ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network
ECCAN is a registered Scottish charity and one of Scotland's 24 regional Climate Action Hubs, serving as a membership network for 200+ community groups and 1,300+ individuals running community-led climate action in Edinburgh through grant funding, networking events, training, and a public members directory.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersEdinburgh, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network does
ECCAN (Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network) is a registered Scottish charity (SC052989), founded in 2024 and headquartered at 14 Forth Street, Edinburgh. It operates as one of Scotland's 24 regional Climate Action Hubs, functioning as a membership network and connective infrastructure for community-led climate action across Edinburgh. The organisation currently engages 200+ community groups and 1,300+ individual members, with a core staff of 11 operating on a hybrid two-days-in-office model.
ECCAN's service portfolio is structured around an annual funding programme and a recurring events-and-training layer. The Greenlight Funding Programme distributes £160,000 in 2026-27 across two tiers (micro-grants up to £5,000 and major grants £5,001–£20,000), with the larger tier subject to a community vote that doubles as a member-engagement mechanism. Recurring programming includes monthly Climate Bites networking lunches hosted by member organisations, bi-annual Spring and Autumn Assemblies, a Members Directory and Map, Carbon Literacy and creative climate-action training, a Participation Fund covering access costs, and an Arts & Culture Subnetwork (Artist as Advocate). Technology is built on standard SaaS: Squarespace, Mailchimp, Airtable, Humanitix/Eventbrite, Microsoft Teams and Google Analytics, with no proprietary platform.
The revenue model is non-commercial. Membership is free, events are free or suggested-donation, and the operating budget is funded primarily through Scottish Government Climate Action Hub core funding, supplemented by donations and fundraising campaigns (e.g., a £1,401 Big Give Small Charity Week campaign). Grant administration (Greenlight) is a pass-through activity, not a revenue line. Customer segments are community groups and grassroots climate initiatives (primary), individual climate-concerned residents (primary), supporter organisations and anchor institutions (secondary), and youth-led and marginalised-community initiatives (secondary, prioritised in Greenlight). Strategic partnerships extend reach through Culture for Climate Scotland, Community Energy Scotland, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival, National Museum Scotland, Hope for the Future, and the University of Glasgow.
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network
- Legal name
- Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network
- Website
- https://eccan.scot
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- ECCAN is a registered Scottish charity and one of Scotland's 24 regional Climate Action Hubs, serving as a membership network for 200+ community groups and 1,300+ individuals running community-led climate action in Edinburgh through grant funding, networking events, training, and a public members directory.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Climate Action Services
- NAICS
- Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Park & Protected Area Tours (THAJAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Geotourism & Geology/Volcano/National Monument Tours (THAAAEAG)
Keywords
Where ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edinburgh
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership: ECCAN offers free membership to individuals, community groups, and organisations. Membership is free with no mandatory commitment, providing access to the network, funding opportunities, training, events, and the members directory and map.
- Donations: ECCAN accepts donations throughout the year via its website. Donations support the organisation's operations and the Greenlight funding programme. The Big Give campaign raised £1,401 in a 2026 campaign.
- Greenlight Funding Programme: ECCAN distributes grant funding (Greenlight) to community climate action projects in Edinburgh. In 2026-27, £160,000 is available across two funding routes: up to £5,000 (rolling assessment) and £5,001-£20,000 (community vote). ECCAN acts as the fund administrator, not as a revenue-generating activity.
- Government/Hub Funding: ECCAN is funded as one of Scotland's twenty-four regional Climate Action Hubs, indicating core operational funding from public sources. Additional funding is raised through campaigns such as the Big Give.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Free membership for all |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tiered workshop fees by SHRUB (partner) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Event ticket price |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Suggested donation for Breaking Well sessions |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ECCAN operates a free membership network connecting over 200 community groups and more than 1,300 individual members across Edinburgh around community-led climate action. Its core offerings include the annual Greenlight Funding Programme distributing £250–£20,000 grants to local climate projects, monthly Climate Bites networking lunches, bi-annual Spring and Autumn Assemblies, members directory and map, curated climate data resources, training workshops (e.g., Carbon Literacy), a Participation Fund covering access costs, and an arts/culture subnetwork (Artist as Advocate). ECCAN functions as one of Scotland's 24 regional Climate Action Hubs and as the coordinating infrastructure for community-led climate action in Edinburgh.
Product overview
ECCAN (Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network) is a community climate action hub offering a coordinated suite of programmes and services rather than a traditional software product. The core offerings include the Greenlight Funding Programme (annual grants from £250 to £20,000 for community climate projects), Climate Bites (monthly networking lunches), a Members Directory & Map, Climate Data Resources, Arts & Culture Subnetwork (Artist as Advocate), Training & Workshops, Participation Fund, and bi-annual Assemblies. These services work together to connect, enable and champion community climate action across Edinburgh, functioning as a network infrastructure rather than a technology platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Greenlight Funding Programme Annual seed grant programme providing direct funding to community-led climate action projects across Edinburgh, with £160,000 available in 2026-27 across micro grants (£250–£5,000, rolling assessment) and major project grants (£5,001–£20,000, community vote). Targeted at local groups, grassroots initiatives, and organisations undertaking climate action in Edinburgh.
- Climate Bites
Quantifiable outcome
- £160,000 in Greenlight grants distributed to community climate projects in 2026-27
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Edible EstatescoreEdible Estates is the lead organisation delivering the Growing Together Course, a free part-time training programme (September 2026-March 2027) for 24 Edinburgh residents seeking careers in community growing and horticulture. ECCAN is referenced as a partner/network hub for this programme.
- Royal Caledonian Horticultural SocietycoreThe Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society co-developed the Growing Together Course alongside Edible Estates, with funding from the Local Growth Fund. The course includes practical placements and structured learning across community gardens, market gardens, school farms, therapeutic gardens and community woodlands.
- Impact ArtsminorImpact Arts delivers the Green Starts programme, a 12-week creative employability programme for young people aged 16-24 not in employment, education or training. ECCAN supports this programme by sharing volunteer opportunities and helping connect young people to climate and nature-focused pathways.
- University of GlasgowminorECCAN partnered with the University of Glasgow on a research project using creative writing to explore how people in Scotland feel about climate change. ECCAN hosted six free creative writing workshops (January-February 2026) at its premises, facilitated by PhD researcher Rhiannon Bull.
- Hope for the FuturecoreECCAN partnered with Hope for the Future to support network members in engaging confidently with political decision-makers. The collaboration included an advocacy workshop at the Autumn Assembly, an online power-mapping session, and a Political Roundtable bringing community members together with MPs, MSPs and Councillors ahead of Scottish Parliament elections.
- Culture for Climate ScotlandcoreCulture for Climate Scotland partners with ECCAN to deliver the 'Starting Point' monthly introductory workshop series on creative climate action for artists, arts practitioners, freelancers and organisations. ECCAN promotes these workshops as part of its event programme.
- Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghminorRoyal Botanic Garden Edinburgh co-hosted workshops at ECCAN's Spring Assembly (Nature Where We Live), delivering a session on 'Where Diversity Flourishes: Nature, Belonging & Resilience' exploring how different communities experience and value nature.
- Scottish Wildlife TrustminorScottish Wildlife Trust delivered the 'Reimagining Our Local Spaces for Nature & Community' workshop at ECCAN's Spring Assembly, exploring how overlooked urban spaces can support biodiversity and community life.
- Community Energy ScotlandcoreCommunity Energy Scotland's Launchpad programme supports community groups exploring the CARES Community Buildings Fund and other energy funding opportunities. ECCAN shares these opportunities with its network and promotes Community Energy Scotland's free online support sessions.
- DepaveminorDepave is a programme that supports community-led projects to remove hard surfaces (tarmac, paving) and bring nature back into urban spaces. ECCAN can support Edinburgh community groups to apply for Depave projects.
- Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival (ECoS)minorECCAN partnered with Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival and National Museum Scotland to host the 'Conservation in Action' screening event, bringing together over 200 people for films on conservation, community action, and climate.
- National Museum ScotlandminorNational Museum Scotland co-hosted the Conservation in Action film screening with ECCAN and Edinburgh Conservation Film Festival, providing the venue and audience for the event.
- Data for Climate Action Edinburgh (D4CAE)minorD4CAE is a small voluntary local group aligned to ECCAN and a network member. They produce the ABCD Report presenting key data on climate action and climate impacts in Edinburgh, which ECCAN publishes on its Climate Data page.
- HumanitixminorECCAN migrated its event bookings to Humanitix, a social enterprise events platform. Humanitix donates 100% of booking fee profits to education projects globally. ECCAN promotes this switch as aligning with its values.
- Edinburgh Community Solar Co-opminorEdinburgh Community Solar Co-op offers a community fund that ECCAN shares with its network members as a funding opportunity. ECCAN promotes these funding opportunities to its member organisations.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Centre for Sustainable Energy: A UK charity working directly with communities on climate, energy, and sustainability projects, including training, advice, and project delivery. Operates a similar community-facing hub model with comparable services to ECCAN.
- Transition Network: A UK-wide network supporting community-led responses to climate change and shrinking resource availability, with a comparable model of local hubs, training, and member groups. Highly comparable in mission and operating model to ECCAN.
- Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN): The national umbrella network for community-led climate action in Scotland, of which ECCAN is a regional member. SCCAN operates a near-identical hub-and-member model coordinating community climate groups across the country, making it the most directly comparable peer.
Broad incumbents
- Friends of the Earth Scotland: A major Scottish environmental NGO combining policy advocacy with grassroots supporter engagement. Comparable to ECCAN in climate focus and community activation but with significantly greater resources and national reach.
- Keep Scotland Beautiful: An established Scottish environmental charity focused on sustainability behaviour change, climate action, and place-making. Overlaps with ECCAN's community engagement work but operates at a larger scale with a broader portfolio.
- Stop Climate Chaos Scotland: A long-standing Scottish coalition of civil society organizations campaigning on climate policy. Operates in the same Scottish climate ecosystem as ECCAN but focuses on policy advocacy rather than community organizing, representing a broader incumbent voice.
- The Climate Coalition: A UK-wide coalition of environment, faith, and community groups campaigning on climate change. Operates a broader, national network with overlapping membership organisations to those engaged with ECCAN in Scotland.
Others
- Soil Association: A UK charity focused on sustainable food, farming, and land use with community-facing programmes such as Food for Life. Overlaps thematically with ECCAN's nature, growing, and biodiversity work but does not directly compete on community climate organizing.
- Scottish Environment LINK: An umbrella coalition of Scottish environmental voluntary organisations. Operates as an enabling coalition of which many of ECCAN's member organisations are likely affiliates, providing a related network infrastructure in Scotland's environmental sector.
Emerging players
- The Carbon Literacy Trust: A UK social enterprise offering Carbon Literacy training and certification, which ECCAN itself delivers to its members. Operates in an adjacent niche as both a potential partner and overlapping training provider for community climate education.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network social profiles
Digital presenceECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network
What does ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network do?
ECCAN operates a free membership network connecting over 200 community groups and more than 1,300 individual members across Edinburgh around community-led climate action. Its core offerings include the annual Greenlight Funding Programme distributing £250–£20,000 grants to local climate projects, monthly Climate Bites networking lunches, bi-annual Spring and Autumn Assemblies, members directory and map, curated climate data resources, training workshops (e.g., Carbon Literacy), a Participation Fund covering access costs, and an arts/culture subnetwork (Artist as Advocate). ECCAN functions as one of Scotland's 24 regional Climate Action Hubs and as the coordinating infrastructure for community-led climate action in Edinburgh.
Is ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network a public or private company?
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network founded?
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network based?
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network is headquartered in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership is the primary driver. The others are donations, greenlight Funding Programme and government/Hub Funding.
Who are ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Centre for Sustainable Energy, Transition Network and Scottish Communities Climate Action Network (SCCAN). Broad incumbents are Friends of the Earth Scotland, Keep Scotland Beautiful, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and The Climate Coalition. Others are Soil Association and Scottish Environment LINK. The Carbon Literacy Trust is listed as an emerging player.
Does ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network.
What industry is ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network in?
ECCAN - Edinburgh Communities Climate Action Network's product category is Community Climate Action Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJAIAA, National Park & Protected Area Tours, with a secondary code of THAAAEAG, Geotourism & Geology/Volcano/National Monument Tours. Its NAICS code is 71219 and its SIC code is 8600.