On Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford has urged community groups to apply for funding to help the Welsh language thrive from the Perthyn Small Grants Scheme.

Community groups are able to apply for a small grant to help them set up a new social enterprise, and/or community-led housing projects.

The grant aims to create economic opportunities, provide affordable housing, and support Welsh-speaking communities with high numbers of second homes.

This is the fourth round of the grant, and to date 47 community projects have secured funding.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford, said: “Prosiect Perthyn grants are a fantastic opportunity to help communities turn their ideas into reality. It has helped community groups to buy and run their local pubs such as Llanuwchllyn and Tafarn Dyffryn Aeron. Perthyn has also helped Menter y Tŵr in Pwllheli to buy and run a community-owned hotel, as well as supported community-owned renewable energy project such as Egni Trefin. Small grants can make a big difference in your local community, so I would encourage anyone with ideas for projects to benefit their community and support the Welsh language to apply.”

Egni Trefin received a grant of over £10,000 to establish a community enterprise to explore ways of generating renewable energy. Perthyn has also supported the Clynfyw community, with the aim to purchase a farm with land to rent, cottages for local people, and work.

Planed Community Asset Manager, Cris Tomos, said: “The Perthyn grant funding continues to be an important first phase financial support element for new and expanding community projects developing initiatives around supporting the Welsh Language and Community Housing Schemes. Many of the new start-ups have gone on to establish registered cooperatives that are now buying land and properties for boosting the local economy.”

The grant scheme is administered by Cwmpas on behalf of Welsh Government.

Jocelle Lovell, Director of Inclusive Communities at Cwmpas said: "We are delighted to be working with partners to deliver the Perthyn project. Perthyn works with the communities to identify ways to address the lack of affordable housing, protect community assets and create new cooperatives and social businesses. A real enabler for us has been administering a small grant pilot scheme for the communities to help build local capacity and accelerate their business and housing ideas. We look forward to seeing the ideas develop and to working with more communities over the coming months.”

Application details can be found here.

On Diwrnod Shwmae Su’mae people are encouraged to start their conversations in Welsh. Organisations and businesses are invited to join in by hosting events and promoting that their staff are able to speak Welsh.