Community groups in two north-east towns have only hours left to bid for a slice of £200,000 of funding.
The Your Voice Your Choice scheme, which launched last month, is available for projects which promote health and wellbeing in the town centres of Peterhead and Fraserburgh.
It is being spearheaded by the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership which is offering non-profit projects up to £10,000 of funding.
The only restriction is that the money must benefit the people in the heart of the two towns.
But today is the last day for bids to be made before two special “decision days” are run this summer when local people will decide which projects deserve the cash.
Raymond Bissett, the partnership’s chairman, branded the scheme “exciting” for residents in both ports.
“This scheme is all about removing barriers and getting them directly involved in local decision-making and putting the power in the hands of the local community,” he said.
And Peterhead councillor Anne Allan, vice-chairwoman of the group, added that it was “innovative”.
She said: “In June all the groups who applied will come along, do a presentation, perhaps host a stall and then we will have a vote.”
It is hoped that the scheme can be rolled out in other towns across Aberdeenshire if it proves popular.
Local residents will be able to cast their vote on June 18 in Fraserburgh and June 25 in Peterhead.