The First Minister has announced Â£29 million of funding to help tackle poverty.

A new Aspiring Communities Fund will hold £18.9 million to help organisations find new, long lasting community-led solutions to poverty, by increasing economic activity or enhancing services to meet local needs.

The £9.7 million Growing the Social Economy Programme will enable third sector organisations to try new ideas and approaches by collaborating with research organisations or supporting people to improve their skills.

The funding over the next two years supports the Fairer Scotland Action Plan, published last October with £12 million of the total funding coming from the European Social Fund.

Announcing the funding today (Monday) during a visit to Govan, First First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish Government is doing “everything possible” to create a more equal Scotland.

She continued: “This funding of £29 million will support communities and the third sector in developing new ways to help people overcome disadvantage.

“Over the next two years, the investment in these two funds will deliver positive and innovative approaches to improve people’s lives through boosting skills or delivering new services to meet community needs - and crucially, giving people the power to take charge and make changes in their own communities.