs an additional route to funding while putting their communities at the centre of the process, allowing supporters to play a direct role in improving a clubhouse that’s important to them. 

The programme will also create opportunities to tell the stories behind those improvements, with successful clubs hosting a community engagement event to showcase their completed project, providing an opportunity to celebrate the impact of the investment with the people who helped make it happen. 

James Corcoran, Brand Partnerships Director at Centrica, owner of Scottish Gas said: “Local rugby clubs play such an important role in communities across Scotland, but many face the challenge of maintaining facilities while managing rising running costs. Through the Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund, we’ll combine practical energy expertise with much needed funding to help clubs make meaningful, long-term improvements to their facilities.

“By bringing clubs, supporters and local communities together behind these projects, we can help create more sustainable clubhouses that cost less to run and remain at the heart of their communities for years to come.”

Gavin Scott, Director of Rugby Development at Scottish Rugby, said: “Clubhouses are at the heart of community rugby. They are places where people come together, volunteers give their time and where clubs become part of the fabric of their local communities.

“The Energy for Tomorrow Fund gives clubs a really practical opportunity to invest in those spaces and make them better for the people who use them every week. With the support of Scottish Gas and Crowdfunder, we can help clubs take on projects that could make a real difference to their facilities and the future of the wider game.”

Olaf Gueldner, Chief Customer Officer at Scottish Rugby, said: “This is a fantastic example of our partnership with Scottish Gas enabling us to go beyond simply supporting rugby activity and help clubs invest in the places where their communities come together, making them more sustainable and fit for the future.

“The Energy for Tomorrow Fund is a positive step in our shared commitment to creating a more sustainable future for rugby across Scotland, while also helping clubs reduce their long-term running costs. We’re delighted to be working with Scottish Gas on a programme that can deliver a lasting impact for clubs and the communities they serve.”

Applications for the first round of the Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund open on 2 November 2026 and close on 31 January 2027. 

Clubs interested in applying will be able to access guidance and further information ahead of the application window opening. 

Find out more about the Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow fund here.

The Scottish Gas Energy for Tomorrow Fund builds on the existing Scottish Gas Club & Community Net Zero Fund, which will continue to provide funding opportunities for eligible clubs. 

The new fund therefore represents an additional opportunity for clubs looking to take on larger-scale projects, combining community fundraising with Scottish Rugby and Scottish Gas matched funding, specialist energy advice and professional crowdfunding support. 

Together, the two funding routes provide clubs with different opportunities depending on the scale and nature of the improvements they want to make.