Margaret Curran says the CRF will build a safer, stronger Scotland

The community regeneration fund (CRF) starts in 2005 and replaces three existing funding streams.

The executive believes it will create a more "focused" strategy towards tackling poverty across Scotland.

Local authority Community Planning Partnerships will be responsible for spending CRF funds.

Three-year plans

The partnerships will be made up of council, health, police, fire and enterprise representatives and deliver improvements through three-year regeneration agreements.

The CRF will replace the existing Social Inclusion Partnerships (Sip), the Better Neighbourhood Services and the Tackling Drugs Misuse funds.

With 17 of Scotland's 20 poorest areas in Glasgow the city will be one of the prime areas to benefit from the new fund.

Communities Minister Margaret Curran said: "The Community Regeneration Fund focuses efforts on our national priorities to improve the education, health and job prospects of Scotland's most deprived communities.

"It will help build safer, stronger communities where people want to live and bring up their families.