Flood risk is “no longer a distant future threat” for many, the Scottish Government has said as it announced a community fund to increase preparedness.
Ministers announced £15 million extra funding in August to improve the resilience of communities across Scotland most at risk from flooding as part of the Programme for Government (PfG).
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, Climate Action and Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin set out how the funding will be used.
A £5 million fund will help communities prepare and reduce flood risk.
The Community Flood Resilience Fund will open in 2027 and will allocate £1 million directly to community applications and £4 million to local authorities applying with communities to deliver local flood resilience measures.
A further £2.5 million from the £15 million total announced in the PfG will be available to local authorities to future-proof public assets and resilience infrastructure.
Another £3 million will target local authority projects that use nature to support flooding solutions, such as managing rainfall and water-flow through planting design.
Innovative coastal projects to replenish sand dunes and reduce flood risk will receive up to £1 million, and £500,000 will be made available to help communities recovering from recent flooding.
Ms Martin said: “Our communities are experiencing heavier rainfall, more frequent storms, rising sea levels – events once considered exceptional are regrettably becoming common.
“For many, flood risk is no longer a distant future threat; it’s today’s reality.
Flood resilience is about more than just managing water; it's about how we plan our towns and cities, protect vital infrastructure, manage land, and support communities to adapt
“Behind every flood statistic, there are people whose homes, businesses, and communities have been affected.
“Many of us across the chamber know constituents who have experienced that devastation first-hand, treasured family possessions irretrievably lost, homes damaged, businesses disrupted, and the science is clear: flood risk will continue to increase.
“We must not only respond to flooding, we must also focus on preparing for the future – reducing risk and, crucially, building resilience, and that’s exactly what this Government is doing.”
Details of the funding are set out in the flood resilience strategy implementation plan, outlining 65 actions organisations across Scotland will take over the next four years to improve flood resilience.
Ms Martin continued: “In 2024, we published the national flood resilience strategy, setting out a clear long-term vision to 2045. It recognised the progress already made through flood protection schemes, forecasting, warning services, community resilience initiatives, and strong partnership working across Scotland.
“But it also highlighted the need for a different approach. Flood resilience is about more than just managing water; it’s about how we plan our towns and cities, protect vital infrastructure, manage land, and support communities to adapt.
“The strategy’s vision is straightforward: people and places across Scotland are prepared for increased flood risk with resilience embedded in a way that’s fair, sustainable, and inclusive.
“Today’s implementation plan turns that vision into action.”