FIELD OF WORK: Community Development, Climare Action

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

These Research and Innovation grants support environmental organisations, academic institutions, individuals, and policymakers in advancing research and innovative ideas about Scotland’s native woodlands. Future Woodlands Scotland wants to improve our understanding of how these woodlands are impacted by — and in turn impact — climate change, biodiversity, and the environment.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any organisation or individual that can demonstrate they have the skills and capacity to carry out the proposed work can apply. Applications demonstrating a partnership approach to achieve common goals are particularly welcome.

FIELD OF WORK: Health and wellbeing

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation projects must link to the charities priorities in order to support the delivery of the vision ‘People live better and longer lives in Tayside’.

There are three funding streams:

Innovation: funding to establish innovative projects to tackle issues affecting our community.

Prevention: funding to help support the priorities focused on prevention.

Investment: NHS Tayside colleagues can claim up to £500 for fundraising activities generating over £1,000 to help deliver the charitable priorities.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £150,000

WHO CAN APPLY: NHS Tayside Projects/Activities, Health and Social Care Partnerships Registered Charities, Social Enterprises and Community Interest Companies delivering activities in the Tayside area – Angus, Dundee & Perth and Kinross.

FIELD OF WORK: Young people Disabilities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The trust supports Scottish charities under the funding themes:

Tackling Child Abuse & Neglect: services for children whose lives have been affected by physical, mental or sexual abuse

Visual impairment: support for people who are blind or visually impaired

Neurological conditions: empowering people with neurological conditions to lead better lives and be involved in their communities

Animal welfare: helping animals that have been abused or are in danger of abuse and initiatives that reduce the risk of such abuse.

Medical Research: Scotland-led research into the causation, or prevention, or treatment and/or management, of neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disorders. visual impairment or sight loss.

Funding Available - £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Open to registered charities based in, or operating in, Scotland

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable Activites

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

To ensure funding can reach those in real need, the Energise grants programme for 2025 will solely focus on helping charities who support vulnerable groups/people.

The Energise programme provides unrestricted funding. Unrestricted funding gives charities much greater scope to cover all essential costs and deal with challenges quickly and effectively. Unrestricted funding can be used towards core costs, delivery costs, project costs and/or general running costs enabling charities to use their funding in the way that helps them best.

Funding Available: £20,000 to £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust promotes the education and training of young people across voluntary youth organisations at a local level. Activities funded include: climbing, mountain biking, quad biking, skiing, sailing, kayaking and trips to various places of interest as well as weekends at Scout and Guide Centres. Support for overseas trips, expeditions and activities is also provided.

Funding Available: £1,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Scout Group

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Supports the advancement of education and public participation in sport by assisting individuals to participate in physical outdoor activities in Scotland and other countries, assisting individuals to learn about the history and culture of Scotland and other countries, assisting individuals with training in outdoor skills.

Funding Available: £400

WHO CAN APPLY: Grants are available for individuals (skills training and expeditions) and small groups (expeditions only). Applicants should be resident in Scotland and training courses should be carried out in Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Facilities

TYPE: Revenue

Every three months, five shortlisted projects will be voted for by John Good Group employees. These five charities will all receive a share of £15,000 – the more votes a cause receives, the bigger the donation.

They will support small organisations that have a positive impact on communities, people or the environment.

Funding Available: £2,000 to £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must:

Be a local community group, charity, voluntary group or social enterprise that has a positive impact on communities, people or the environment.

Have an average income of less than £50,000 in the last 12 months.

Have a bank account in the organisation’s name.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Freelands Awards champion and celebrate UK visual art organisations’ commitment to art education.

Every year, three winning organisations will each receive £100,000 for a recent or ongoing project demonstrating commitment to progressive art education approaches with a demonstrable impact.

Funding Available - £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: See website for further eligibility criteria and exclusions

The Freelands Awards involve a two-stage application process:

A written Expression of Interest

A visit from the Freelands Awards judging panel

To submit your Expression of Interest (EOI), download the form from their website.

FIELD OF WORK: Organisational development and capacity building

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Scottish EDGE is a competition aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high-growth potential entrepreneurial talent. You should have an ambitious growth strategy and a commitment to deliver upon it.

Funding Available: £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Your organisation must be Incorporated at Companies House. Scottish EDGE is open to Ltd Companies and registered Social Enterprises/ Charities only. 

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trustees can make grants for any charitable purpose, but their present policy is to focus grant-making in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history. The Foundation funds both capital and revenue projects.

Funding Available: £500 to £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK charities registered with the Charity Commission, which includes CIOs, but currently excludes CICs, and includes PTAs of Special Schools, and excludes any other type of school, whether it is a registered charity or not.

FIELD OF WORK: N/A

TYPE: Revenue

The Scottish Mountaineering Trust (SMT) is a charity which provides funds to projects and organisations that promote recreation for the public, knowledge and safe enjoyment in the mountains of Scotland or elsewhere.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY:
The Trust will consider applications from charities, other voluntary bodies, commercial organisations, public bodies and private individuals.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Facilities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Details

The trust reviews its policy every two years - currently the major categories supported are:

The advancement of the arts, heritage and culture.

The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational facilities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities are primarily intended.

The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health and disability.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The deadlines for applications are 31st March (for the meeting in May) & 30th September (for the meeting in November).

FIELD OF WORK: Women and Children

TYPE: Revenue, Core Costs

The Volant Trust was set up by author J.K. Rowling in 2000 as a grant making trust to support charitable causes in Scotland. The Small Grants Programme is prioritising the focus of its awards on charities and organisations who are particularly addressing poverty and deprivation, helping to support vulnerable groups who are most affected, with an emphasis on women, children and young people.

Funding Available: £5,000 to £45,000

WHO CAN APPLY: All applicants must fit Foundation Scotland's funding criteria and have an annual income of less than £1million.

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable Activites

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Alexander Moncur Trust is a grant making charity based in Dundee. Its primary aim is to support, cultural, educational, health and social projects within Dundee and its environs.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities

FIELD OF WORK: Children, Mental Health

TYPE: Revenue

The Trust provides financial assistance to help finance holidays, including respite care, for physically and mentally disabled children (aged 3 to 17 years).

Funding Available: £259

WHO CAN APPLY: Individual families can apply and, in addition, they accept applications on behalf of groups of children, organisations and other registered charities.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Sea-Changers gives one off grants to a range of UK-based, marine conservation charities and ‘not for profit’ organisations. The projects funded must take place in the UK and have one or more of the following objectives:

To address the root causes of marine conservation threats and challenges in the UK.

To prevent or reduce negative impacts on UK coastal and marine environments and / or species.

To add to the body of knowledge about marine conservation threats and challenges in the UK.

Funding Available: £500 to £2,500

WHO CAN APPLY: UK-based charities and other organisations (including schools) carrying out marine conservation related activities.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Facilities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust’s charitable purposes are the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science, the provision of recreational facilities, the advancement of citizenship and community development and the advancement of environmental protection or improvement.

Funding Available: £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Not Stated

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development, Climare Action

TYPE: Capital

The Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) is supporting community and faith organisations to install solar PV and battery storage in their buildings. This is a short-term pilot, funded by the Scottish Government and Great British Energy, with funds needing to be spent and claimed by 31 March 2026.

Funding Available: £80,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Eligible applicants must:

Be a constituted and registered charity or company and provide your OSCR or Companies House registration number.

Demonstrate you operate across a geographically defined area and community or community of interest, including faith groups.

Be non-profit distributing (surplus is not distributed amongst members at any point, including on wind up).

FIELD OF WORK: Children

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The trust gives grants to organisations which deal specifically with the care and assistance of children. It supports:

poor children from Glasgow or other districts of Scotland who are in need of convalescent treatment for sickness or disability

rehabilitation, recreation or education for children convalescing or still suffering from the effects of illness, injury or disability

accommodation or facilities for children who are in need of care or assistance.

Funding Available: £500 to £1,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations of a charitable nature who support children in need of convalescent treatment for sickness or disability.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Revenue

The VocTech Activate grant fund supports the development of new ideas that use digital tools and approaches to transform how people gain skills for work.

They encourage ideas which have the potential to transform how vocational learning happens, rooted in a real-world understanding of the problems, issues and opportunities in the vocational sector. Projects will need to show how the idea is novel.

Funding Available: £30,000 to £60,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Ufi funds projects involving charities, private companies, community interest companies and other not for profit organisations.

There is a two stage applications process. Stage One applications can be made online via the Ufi Charitable Trust website.

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activites

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Foundation makes donations to registered charities which are active in such sectors as the arts and culture, medical & health, the environment and education, care and support of the young and elderly, people with disabilities and the under-privileged. So long as the object is charitable, the Trustees will consider any application from a registered charity.

Funding Available - £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Grants will only be made to organisations which are registered charities or community interest companies.

FIELD OF WORK: Healthcare and Wellbeing

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

This fund will invest in national projects that strengthen and expand dementia community supports across Scotland by developing a sustainable national infrastructure that will improve the lives of people with dementia and their care partners.

Funding Available: £75,000 to £250,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Incorporated charities based in Scotland and working on a national basis

Organisations must have demonstrable experience of delivering work in line with the national dementia strategy ‘Dementia in Scotland: Everyone’s Story’.

Organisations must have a bank account registered in their name and require two signatories for withdrawals.

Partnership applications are encouraged but not required. The lead partner must submit the application and meet all eligibility criteria.

FIELD OF WORK: Housing

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

Lintel Trust, Scotland's housing charity have re-opened their small grants fund. Grants of either £500 or £1,000 are available.

They support projects:

tackling social isolation in housing communities

promoting digital participation for housing communities

enabling older people to remain independent and in their own home

enabling people with disabilities to live independently

assisting people moving from homelessness into a secure tenancy

Funding Available: £500 to £1,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities based in Scotland which can evidence a close connection with a housing association, housing co-operative or other social housing provider such as a local authority.

Maximum annual income: £50,000

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Bairdwatson Charitable Trust provides grants in Scotland for work relating to training for employment, employment support and vocational skills. It is particularly interested in employment and skills training for young people who are unemployed and in re-training, and support for unemployed people to get them back into work.

Funding Available: £5,000 to £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: This fund is only open to organisations with an annual income up to £2,500,000 in the most recent financial year.

FIELD OF WORK: Healthcare and Wellbeing

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The Weir Charitable Trust aims to support Scottish-based community groups and small charities to provide services across Scotland to help the Scottish community. These groups and charities are likely to have found it difficult to access funds elsewhere. 

Funding Available: £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered Scottish charities, constituted groups and community interest companies with an annual income of up to £150,000. Applications must meet one or more of the qualifying criteria of animal welfare, culture, health, recreational facilities and sport.

Application form available on the Trust's website. They request that any enquiries are made via email or using the online contact form on the Trust's website.

FIELD OF WORK: Healthcare and Wellbeing

TYPE: Capital

Supports projects that improve, fix and repair buildings, homes and facilities specifically used by people in need throughout the UK. The types of projects they can fund are:

Improved energy efficient lighting & heating

Installation of new kitchen, bathroom etc.

Installation of a sensory room

General painting & decorating

Improving safety and security of a building

Funding Available - £500 - £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities based in the UK. Prioritises projects that will create a longer-term difference and where our donation will make an impact and fund the total cost (or the majority) of a project.

FIELD OF WORK: Healthcare and Wellbeing  Education and Training

TYPE: Revenue

Trefoil supports the interests of children and young people with special needs, including physical disability, caring obligations, other disadvantage or learning and psycho-social needs to foster their independence, confidence and assertiveness.

They will in particular consider funding for:

projects promoting education, health and social welfare

team building activities

recreation with an educational element

therapeutic activities not core funded by the statutory authorities

new development and start up project costs.

Funding Available: £3,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations whose aims are to provide education, health and social welfare. All applicant organisations must be able to demonstrate their financial propriety, solvency and two years of audited/independently inspected accounts.

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activites

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The main focus areas for the Trust are charities operating in Scotland or Canada, specialising in work related to veterans, young people and the elderly.

Within these criteria they have a particular but not exclusive or predominant interest in hospices and veterans of the armed forces.

Funding Available: £7,500

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities operating in Scotland or Canada, specialising in work related to veterans, young people and the elderly. Within these criteria they have a particular but not exclusive or predominant interest in hospices and veterans of the armed forces.

Maximum annual income: £5,000,000

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development

TYPE: Capital

SUEZ Communities Trust provides funds to undertake work that is eligible under the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF). Applications are considered for the five main areas of work:

Land Reclamation (Object A): The reclamation, remediation, restoration or other operation on land to facilitate economic, social or environmental use

Community Recycling (Object B): Community based recycling, re-use and waste prevention projects

Public Amenities (Object C): To provide, maintain or improve an amenity that is used primarily for leisure and recreation. The amenity must be open to all sections of the community for at least 104 days a year

Biodiversity (Object D): The conservation of biodiversity through the provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat or the maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat

Historic Buildings, Structures or Sites (Object E): The maintenance, repair or restoration of a building, other structure or a site of archaeological interest which is a place of religious worship, or a site of historic or architectural or archaeological interest and is open to the public. Places of religious worship must Grade A listed.

Funding Available: £3,000 to £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY:
Voluntary organisations, community groups / associations, sports clubs (note exclusion criteria regarding membership restrictions), local and national Charities

Parish / Community Councils / Town Councils

Local Authorities

Social enterprises and Community Interest Companies operating on a non-profit-distributing basis

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development

TYPE: Capital

The Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust is an independent charitable trust. The Trust offers help to customers faced with high charges for an electricity connection within the Scottish Hydro-Electric (now SSE) distribution area.

The Trust was established in 1998 with independent Trustees appointed to award grants to offset high connection costs in deserving individual domestic cases and for special community projects.

Funding Available: £800 to £19,750

WHO CAN APPLY: The supply must be for a connection to a domestic property or a community project. It can be for a supply to new property or to upgrade an existing supply.

First you should obtain a quotation for an electricity connection from Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN), your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) (or from a licensed Independent Network Operator (IDNO)). You need this quotation for your grant application. Apply online via the Trust's website.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development, Education, Emplyability, Environment

TYPE: Revenue

SafeDeposits Scotland, the country’s leading tenancy deposit protection scheme, has introduced a Community Fund designed to provide small grants to projects enhancing communities across Scotland.

The SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund will award grants to organisations who commit to deliver a project that meets at least one of five criteria, namely:

Sustainability and the environment

Employability and career skills

Social inclusion

Technology and digital inclusion

Improving the local community

Funding Available: £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations which commit to deliver a project that meets at least one of its criteria:

Sustainability and the environment

Employability and career skills

Social inclusion

Technology and digital inclusion

Improving the local community

On applying for funding from the SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund, an organisation will be required to provide a summary from its most recent accounts and, where applicable, its latest annual report and financial statement.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and Regeneration

TYPE: Capital

Grants of equipment and training bundles for community groups delivering projects which will benefit people or wildlife on the traffic-free paths of the National Cycle Network in Scotland.

With a Love Your Network grant, groups can access:

Equipment for litter picking – to transform the safety and attractiveness of your local path

Tools for maintenance and wildlife management tasks – from shovels and brushes to clear debris, to scythes and seeds for creating and maintaining a wildflower meadow

Workshops in wildlife identification and recording – so you can find out more about the birds, bees, butterflies, and other wildlife in your area.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: Constituted community groups, charities and social enterprises can apply, as well as informal groups.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and Regeneration

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Coste costs

The Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) supports communities to engage with, participate in and benefit from the energy transition to net zero emissions.

CARES can support a wide range of projects including installing renewable technologies in community buildings, community benefits and shared ownership. The CARES Development Fund is designed to help communities take that first step on their community energy journey. First steps include:

Raising awareness of your energy project idea.

Completing an options appraisal to understand the types of projects you might carry out.

Completing a first step feasibility study to see if your idea might work.

Funding for some staff time to progress your idea.

Funding Available: £30,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Scottish constituted non-profit distributing organisations can apply – eligible structures include development trusts, climate action hubs, community energy groups, community councils, etc. See eligibility criteria on website.

Complete an application form on the CARES website, or contact your local development office for more help. Details of local officers are available on the CARES website.

FIELD OF WORK: Heritage and building preservation

TYPE: Capital

War Memorials Trust (WMT) raises funds to support grants to war memorials. The fund seeks to facilitate repair and conservation works through its grants and act as a catalyst for action.

Funding Available: £2,500 to £30,000

WHO CAN APPLY: It is open to war memorials of any type, from any conflict

Submit a pre-application form - available on the Trust's website. If your project is eligible you will be sent the appropriate application documents.

FIELD OF WORK: Employability

TYPE: Capital, Core costs

The fund offers grant funding of up to £10,250 for eligible voluntary and community organisations to set up and deliver the DofE, including the enrolment costs for marginalised young people across the UK.

Funding Available: £10,250

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations must be an incorporated not for profit / Voluntary and Community organisation (VCO), registered with Companies House or the Charities Commission, that fit into either of the following criteria:

Delivery location is in a top 20% area of deprivation (IMD 2 or below),

Organisations where the majority of their young people are from one or more of the following marginalised groups:

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and regeneration

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Southall Trust (also known as the WF Southall Trust) is a Quaker-based grant-making family trust, established in 1937 by Wilfred Francis Southall. The Trust awards grants to charities that are registered in the UK. Typically, these charities will be working in at least one of the following four fields:

Quaker Work & Witness

Environmental Action & Sustainability

Peace & Reconciliation

Social Action

Funding Available: £2,000 to £50,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities registered in the UK.

FIELD OF WORK: Educaion and training, children

TYPE: Revenue

My Nature Play is a 12-week, hands-on programme designed to transform how Early Years settings use nature and outdoor spaces for playful learning.

Between February 2026 and July 2028, My Nature Play will be delivered across 170 early years settings throughout England, Wales and Scotland, creating a long-term legacy of confidence, creativity, and connection to nature.

Funding Available - Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: Schools, Early years centres

FIELD OF WORK: Mental health, Wellbeing

TYPE: Revenue

This fund was created to continue the work of the original Gateway Exchange - a centre in Edinburgh which in the 1980s offered help and support to those returning to the community from prisons and mental health institutions or recovering from drug addiction. The emphasis was on recognising that each individual has potential. This was encouraged particularly through use of the arts and creative self-expression, also through building a strong and connected sense of community.

Funding Available: £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Standard Foundation Scotland criteria apply. There is no specific income cap, but should there be competition for funding then smaller, grassroots organisations will be given priority.

FIELD OF WORK: Climate Change

TYPE: Revenue

Funding for an organisation to deliver ongoing support to sector organisations in Scotland, to help them drive transformational change in response to national, regional and place-based climate ambitions and policy.

They want to fund a specialist organisation that can:

Help the sector track progress towards a climate ready, net zero Scotland by supporting data collection and reporting on progress.

Provide practical tools, clear guidance and training so organisations can achieve their goals for change.

Provide expert advice and connections to key networks, including tailored advice for the Screen sector.

Funding Available: £400,000 to £500,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any type of incorporated organisation based in Scotland can apply, including consortia.

Organisations based outside Scotland but operating with a UK-wide remit.

Organisations based outside of the UK must have a UK-based partner lead on their application and their application should demonstrate that:

their operations are delivered from Scotland

their operations benefits people in Scotland.

All applicants must have a UK bank account to apply.

Download application and submit via email to environment@creativescotland.com.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and regeneration

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Gannochy Trust provides funding to registered charities, primarily working in Perth and Kinross, but also to inspire and develop young people throughout Scotland.

The Trust has different eligibility criteria for charities based or working in Perth and Kinross, than those across Scotland.

For Perth and Kinross the aims are:

To improve the quality of life

To improve the availability or quality of the built and natural environment for wide community use

To develop and inspire children and young people (From age 0 to 21 inclusive)

For the rest of Scotland they are:

To develop and inspire children and young people (From age 11 to 21 inclusive)

Funding Available: £1,000 to £30,000

WHO CAN APPLY: To apply for funding from the Gannochy Trust you must be a charity registered with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).

Guidance and applications are available on the Trust's website.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training, Young people

TYPE: Capital, Revenue. Core costs

The Building Brighter Futures Fund is designed to ignite the dreams of often-overlooked young people and ensure they are given every chance to build a fairer, brighter future for themselves.

Will fund projects design to support young people aged 11-19 (or up to 25 years for young people with additional needs) that deliver improvements in young people's perception of their personal development and sense of purpose.

Funding Available: £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Small to medium-sized organisations that work with young people aged 11–19 (or up to 25 for those with additional needs). Applicants must:

Have a strong understanding of the issues affecting young people and a proven history of delivering services and activities, making a positive difference to their lives

Have the expertise to collaborate effectively with partners, referral agencies and other stakeholders

Have robust outcome monitoring and reporting methods and be able to contribute to the Fund’s Social Value questionnaires required for this grants programme.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust gives grants to individuals and organisations for the advancement of education for the public benefit. The Trustees have interpreted that as enabling them to support other charities working to help the education and development of young people, other organisations which carry out similar functions and individuals who need assistance with courses.

Grants are given for equipment and project costs, or for bursaries. Priority has been given to North East Fife and surrounding areas, but projects have been helped throughout Scotland.

Funding Available - £1,000 - £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The Trust operates by giving grants to organisations and, less frequently, to individuals. Priority has been given to North East Fife and surrounding areas, but projects have been helped throughout Scotland.

Download the application form on the Trust's website and return it to Henderson Black & Co, giving full details of the project and reason for the request. In appropriate cases, a copy of the last set of accounts should be sent.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training,

TYPE: Capital

The Educational Opportunity Foundation supports charitable organisations working to improve access to education or the quality of education for children and young people under the age of 25, both in the UK and internationally.

Funding Available: £30,000 to £90,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK registered charities with an income normally between £25,000 and £2.5 million.

Charities must be financially sound and registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.

Charities must have at least three years of continuous accounts submitted to the relevant UK Charity Commission or Regulator.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts, Sports, Recreation

TYPE: Revenue

The National Events Programme is one of the core funds run by the EventScotland team, designed to assist in the delivery of the National Events Strategy, Scotland the Perfect Stage, and to contribute to the wider recovery of tourism and events in Scotland.

The Programme is designed to support innovative new projects and activity at events. Events will need to align with the key impact areas outlined in our National Events Strategy and must also have delivery budgets of more than £20,000 and attract over 1,000 in-person attendees. Finally, they must showcase Scotland’s key event and tourism assets.

Funding Available: £5,000 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications must be made by legally constituted organisations. Alternatively, eligible groups will have a management committee, constitution and their own bank account.

See event eligibility criteria in fund guidance for more detail.

FIELD OF WORK: Heritage and building preservation

TYPE: Revenue

Historic Environment Scotland’s Heritage & Place Programme is an area-based funding programme that aims to contribute to the development of vibrant and sustainable places in Scotland, through community-led regeneration of the historic environment. It supports the development and delivery of heritage focused schemes within conservation areas, or alternatively distinctive heritage areas with local authority recognition.

Community participation is be integral to the design and delivery of the successful schemes your objectives should fit within the local authority's strategic framework for Place and Regeneration.

Funding Available: £750,000 to £1,000,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications to the Heritage & Place Programme can be accepted from local authorities, national park authorities and not-for-profit organisations based in Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

Fidelio welcomes applications for grants in support of the Arts particularly for Music, including Opera, Lieder, Composition and Dance.

The Trustees aim to help individuals and groups who would not be able to carry out a project or activity without financial support, particularly those who are at an early stage in their careers. Such individuals and groups must be recommended by an appropriate institution, college, Arts Festival or similar organisation.

Funding Available: £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individuals and groups looking for support for activities/projects in the Arts particularly for Music, including Opera, Lieder, Composition and Dance. Applications need to be supported by Institutions, Colleges, Arts Festivals or other similar arts organisations in the United Kingdom with recognised relevant expertise.

FIELD OF WORK: Climate change

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Green Match Fund is a match funding campaign for charities which are working on environmental issues as part of their core mission. All public donations made to participating charities via the BigGive website during the week of the campaign (18 - 25 April 2024) will be matched up to a specific amount.

Each participating charity will be awarded a ring-fenced amount of match funding which will be used to match public donations. All the match funding is provided by donors; charities do not need to secure their own pledges for the campaign.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities which are working on environmental issues as part of their core mission. See website for detailed eligibility criteria.

Minimum annual income: £25,000

FIELD OF WORK: Education. Capacity building, Mental health

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

The aim of the Improving Access Fund is to advance equality for disabled people by supporting peer-led initiatives that align with the social model of disability. The Fund will enable financial support for disabled households, promote full inclusion and participation, and improve mental health outcomes for disabled people.

Funding Available: £80,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Third sector organisations, grassroots or community groups including unincorporated voluntary organisations currently delivering disabled people led activity in Scotland.

This fund aims to support organisations that are constitutionally led by, and accountable to, disabled people, or organisations that can clearly evidence how disabled people are leading and involved in project design, delivery, evaluation and learning.

FIELD OF WORK: Heritage and building preservation

TYPE: Revenue

The Small Grant Fund supports museums to develop their work and deliver against the priority areas of Scotland’s museums and galleries Strategy. The fund can support:

Small scale project work

Acquisition of equipment and other resources to address time specific needs

Preparation and scoping work to plan and inform future strategic development

Funding Available: £300 to £15,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any organisation that runs an accredited museum in Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Veterans and armed forces

TYPE: Revenue

The Hidden Voices Programme will award grants of up to £25,000 to enable and deliver accessible mental health and wellbeing support for those with seldom heard needs in Armed Forces communities.

Funding Available: £3,000 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK based registered charities

Community interest Company (CIC) with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities.

Local authorities

FIELD OF WORK: Veterans and Armed Forces

TYPE: Revenue

Grants are available for projects that will help to mitigate the impact of long or frequent involuntary separation for families, spouses, and serving personnel, including reservists and their families.

Funding Available: £5,000 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications are welcome from:

A registered charity with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities.

Community interest Company (CIC) with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities.

An Armed Forces unit or base.

FIELD OF WORK: The Arts, Medical Welfare, Environment

TYPE: Revenue , Core costs

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust funds United Kingdom Registered Charities operating in the UK in the fields of the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement.

Funding Available: £500 to £6,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must be UK Registered Charities operating in the UK for the benefit of UK residents, and the organisation’s annual returns to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator must be up to date.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and regeneration

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Build It aims to help early-stage social enterprises working towards becoming financially sustainable. It offers grant funding for salary costs so that the new jobs help the enterprise increase its income, become financially sustainable and continue to deliver social impact without relying on grant funding.

Funding Available: £27,000 to £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Your enterprise must be up and running and able to provide evidence of income generation and social impact to date and been trading for 3 years or less. Profits from the enterprise must be reinvested in the business and its social aims; no assets or uncapped dividends can be transferred out of the organisation to private individuals or bodies.

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The association supports organisations devoted to the care and welfare of children and young people in Scotland. Grant giving covers a range of activities from music to sport, and care.

Funding Available: £500 to £2,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations devoted to the care and welfare of children and young people in Scotland. Priority will be given to smaller charities whose small grants can make a difference and who may find it difficult to obtain funds elsewhere.

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Trustees normally only give consideration to applications for assistance from local organisations in Dundee and Tayside. Trustees favour organisations which work in the social and welfare areas, assisting people struggling to cope with day-to-day living or suffering from disability.

Funding Available: £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any charitable institutions that the trustees may select. The Episcopal Church in Scotland. Royal National Lifeboat Institution. The Salvation Army. Any local charitable organisation or charitable purpose, or any local charitable appeal in Dundee or Tayside.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and regeneration

TYPE: Revenue

The Urban Forestry Challenge Fund provides grants of up to £100,000 for projects that support the 3-30-300 rule:

3: Everyone should be able to see at least three trees from home, school or work

30: Every neighbourhood should have at least 30% tree canopy cover

300: Everyone should live within 300 metres of quality greenspace

Future Woodlands Scotland will fund a range of projects over the next ten years with a strong urban focus that prioritise those areas most in need of well looked after trees and woodlands.

Funding Available: £2,000 to £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any not-for-profit registered or constituted body. This includes community groups, state funded educational institutions, charities, community interest companies, development trusts, local authorities or partnerships made up of these organisations.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Revenue, Core Costs

Funding towards learning and development that enables young people and adults to gain additional skills and confidence to enter the labour market. Your project must do one or more of the following:

Work directly with young people aged 16+ and adults who are not in employment, training or education, (NEET), to improve their access to employment.

Work with individuals with complex barriers to employment to gain life skills, qualifications and work experience leading to employment.

Have clear and well-established connections to employers who can offer meaningful work experience and/or employment.

Prepare and develop young people and adults who seek a career in the water, utilities and construction industries.

Funding Available: £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities, CIC, Co operatives, Social enterprises, anywhere in UK. You must have income below £1 million. You must have at least one year’s accounts and reports filed with the relevant charity regulator.

Maximum annual income: £1,000,000

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Funding is intended to help to bring woodlands into management; promote the economic and sustainable production of timber and timber products; add value and jobs to local economies; and provide support to facilitate and enable diversification.

Funding Available: £2,500 to £35,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must be: private and / or other forest owners; forestry contractors and / or co-operatives; small (non-industrial) scale wood processors; fully constituted community groups; social enterprises; non-profit organisations

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Revenue

The purposes of the Scottish Arctic Expedition Fund are:

The advancement of education on matters of travel and research in the Arctic

The promotion of good expedition practice in high latitudes

The provision of financial support to expeditions to the Arctic, where the applicant is under 30 years old

Funding Available: £500 to £1,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Scots (by birth or residence) who are under 30 years of age.

Consideration will also be given to applicants with strong Scottish connections and younger applicants undertaking their first Arctic expedition organised by others, for instance, by a school, youth group or charity. There will be a presumption against low-arctic trips in summer, and those relying on fixed accommodation.

Priority will be given to applicants who have not previously benefited from the Scottish Arctic Expedition Fund.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and Regeneration

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

The Scottish Building Society Foundation will aim to invest in the long-term future of communities in Scotland. They are looking to provide financial support to charities and community groups.

Applications that address any of the following issues are particularly welcomed:

Community facilities, services, transport, open spaces, affordable housing, reduction of poverty, and care of the elderly

Youth and education, providing training opportunities and support for vulnerable young people

Promoting care and support of vulnerable people; improving community safety, minimising isolation, and maximising wellbeing

Funding Available: £5,000 to £35,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities, Constituted voluntary and community organisations, and Community companies. Community interest companies can apply if they meet the minimum governance standards.

FIELD OF WORK: Health, Education, Employability

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Paul Hamlyn Foundation provides grants of up to £20,000, and a programme of support, to help you develop your skills and explore an idea for social change that has the potential to transform the way things are currently done. The fund specifically focuses on early-stage ideas when it’s harder to get funding and support to develop these ideas further.

Funding Available: £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Not Stated

FIELD OF WORK: Environment , Climate Action

TYPE: Revenue

‘Healthy Planet, Healthy People’: Catalyst Awards are designed to support community-led

Funding Available - £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The awards are open to applications from groups or individuals who can demonstrate that they could lead and deliver on the proposed research project

FIELD OF WORK: Wellbeing

TYPE: Revenue

The SVF is particularly aimed at those projects that will help the veterans community to overcome any disadvantage experienced as a result of service; those supporting veterans and their families to achieve a successful transition to civilian life; and projects that aim to make Scotland the most attractive place to be for those leaving Service life.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £50,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicant organisations must constitute a “legal person”, meaning it is legally constituted and can enter into a contract in its own right. This includes SCIOs, registered companies, and statutory bodies.

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Empower programme provides unrestricted funding which can be used towards core costs, delivery costs, project costs and/or general running costs enabling charities to use their funding in the way that helps them best.

Funding Available: £150,000

WHO CAN APPLY: To be eligible to apply, charities must:

have an income of between £150k - £500k

have a minimum of three years accounts lodged at OSCR

FIELD OF WORK: Enviroment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trustees can make grants for any charitable purpose, but their present policy is to focus grant-making in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history. The Foundation funds both capital and revenue projects.

Funding Available: £500 to £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK charities registered with the Charity Commission, which includes CIOs, but currently excludes CICs, and includes PTAs of Special Schools, and excludes any other type of school, whether it is a registered charity or not.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development and Regeneration

TYPE: Revenue

very three months, five shortlisted projects will be voted for by John Good Group employees. These five charities will all receive a share of £15,000 – the more votes a cause receives, the bigger the donation.

They will support small organisations that have a positive impact on communities, people or the environment.

Funding Available: £50,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must:

Be a local community group, charity, voluntary group or social enterprise that has a positive impact on communities, people or the environment.

Have an average income of less than £50,000 in the last 12 months.

Have a bank account in the organisation’s name.

FIELD OF WORK: Heritage

TYPE: Capital

The Cherish project provides grants to churches, chapels or meeting houses for church maintenance, urgent repair work or project development. They aim to see churches open and in regular use, available to all. The main goals of the funding are that:

Church buildings are well maintained, adaptable and in good repair

Church buildings are suitable, open and welcome

Funding Available - £500 - £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Listed and unlisted Christian places of worship, of any denomination, that are located within North-West England, Wales, or Scotland.

Buildings must be open for regular public worship for a minimum of six services per year.

Buildings must be open to the public for at least 100 days per year in addition to worship times, or meet this requirement within a year of project completion.

FIELD OF WORK: Families

TYPE: Revenue

The Serving Families: On the Move programme supports projects which help improve the quality of life for Service families impacted by relocation as a direct result of Service life.

They want to support early intervention projects that assist military families in accessing services as they relocate. These initiatives will help families integrate into their new communities and build lasting friendships.

Funding Available: £5,000 to £50,000

WHO CAN APPLY: To be eligible to apply for this funding you must be a charity registered with one or more of the charity commissions for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Whilst they will consider applications from charities that are not Armed Forces specific, you will be expected to show that you will work in partnership with Armed Forces organisations.

FIELD OF WORK: Mental Health

TYPE: Revenue

This Scottish Government-funded programme was set up to support the development of co-produced, person-centred, self-management activity across Scotland. Learning from people’s lived experience of living with long-term conditions, and their unpaid carers, is at the heart of what the Fund is designed to achieve.

Funding Available: £15,000 to £120,,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Third sector and community organisations.

FIELD OF WORK: Community, Education, Employability

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

Young Start is a grants programme that distributes money from dormant bank accounts. They will support a wide range of projects for up to three years that will make children and young people aged 8 to 24 confident, healthy, connected or enterprising.

Funding Available: £20,000 to £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Third sector organisations can apply to Young Start. This includes voluntary organisations, community groups, social enterprises, housing associations, community interest companies, sports organisations, co-operatives and charities.

FIELD OF WORK: Advice, Befriending

TYPE: Revenue. Core costs

The first 1001 days - from pregnancy to age two - are when the building blocks for lifelong emotional and physical wellbeing are laid down. 1001 Critical Days Foundation awards grants to UK registered charities delivering work that supports babies during the 1001 critical days – from pregnancy to the age of two.

Funding Available: £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK registered charities delivering work that supports babies during the 1001 critical days – from pregnancy to the age of two. See fund guidance for more detail.

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Stafford Trust is a grant making Scottish charitable trust which provides financial support to charities registered in the United Kingdom, with a preference towards charitable organisations in Scotland.

It funds charities under the headings of :

animal welfare

child/adult welfare

medical research

local community projects

HM services personnel

sea rescue

overseas appeals

Funding Available: £500 to £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities registered in the United Kingdom, with preference being given to charitable organisations operating in Scotland particularly those involved with animal welfare, seafarers, and services benevolent organisations.

FIELD OF WORK: General charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Meikle Foundation (previously the Martin Connell Charitable Trust) has supported a wide range of charitable activities including medical, youth, aged and cultural.

The Trustees tend to support charities which are predominantly based in Scotland (with a particular interest in initiatives in Aberdeen and Fife).

Funding Available: £1,000 to £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The Trustees donate predominately to Scottish based charities or charities with a Scottish connection, with a particular emphasis on the Fife and Aberdeen areas. 

FIELD OF WORK: Respite for holidays, Children

TYPE: Revenue

The Trust provides financial assistance to help finance holidays, including respite care, for physically and mentally disabled children (aged 3 to 17 years).

Funding Available: £200 to £4,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individual families can apply and, in addition, they accept applications on behalf of groups of children, organisations and other registered charities.

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Wellbeing

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust makes grants to charities which work in the following fields:

The advancement of the arts, culture and heritage: the Trustees particularly favour heritage and the visual arts, but other aspects of the arts and culture will be considered. The vast majority of grants are made in this field.

Support of the disadvantaged and the advancement of education: the Trustees consider only a small number of grants in this field in any one year.

Funding Available: £5,000 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The Trust makes grants to charitable bodies only.

FIELD OF WORK: Disabilities, Children

TYPE: Revenue

Better Breaks is a funding programme of the Short Breaks Fund, operated by Shared Care Scotland on behalf of the National Carers Organisations and the Scottish Government. The purpose of the Short Breaks Fund is to increase the range, availability, and choice of short breaks for unpaid carers and those they care for across Scotland.

Funding Available: £35,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Third Sector

FIELD OF WORK: Housing

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

Lintel Trust, Scotland's housing charity have re-opened their small grants fund. Grants of either £500 or £1,000 are available.

They support projects:

tackling social isolation in housing communities

promoting digital participation for housing communities

enabling older people to remain independent and in their own home

enabling people with disabilities to live independently

assisting people moving from homelessness into a secure tenancy

Funding Available: £500 to £1000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities based in Scotland 

FIELD OF WORK: Housing

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Funding is available for registered charities who are creating or improving spaces so that more people have a place to feel at home. They focus on charities that support people who are most in need because of homelessness, financial hardship, sickness, disability or other disadvantage.

Funding Available - £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities in the UK supporting people experiencing homelessness. See full criteria on guidance.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Foundation makes donations to registered charities which are active in such sectors as the arts and culture, medical & health, the environment and education, care and support of the young and elderly, people with disabilities and the under-privileged. So long as the object is charitable, the Trustees will consider any application from a registered charity..

Funding Available: £4,713

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities

FIELD OF WORK: Health Care and Wellbeing

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

Multi-year funding for partnerships who are currently delivering work which directly supports children, young people and families affected by drugs and alcohol. The key outcomes are:

Improving the wellbeing of children, young people (pre-birth – age 26) and their families in Scotland who are affected by alcohol and drugs.

Developing and influencing local and national policy and practice.

Funding Available: £250,000

WHO CAN APPLY: To apply for this fund your organisations should:

Be a constituted third sector organisation

Currently be delivering services for children, young people and families affected by drugs and alcohol

Have endorsement from a relevant public sector partner

Be able to demonstrate at least 50% matched funding in each funding year. Match funding must come from local public sector sources

Have formal partnership arrangements with public sector partner for delivery of the project

Contact Corra Via Email

FIELD OF WORK: Social Care and welfare

TYPE: Revenue

The Way Forward for Families Partnership Fund is delivered by Corra Foundation and is a partnership between Corra Foundation and Scottish Government, and supported by our network of Youth Partners – Clued Up Project, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs’ Routes Project, and Youth Scotland.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Not Stated

FIELD OF WORK: Housing, Health Care and Wellbeing

TYPE: Capital

Supports projects that improve, fix and repair buildings, homes and facilities specifically used by people in need throughout the UK. The types of projects they can fund are:

Improved energy efficient lighting & heating

Installation of new kitchen, bathroom etc.

Installation of a sensory room

General painting & decorating

Improving safety and security of a building

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

Activities supported by the fund should increase the reach, impact and diversity of film screenings and events for communities throughout Scotland and meet Screen Scotland’s Audience Development priorities

Funding Available - £15,000 - £45,000

WHO CAN APPLY: This fund is open to organisations based in Scotland that will produce film festivals and/or curated screening programmes for public audiences in Scotland and meet the aims and eligibility criteria of this fund

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital

Daysix is passionate about initiating projects, bringing ideas to life, sharing compelling stories, and developing digital tools that drive meaningful change. Recognising that many inspiring and impactful concepts often lack the opportunity to flourish, the company is committed to helping them take shape.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individuals, businesses, and charities who are working on ideas with real potential for positive impact.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust gives grants to individuals and organisations for the advancement of education for the public benefit. The Trustees have interpreted that as enabling them to support other charities working to help the education and development of young people, other organisations which carry out similar functions and individuals who need assistance with courses.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The Trust operates by giving grants to organisations and, less frequently, to individuals. Priority has been given to North East Fife and surrounding areas, but projects have been helped throughout Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Social care and welfare

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The Women’s Fund for Scotland (WFS) makes unrestricted grants to projects across Scotland that support women’s development, self-sufficiency and social and economic equality. It makes grants across six key themes

Funding Available: £5000 to £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Properly constituted organisations may apply, including charities, social enterpises and unincorporated organisations.

FIELD OF WORK: Commuity Development

TYPE: Capital

The FCC Scottish Action Fund offers funding to projects through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF). It will consider applications across all types of projects included in the SLCF:

Land Reclamation (Object A): The reclamation, remediation, restoration or other operation on land to facilitate economic, social or environmental use.

Community Recycling (Object B): Community based recycling, re-use and waste prevention projects.

Public Amenities and Parks (Object C): To provide, maintain or improve a public park or other public amenity.

Biodiversity (Object D): The conservation or promotion of biological diversity through the provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat or the maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat.

Historic Buildings (Object E): The maintenance, repair or restoration of a building, other structure or a site of archaeological interest which is a place of religious worship, or a site of historic or architectural or archaeological interest and is open to the public.

Funding Available: £2000 to £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities, community councils, church or community organisations and voluntary groups can apply for funding as long as they are operated on a not-for-profit basis and have a formal constitution and bank account. In addition Local Authorities can also apply.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Micro Grants are designed to kick start Cinnamon Recommended Projects. See the Network website for a full list of recommended projects.

Funding Available: £2,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Churches of all denominations anywhere in the UK can apply. You will have to become a member of Cinnamon Connect in order to apply for a Micro-grant. Specific criteria apply for each funding strand.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development

TYPE: Revenue

SafeDeposits Scotland, the country’s leading tenancy deposit protection scheme, has introduced a Community Fund designed to provide small grants to projects enhancing communities across Scotland.

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations which commit to deliver a project that meets at least one of its criteria:

Sustainability and the environment

Employability and career skills

Social inclusion

Technology and digital inclusion

Improving the local community

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital

Small grants are available to local community organisations in Scotland that make a vital difference to their local area.

Funding Available: £500

WHO CAN APPLY: Not Stated

FIELD OF WORK: Education and Training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust funds maritime education in Leith or elsewhere in Scotland, especially recognised training, like Sea Cadets, Sea Scouts, Sail Training Associations and yacht and boat clubs. Grants will not be given to bodies whose finances are generally met from public monies, except in exceptional circumstances.

Funding Available: £200 to £3000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations engaged in maritime pursuits, especially recognised training, like Sea Cadets, Sea Scouts, Sail Training Associations and yacht and boat clubs, are welcome to apply for assistance.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The object of the Alice McCosh Trust is to advance education by providing or assisting with grants for work or study related to natural history and/or the environment.

Funding Available: £600 to £1000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications are invited from individuals attached to institutions and those following a programme of study or qualification, as well as people engaged in private/personal study related to natural history and/or the environment.

FIELD OF WORK: Education and training

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust gives grants to recognised national charities, with particular reference to charities based in London and Scotland. They give under the categories of animal welfare, education, conservation and environment, military, medical research and social welfare.

Funding Available: £5000 to £1,000,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Recognised national charities, with a preference for those in Scotland or London.

Submit a request to the Charity saying how the funds could be used, what would be achieved, and how this would add to public benefit.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

Fidelio welcomes applications for grants in support of the Arts particularly for Music, including Opera, Lieder, Composition and Dance.

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individuals and groups looking for support for activities/projects in the Arts particularly for Music, including Opera, Lieder, Composition and Dance.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Museum Development Fund is designed to support accredited museums to make strategic steps towards becoming more resilient organisations. 

Funding Available: £15,000 to £60,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any organisation that runs an Accredited Museum in Scotland can apply. 

FIELD OF WORK: Armed forces

TYPE: Revenue

The Hidden Voices Programme will award grants of up to £25,000 to enable and deliver accessible mental health and wellbeing support for those with seldom heard needs in Armed Forces communities.

Funding Available - £3000 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK based registered charities

Community interest Company (CIC) with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities.

Local authorities

FIELD OF WORK: Children and young people

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Gannochy Trust provides funding to registered charities, primarily working in Perth and Kinross, but also to inspire and develop young people throughout Scotland.

Funding Available: £1000 to £30,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities

FIELD OF WORK: Children and young people

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Scottish Children's Lottery Trust will support applications which:

Will work with the most vulnerable children and young people who are at a demonstrably high risk of being negatively impacted by poverty.

Demonstrate involvement of individuals and communities that understand and have experience of the issues that poverty presents.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The organisation applying should be a registered charity in Scotland with a charity bank account. It should also return annual accounts. See fund guidance for further eligibility criteria.

FIELD OF WORK: Children and young people, Women

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

The Volant Trust was set up by author J.K. Rowling in 2000 as a grant making trust to support charitable causes in Scotland. The Small Grants Programme is prioritising the focus of its awards on charities and organisations who are particularly addressing poverty and deprivation, helping to support vulnerable groups who are most affected, with an emphasis on women, children and young people.

Funding Available: £5000 to £45,000

WHO CAN APPLY: All applicants must fit Foundation Scotland's funding criteria and have an annual income of less than £1million.

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The aim of People's Postcode Trust is to support smaller charities and good causes in the Scotland to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet.

Funding Available: £500 - £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The aim of People's Postcode Trust is to support smaller charities and good causes in the Scotland to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet.

FIELD OF WORK: Housing, Older People, Disability

TYPE: Revenue, Core Costs

Lintel Trust, Scotland's housing charity have re-opened their small grants fund. Grants of either £500 or £1,000 are available.

They support projects:

tackling social isolation in housing communities

promoting digital participation for housing communities

enabling older people to remain independent and in their own home

enabling people with disabilities to live independently

assisting people moving from homelessness into a secure tenancy

Funding Available: £500 to £1000

WHO CAN APPLY: To be eligible for a grant from Lintel Trust you must be not-for-profit, based in Scotland and be able to evidence a close connection with a housing association, housing co-operative or other social housing provider such as a local authority.

FIELD OF WORK: Armed forces

TYPE: Revenue

The Early Years programme is designed to help Armed Forces families access good quality early childhood education and childcare provision close to where they live or serve.

Funding Available - £5000 - £80,000

WHO CAN APPLY: They are inviting applications from:

Early childhood education and childcare providers operating where Armed Forces families live or work and must offer group-based childcare and have at least 50% of Service children on roll (unless under a cluster). They are also offering the chance for settings with less than 50% service children on roll to form ‘clusters’ of three or more settings.

Local authorities who wish to supply specific training to early childhood education and childcare providers supporting Service children aged 0-5 years.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Scottish Fishermen's Trust is a charity established to enable individuals and organisations to receive funding for projects related to the marine environment, education and safety at sea.

Funding Available: £750 to £15,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individuals and organisations involved in the fishing industry

FIELD OF WORK: Children

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

This fund supports registered Scottish Charities operating in SIMD 1 and 2 locations to deliver free, child-led outdoor play that improves children’s health and wellbeing.

Funding Available: £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications will only be considered if they meet the following criteria:

They are a registered Scottish charity.

The charity applying has experience of providing outdoor community play for children/families

The charity is delivering in an area SIMD decile 1 or 2

Play provision will be in an outdoor setting following the Play Rangers model

Play provision will be free/open access

The charity applying can demonstrate how children’s/young people’s/families’ voices are taken into account in the development of their outdoor community play opportunity.

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Revenue, Core Costs

Global’s Make Some Noise funds life changing projects delivered by small charities, making a real difference in communities across the UK. They're here to make sure nobody has to face life’s toughest challenges alone.

Funding Available: £TBC

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered UK charities. See full eligibility criteria on their website.

Minimum annual income: £30,000 Maximum annual income: £1,000,000

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

ArtRoots allows communities to make aesthetic improvements to the National Cycle Network (NCN). Sustrans provides grants towards projects that will enhance spaces, aiming to encourage active travel.

Funding Available: £6000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any constituted community group in Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

This is a new fund, initiated by the Scottish Government and delivered by Creative Scotland.

It supports non-profit cultural festivals in Scotland with funding to enable innovation in programming and/or to showcase Scottish and Scotland-based artists and practitioners.

It aims to support festivals in expanding their international and domestic reach and profile, and/or create opportunities for skills or sector development.

Funding Available: £50,000 to £200,000

WHO CAN APPLY: All applicant festivals must be based in Scotland, deliver an annual or biennial festival that showcases work by professional Scottish and Scotland-based artists of both national and international significance.

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Health care, Religious activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust supports new work with the provision of small short-term grants to initiate projects in Christian action and research which cannot readily be financed from other sources. 

Funding Available: £500 to £2500

WHO CAN APPLY: Not Stated

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture, Sports, Education

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Supports the advancement of education and public participation in sport by assisting individuals to participate in physical outdoor activities in Scotland and other countries, assisting individuals to learn about the history and culture of Scotland and other countries, assisting individuals with training in outdoor skills.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: See Online

FIELD OF WORK: Housing

TYPE: Revenue

The fund is being administered by Advice Direct Scotland. It is designed to help public bodies, alongside third sector organisations experienced in preventing homelessness, prepare for and test the practical application of the new prevention duties with a particular focus on how ‘Ask and Act’ can be effectively embedded in day-to-day practice. It will also help relevant bodies and others to scope out the groups most at risk of homelessness, identify resource requirements, and best practice approaches.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: Consortia [groups], involving one or more named relevant body and involving public and third sector organisations. 

FIELD OF WORK: Community Facilities

TYPE: Capital

Changing Places Toilets are larger accessible toilets designed to meet the needs of disabled people who need carer support and specialist equipment to use the facilities and have their personal care needs met, fulfilling this basic human right for them. The aim of the Fund is to increase the number of Changing Places Toilets in Scotland and so meet the human rights of disabled people who cannot use a standard accessible toilet.

Funding Available: £45,000 to £90,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Not for profit, incorporated organisations, micro or small businesses with up to 49 employees, in areas which have limited provision of Changing Places Toilets. See fund guidance for full criteria.

FIELD OF WORK: Mental Health

TYPE: Revenue

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund (CMHWF) for Adults was established in October 2021 and to date, it has distributed around £51 million to community initiatives supporting mental health and wellbeing across Scotland. Local TSIs have their own version of this fund.

Funding Available: £10,000 to £30,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Groups and organisations delivering services for communities in Dundee. They highly encourage applications from grassroots organisations and/or groups completely new to the fund; and joint applications (new or existing) from organisations working collaboratively.

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Befriending , Employment

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

The Foundation's purpose is to support under resourced young people to achieve their potential and feel positive about their future, across three key areas:

Closing the gap: Reducing the attainment gap by supporting young children and their parents and carers to develop foundational skills, e.g., literacy and numeracy for success at school (0-7rs)

Developing life skills: More young people are better prepared for life, through equal access to opportunities that develop essential life skills e.g., teamwork, leadership, ambition and self-belief (8-16yrs)

Improving access: Reducing the number of young adults not in education employment or training, by widening access to the education and jobs market and developing their networks, relationships, and cultural knowledge (16-25yrs)

Funding Available: £10,000 to £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities in England, Wales and Scotland, working with young people aged 0-25 to improve social mobility. Minimum annual income: £100,000 Maximum annual income: £3,000,000

FIELD OF WORK: Enviroment, Climate Action

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

This programme provides funding to Crown Estate Scotland tenants for projects which can deliver demonstrable environmental benefits within 18 months of award of funds. 

Projects must be new initiatives. All projects must demonstrable environmental benefits to the tenanted area (or rights) or the wider Scottish Crown Estate otherwise they will be ineligible.

Funding Available: £5000 to £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The grant programme is open to all Crown Estate Scotland tenants only. Applicants must have a current occupation agreement with them at the time of application and at the time when monies will be awarded

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The purpose of the Trust is to hold and distribute funds for charitable purposes as set out in the Trusts governing. Previous grantees have included Aberlour Child Care Trust, Chest Heart and Stroke (Scotland), Fife Young Carers, Pitlochry Theatre, and RNLI (Anstruther).

Funding Available: £1000 to £2000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities, with a preference for Tayside and Fife.

By application form. To request a form please call or email the Trust.

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The purpose of the trust is the relief of financial hardship in general and the relief of hardship and suffering sustained by those afflicted by physical disability or disease. They tend to support national health charities in Scotland.

Funding Available: £300 to £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations in the UK, with a particular focus on Fife.

FIELD OF WORK: Heritage and building preservation

TYPE: Capital

War Memorials Trust (WMT) raises funds to support grants to war memorials. The fund seeks to facilitate repair and conservation works through its grants and act as a catalyst for action.

Funding Available: £30,000

WHO CAN APPLY: It is open to war memorials of any type, from any conflict

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Community Development

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Tayside Contracts can provide services [not money] to charities and community groups across Tayside, funded for by the Community Fund. Services include:

Catering

Food Hygiene training

Delivery and uplift of crowd barriers

Cleaning services

Traffic management for community events

Vehicle servicing/repairs

Civil engineering works

Funding Available: £500 to £3000

WHO CAN APPLY: Constituted groups across Tayside. 

Email them to confirm that they can deliver the required goods/services and so they can provide a quote. Then submit an application.

FIELD OF WORK: Health. Community, Heritage, Sport, Animal, Art

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The Weir Charitable Trust aims to support Scottish-based community groups and small charities to provide services across Scotland to help the Scottish community. These groups and charities are likely to have found it difficult to access funds elsewhere

Funding Available: £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered Scottish charities, constituted groups and community interest companies with an annual income of up to £150,000

Application form available on the Trust's website. They request that any enquiries are made via email or using the online contact form on the Trust's website.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment, Heritage

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The purpose of the fund is to make grants for the judicious restoration and repair of buildings of historical or antiquarian interest in Scotland, England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, and Greece but specially in Scotland.

Funding Available: £1000 to £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: In writing to the Fund. Applicants are asked to complete an information summary form in advance of the trustees' meeting, so that up-to-date information on the progress of fundraising can be taken into account.

FIELD OF WORK: Community facilities, Enviroment, Climate Action

TYPE: Capital

The CARES Community Buildings Fund provides grants to help community organisations reduce their building’s energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions. It does this by funding the installation of renewable technologies like heat pumps, battery storage, and solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, as well as some energy efficiency measures.

Funding Available: £80,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Constituted, non-profit distributing community organisations, including organisations with charitable status, that are set up and operating across a geographically defined community or faith group.

Read the guidance.

Fill out an expression of interest form.

Submit your application via the Local Energy Scotland CARES project portal.

FIELD OF WORK: Community facilities, Enviroment, Climate Action

TYPE: Capital

The Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) is here to support communities to engage with, participate in and benefit from the energy transition to net zero emissions. The Fund will help community organisations reduce their building energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Funding Available: £80,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must be constituted non-profit distributing community organisations, including organisations with charitable status, that are established and operating across a geographically defined community (‘local community organisations’) or faith groups. 

Apply online via the Local Energy Scotland website

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Revenue

Network Rail has outlined three main themes to ensure the Community Rail Fund generates sustainable and transformational change.

Projects must align with at least one of the following themes (the examples under each theme are not an exhaustive list and are for general guidance): Economic Prosperity - Helping people and communities grow financially and succeed. Equal Opportunities - Making sure everyone has fair access to opportunities and services, regardless of their background or needs. Wellbeing - Improving people's quality of life, including health, safety, and the environment.

Funding Available: £500 to £3000

WHO CAN APPLY: While applications will be considered from organisations across Scotland, the fund has advised that priority may be given to projects with a clear connection to the rail network or railway stations. This is not a mandatory requirement, but could be used to support final decision-making if the fund is oversubscribed.

FIELD OF WORK: Regeneration

TYPE: Revenue

The SURF Awards provide an opportunity for regeneration projects of all sizes to demonstrate value to funders and partners, support team-building and develop a national profile.

The purpose of the SURF Awards is:

To recognise and reward best practice and innovation in community regeneration;

To promote and disseminate best practice across Scotland as means of sharing knowledge and experience, and thereby enhancing future policy and practice;

To highlight the role that regeneration projects have in improving the wellbeing of individuals and communities.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: It is open to all community regeneration projects in Scotland that are currently in place or that have been completed within two years of the closing date.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital

The fund supports capital projects that create or improve places that people take part in sport and physical activity. Awards are available for sports facility projects within club & communities, school & education or performance sport environments. In clubs and communities they will support:

new, upgraded or extended sports facilities; Inclusive changing facilities

facilities that provide or improve access for outdoor sport and adventure activities

floodlights that increase capacity at appropriate sports facilities

major items of sports equipment.

Funding Available - 50% of project cost

WHO CAN APPLY: Any non profit distributing, constituted organisations whose membership is open to all sections of society. This includes schools and public bodies such as local authorities.

FIELD OF WORK: Children

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The trust gives grants to organisations which deal specifically with the care and assistance of children. It supports:

poor children from Glasgow or other districts of Scotland who are in need of convalescent treatment for sickness or disability

rehabilitation, recreation or education for children convalescing or still suffering from the effects of illness, injury or disability

accommodation or facilities for children who are in need of care or assistance.

Funding Available: £1586 average

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations of a charitable nature who support children in need of convalescent treatment for sickness or disability.

FIELD OF WORK: General Public

TYPE: Revenue

CivTech is a Scottish Government programme that brings people from the public, private and third sectors together to build things that make the world a better place.

Funding Available: Annual awards £5,500,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Anyone. Individuals, formal and informal teams, academic teams, pre-start businesses, start-ups, established businesses of all sizes, charities, and community groups are all welcome to apply.

FIELD OF WORK: Children and Disability

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The trust supports Scottish charities under the funding themes:

Tackling Child Abuse & Neglect: services for children whose lives have been affected by physical, mental or sexual abuse

Visual impairment: support for people who are blind or visually impaired

Neurological conditions: empowering people with neurological conditions to lead better lives and be involved in their communities

Animal welfare: helping animals that have been abused or are in danger of abuse and initiatives that reduce the risk of such abuse.

Funding Available: £15,000 to £18,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Open to registered charities based in, or operating in, Scotland

FIELD OF WORK: LGBT,Minorities

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

The aim of this fund is to ensure LGBT+ global majority organisations are resourced and equipped to continue delivering their essential work and strengthening their communities.

Funding Available: £500 - £3000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants should be a UK based non-profit group or organisation that are majority led by and for LGBT+ people of the global majority.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Revenue

The Grocers’ Charity typically provides one-off grants for U.K. registered charities working in the following areas:

Relief of Poverty

Elderly

Disability and Inclusion

Health

Military

The Arts

Heritage

Environment and Conservation

Children and Young People (0-25)

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities in the UK

Maximum annual income: £500,000

FIELD OF WORK: Elderly

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The purpose of the Fund is to support and encourage community-led, grassroots support for people with lived experience of dementia that helps them to live better in their community.

Funding Available - £5000 - £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Smaller, grassroots organisations and groups. The fund is open to both new and established organisations, including those with and without a constitution.

FIELD OF WORK: Training

TYPE: Revenue

The Voluntary Sector Development Fund (VSDF) contributes to the costs associated with meeting required registration qualification criteria set by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and to help employers in achieving a qualified workforce.

Funding Available: £1200 to £24,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Voluntary Sector Organisations providing social services registered with the Care Inspectorate.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital

The Nature Restoration Fund has two streams:

Helping Nature: for grants of £25,000 to £250,000

Transforming Nature: for grants of £250,000 upwards, including development projects.

Funding Available: £25,000 to £250,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Constituted organisations, including Registered charities and trusts and Constituted community groups

Private individuals and companies - where public benefit will be demonstrated

Partnerships and organisations working collaboratively with others.

Download an expression of interest form via the NatureScot website and submit via email to nrf@nature.scot. Stage two is a full application if invited.

FIELD OF WORK: Community, Education

TYPE: Revenue

The Scottish Connections Fund offers funding to organisations to set up new projects to promote Scotland’s reputation and interests. It is open to individuals and organisations who consider themselves to have a Scottish connection.

Funding Available: £2000 to £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individuals or organisations who consider themselves to be Scottish diaspora or have a Scottish connection

FIELD OF WORK: Arts, Education

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The YMI Strengthening Youth Music Fund supports individuals and organisations working in the youth music sector deliver activities that will improve, develop and strengthen the sector, and the services offered to benefit children and young people across the country.

Funding Available: £1000 to £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations and individuals based in Scotland or those who are working to develop the youth music sector in Scotland for the benefit of children and young people of Scotland.

Completed applications and supporting material should be submitted through Creative Scotland’s online Funding Management System.

FIELD OF WORK: Capacity

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Scottish EDGE is a competition aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high-growth potential entrepreneurial talent. You should have an ambitious growth strategy and a commitment to deliver upon it.

Funding Available: £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Your organisation must be Incorporated at Companies House. Scottish EDGE is open to Ltd Companies and registered Social Enterprises/ Charities only.

Online application and a short video pitch. Paper based or email applications will not be accepted.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital

The Scottish Hydro Electric Community Trust is an independent charitable trust. The Trust offers help to customers faced with high charges for an electricity connection within the Scottish Hydro-Electric Distribution area.

Funding Available: £900 to £2100

WHO CAN APPLY: The supply must be for a connection to a domestic property or a community project. It can be for a supply to new property or to upgrade an existing supply.

First you should obtain a quotation for an electricity connection from Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN), your local Distribution Network Operator (DNO) (or from a licensed Independent Network Operator (IDNO)). You need this quotation for your grant application. Apply online via the Trust's website.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital

SUEZ Communities Trust provides funds to undertake work that is eligible under the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF). Applications are considered for the five main areas of work:

Land Reclamation (Object A): The reclamation, remediation, restoration or other operation on land to facilitate economic, social or environmental use

Community Recycling (Object B): Community based recycling, re-use and waste prevention projects

Public Amenities (Object C): To provide, maintain or improve an amenity that is used primarily for leisure and recreation. The amenity must be open to all sections of the community for at least 104 days a year

Biodiversity (Object D): The conservation of biodiversity through the provision, conservation, restoration or enhancement of a natural habitat or the maintenance or recovery of a species in its natural habitat

Historic Buildings, Structures or Sites (Object E): The maintenance, repair or restoration of a building, other structure or a site of archaeological interest which is a place of religious worship, or a site of historic or architectural or archaeological interest and is open to the public. Places of religious worship must Grade A listed.

Funding Available: £3000 to £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Voluntary organisations, community groups / associations, sports clubs (note exclusion criteria regarding membership restrictions), local and national Charities

Parish / Community Councils / Town Councils

Local Authorities

Social enterprises and Community Interest Companies operating on a non-profit-distributing basis

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Revenue

Every three months, five shortlisted projects will be voted for by John Good Group employees. These five charities will all receive a share of £15,000 – the more votes a cause receives, the bigger the donation.

Funding Available: £2000 to £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must:

Be a local community group, charity, voluntary group or social enterprise that has a positive impact on communities, people or the environment.

Have an average income of less than £50,000 in the last 12 months.

Have a bank account in the organisation’s name.

FIELD OF WORK: Education

TYPE: Revenue

Applications must:

Be targeted at activity benefiting older people particularly in the Old Town, Edinburgh and Lothians area.

Be able to demonstrate positive impacts and outcomes for the lives of disadvantaged, disabled and vulnerable older people and/or

Be designed to provide a general benefit for a defined community or group of older people in the population (projects that are intergenerational will also be considered provided they can demonstrate clear benefits to the elderly and align with our other purposes).

Funding Available: £5000 to £15,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered Charities and organisations such as social enterprises, provided they deliver activities or outcomes that further the Trust’s own purposes, and for no other purpose.

Application forms can be downloaded from the Trust's website and should be submitted via email.

FIELD OF WORK: Veterans, Older people and young people

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The main focus areas for the Trust are charities operating in Scotland or Canada, specialising in work related to veterans, young people and the elderly.

Funding Available: £7500

WHO CAN APPLY: Charities operating in Scotland or Canada, specialising in work related to veterans, young people and the elderly. Within these criteria they have a particular but not exclusive or predominant interest in hospices and veterans of the armed forces.

FIELD OF WORK: Education

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Cruach Trust is a small Scottish charity, which provides financial support for gardeners, retired gardeners and for preserving gardens throughout the United Kingdom. The trustees also have discretion to make donations to a wide range of organisations in the UK and abroad.

Funding Available: £500 to £2000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered or recognised charities, societies, trusts or other bodies.

FIELD OF WORK: Art, Culture, Envirnment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trustees can make grants for any charitable purpose, but their present policy is to focus grant-making in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history. The Foundation funds both capital and revenue projects.

Funding Available: £500 to £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: UK charities registered with the Charity Commission, which includes CIOs, but currently excludes CICs

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

The National Lottery Film Festival and Screening Programme Fund supports organisations who are looking to produce film festivals and screening programmes in Scotland for a public audience.

Funding Available: £15,000 to £45,000

WHO CAN APPLY: This fund is open to organisations based in Scotland that will produce film festivals and/or curated screening programmes for public audiences in Scotland and meet the aims and eligibility criteria of this fund. 

FIELD OF WORK: Not Stated

TYPE: Revenue

The SMT actively promotes initiatives which promote recreation and enjoyment of the mountains in an environmentally friendly way. Grants normally fall under three main categories:

Grants for the creation or improvement of facilities which are available for use by the mountaineering community;

Grants for the maintenance of footpaths;

Grants to encourage mountain safety.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: The Trust will consider applications from charities, other voluntary bodies, commercial organisations, public bodies and private individuals.

Complete the application form available on the SMT website and return via email or post to the Secretary.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The trustees invite applications for grants supporting a specific category each year. The categories are as follows:

2025: Health and Disabled

2026: Children and Youth

2027: Conservation and the Environment.

Funding Available: £2000 to £60,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Only charitable bodies registered in Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

Grants are available to help bring literature alive with an author, poet, playwright, graphic novelist or storyteller visit. They like to support interesting, imaginative sessions which show a commitment to the promotion and enjoyment of reading and writing.

Funding Available: £200

WHO CAN APPLY: Not-for profit organisations. 

FIELD OF WORK: Social Activities

TYPE: Revenue

The incubator programme aims to help grassroots community groups build confidence, access training, and test new ideas that support children and families to connect with nature and play in their local area.

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Only organisations or community groups can apply for funding.

Applications can only be made through the Inspiring Scotland website from the 1st of September.

FIELD OF WORK: Arts and Culture

TYPE: Revenue

The purpose of the Fund is to support touring of high-quality theatre and dance (including outdoor, circus, interdisciplinary and site-specific work). This can include remounts of previously successful shows, shows which have previously undergone research and development, and tourable work that is yet to be produced.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: All applicants must be based in Scotland and involved in the production and/or touring of live theatre and dance.

Full guidance is available on the Creative Scotland website. Apply online using their application portal.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Build It aims to help early-stage social enterprises working towards becoming financially sustainable. It offers grant funding for salary costs so that the new jobs help the enterprise increase its income, become financially sustainable and continue to deliver social impact without relying on grant funding.

Funding Available: MAX £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Your enterprise must be up and running and able to provide evidence of income generation and social impact to date and been trading for 3 years or less. 

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The association supports organisations devoted to the care and welfare of children and young people in Scotland. Grant giving covers a range of activities from music to sport, and care.

Funding Available: £500 to £2000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations devoted to the care and welfare of children and young people in Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Culture, Environment, Wellbeing

TYPE: Revenue, Core Costs

The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust funds United Kingdom Registered Charities operating in the UK in the fields of the advancement of the arts, health and medical welfare and environmental protection or improvement.

Funding Available: £500 to £6000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants must be UK Registered Charities operating in the UK for the benefit of UK residents

FIELD OF WORK: Holidays

TYPE: Revenue

The Trust provides financial assistance to help finance holidays, including respite care, for physically and mentally disabled children (aged 3 to 17 years).

Funding Available: Average £892

WHO CAN APPLY: Individual families can apply and, in addition, they accept applications on behalf of groups of children, organisations and other registered charities.

FIELD OF WORK: Employment, Social welfare

TYPE: Revenue

The programme provides specialist support for social entrepreneurs to help them grow as social leaders. They combine cash and coaching to help nurture ideas and grow impact. It doesn't matter what stage of development your social venture is at. It can be an idea on paper, or a social venture in practice already.

Funding Available: £8000 to £18,000

WHO CAN APPLY: They can support you if you:

Are aged 16 and over

Are living in and working to benefit people in the United Kingdom

Have an idea or have been operating for less than 4 years

Are willing to participate in a learning experience

Have a real social impact

Fulfil a clear need and demand and have clear outputs and goals

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The trust reviews its policy every two years - currently the major categories supported are:

The advancement of the arts, heritage and culture.

The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational facilities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons for whom the facilities are primarily intended.

The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill-health and disability.

Funding Available: MAX £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Grants are given to organisations in Scotland. Grants are normally made only to a recognised Scottish Charity.

The application form and guidance can be downloaded from the Trust's website. There is a separate simplified Grant Form (Small Grants) for grants under £500.

FIELD OF WORK: General Charitable Activities

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Alexander Moncur Trust is a grant making charity based in Dundee. Its primary aim is to support, cultural, educational, health and social projects within Dundee and its environs.

Funding Available: £1000 to £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities.

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Foundation makes donations to registered charities which are active in such sectors as the arts and culture, medical & health, the environment and education, care and support of the young and elderly, people with disabilities and the under-privileged. So long as the object is charitable, the Trustees will consider any application from a registered charity..

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charity only

FIELD OF WORK: Homelessness

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Funding is available for registered charities who are creating or improving spaces so that more people have a place to feel at home. They focus on charities that support people who are most in need because of homelessness, financial hardship, sickness, disability or other disadvantage.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charity only

FIELD OF WORK: Housing

TYPE: Revenue

The Victim Surcharge Fund (VSF) is available to organisations who provide direct support to victims of crime. It can be used to provide emergency household, food, utility, or clothing expenses for those escaping domestic abuse, or for installation of alarm systems to help victims feel safe, in line with published Guidance.

Funding Available - £5000 - £40,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any organisation of two years standing which provides support to victims of crime.

Victim support organisations interested in applying to the Fund can request an application form by emailing VictimSurchargefund@gov.scot

FIELD OF WORK: Education, arts,mental health, older people, sport

TYPE: Revenue

The ASFT Fund has been established to support organisations across Scotland, awarding grants of up to £15,000 for one year.

Funding Available: £15,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities

Constituted voluntary and community organisations

Community companies e.g. companies limited by guarantee, community benefit societies or Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations

Community Interest Companies are eligible to apply if they meet the fund's minimum governance standards[see website]

Apply via Foundation Scotland's website.

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Community, Employment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

In this phase, CashBack partners will deliver early and effective prevention activities for children and young people aged 10-25. By strengthening ties with local communities, Cashback for Communities will provide positive activities for young people facing the greatest challenges.

Funding Available: £150,000 - £1,500,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications are invited from a variety of entity types, including registered charities and companies limited by guarantee or shares. Funding is for activities taking place from April 2026 to end of March 2029.

FIELD OF WORK: Housing

TYPE: Capital

Supports projects that improve, fix and repair buildings, homes and facilities specifically used by people in need throughout the UK. The types of projects they can fund are:

Improved energy efficient lighting & heating

Installation of new kitchen, bathroom etc.

Installation of a sensory room

General painting & decorating

Improving safety and security of a building

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Charity only

FIELD OF WORK: Religion

TYPE: Capital

The Cherish project provides grants to churches, chapels or meeting houses for church maintenance, urgent repair work or project development.

Funding Available: £500 - £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Listed and unlisted Christian places of worship, of any denomination, that are located within North-West England, Wales, or Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Climate Change

TYPE: Core Costs

These Research and Innovation grants support environmental organisations, academic institutions, individuals, and policymakers in advancing research and innovative ideas about Scotland’s native woodlands. Future Woodlands Scotland wants to improve our understanding of how these woodlands are impacted by — and in turn impact — climate change, biodiversity, and the environment.

Funding Available: £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any organisation or individual that can demonstrate they have the skills and capacity to carry out the proposed work can apply. Applications demonstrating a partnership approach to achieve common goals are particularly welcome.

FIELD OF WORK: Housing,Older people, Disabilities

TYPE: Revenue, Core costs

Lintel Trust, Scotland's housing charity have re-opened their small grants fund. Grants of either £500 or £1,000 are available.

Funding Available - £500 - £1000

WHO CAN APPLY: Not for Profit

FIELD OF WORK: Climate Action

TYPE: Revenue

The Electricals Recycling Fund aims to support industry bodies, start-ups, non-profits, companies and research institutions exploring new, innovative or significantly improved initiatives that apply and develop circular economy principles, reducing environmental impact and enhancing resource efficiency.

Funding Available: £125,000

WHO CAN APPLY: A wide variety of organisations can apply, including industry bodies, non-profits, private companies, compliance schemes, universities, and research institutions. Funding is available to registered organisations only.

FIELD OF WORK: Education

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Trust gives grants to individuals and organisations for the advancement of education for the public benefit. The Trustees have interpreted that as enabling them to support other charities working to help the education and development of young people, other organisations which carry out similar functions and individuals who need assistance with courses.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: The Trust operates by giving grants to organisations and, less frequently, to individuals. Priority has been given to North East Fife and surrounding areas, but projects have been helped throughout Scotland.

Download the application form on the Trust's website and return it to Henderson Black & Co, giving full details of the project and reason for the request. In appropriate cases, a copy of the last set of accounts should be sent.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The Make it Happen Fund makes a difference by enabling families to set the fund’s priorities and design the funding proposal process. It empowers parents, carers, children and young people to decide how funds are spent, directing investment towards projects that otherwise may be overlooked by traditional funding schemes.

Funding Available: £30000 available per local area

WHO CAN APPLY: Not-for-profit groups benefitting local communities and the local area. Eligibility (e.g. annual income) varies based on local area. See website for respective fund guidance.

The Lochee Takeover Make It Happen Fund: now open, will close at 5pm on Friday 15th August.

Lochee: send your application to LocheeMIHF@whatmatters2u.org.uk or hand in to a Community Centre [see list] in a sealed envelope.

FIELD OF WORK: Sport,Recreational facilities, Animal Welfare Health Culture

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Weir Charitable Trust aims to support Scottish-based community groups and small charities to provide services across Scotland to help the Scottish community. These groups and charities are likely to have found it difficult to access funds elsewhere. 

Funding Available: £5000 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered Scottish charities, constituted groups and community interest companies with an annual income of up to £150,000. 

FIELD OF WORK: Heritage and building preservation

TYPE: Revenue

Partnership Fund is open to applications from third-sector organisations delivering strategic outcomes with national impact for Scotland’s historic environment or the Scottish historic environment sector.

Funding Available: Not Stated

WHO CAN APPLY: Applicants are likely to include charitable organisations playing an intermediary role or representing a specific area of activity within the sector.

FIELD OF WORK: Community Development

TYPE: Revenue

The Customer and Community Investment Fund (CCIF), is a funding scheme for community projects. The fund allows LNER to work in partnership with charities, their customers and the communities located along the LNER route.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £10,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities, community groups and other not-for-profits which are based within 15 miles of the LNER route, in England and Scotland. See map on funder website to check eligibility.

FIELD OF WORK: Children, Disability

TYPE: Revenue

Trefoil supports the interests of children and young people with special needs, including physical disability, caring obligations, other disadvantage or learning and psycho-social needs to foster their independence, confidence and assertiveness.

Funding Available: £3000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations whose aims are to provide education, health and social welfare. All applicant organisations must be able to demonstrate their financial propriety, solvency and two years of audited/independently inspected accounts.

FIELD OF WORK: Education, Capacity Building

TYPE: Revenue

The fund supports small to medium-sized third sector organisations across Scotland to recruit additional volunteers for the delivery of a new, or the expansion of an existing, volunteering project. The aim is to improve how volunteers are supported in their roles. Organisations are encouraged to demonstrate how their project contributes to the Scottish Government’s priority of ending Child Poverty.

Funding Available: £20,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Third sector organisations, grassroots or community groups including unincorporated voluntary organisations, clubs and SCIOs 

FIELD OF WORK: Health & Wellbeing

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

This funding is for projects that will reduce health inequalities for unpaid carers, through systems change, i.e. making meaningful and lasting changes to the way things work.

Funding Available: £500,000 to £2,000,000

WHO CAN APPLY: You can apply if your organisation is a:

constituted voluntary or community organisation

registered charity

Scottish charitable incorporated organisation (SCIO)

not-for-profit company

community interest company (CIC)

statutory body (including local authorities and community councils)

community benefit society.

Read the guidance on the NLCF website and then contact the Scotland Advice Team to discuss what you're planning and get an application form

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital

Tree packs give the opportunity to bring people together to plant trees - encouraging local wildlife, protecting our landscape against tree disease and creating wooded areas. There are thousands of free trees to give away to schools, community and youth groups.

Funding Available: Equipment

WHO CAN APPLY: Schools across the UK, plus nurseries, colleges, universities and outdoor learning centres plus kinds of different groups such as resident associations, sports clubs, parish councils, scouts, guides can apply. You don’t need to belong to an official organisation. The land the trees are planted on need to be accessible to the public.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Revenue

SafeDeposits Scotland, the country’s leading tenancy deposit protection scheme, has introduced a Community Fund designed to provide small grants to projects enhancing communities across Scotland.

Funding Available: £5000

WHO CAN APPLY: Organisations which commit to deliver a project that meets at least one of its criteria:

Sustainability and the environment

Employability and career skills

Social inclusion

Technology and digital inclusion

Improving the local community

On applying for funding from the SafeDeposits Scotland Community Fund, an organisation will be required to provide a summary from its most recent accounts and, where applicable, its latest annual report and financial statement.

FIELD OF WORK: Elderly

TYPE: Revenue

The Creating Connections Grant Programme will be awarding 20+ grants of up to £7,500 to charities and community groups who are helping to reduce loneliness and isolation for the over 65’s. You may be providing direct person-centered interventions such as befriending OR group based social activities. The Foundation also supports Community Transport who assist in bringing together older people.

Funding Available: £7500

WHO CAN APPLY: Will open on 1 August and close on 29 August 2025 (for decision 6 October).

FIELD OF WORK: Music

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Pear Tree Fund for Music supports work in the following fields:

The promotion of classical music and/or the appreciation of classical music,

Working with children and young people in relation to their appreciation of music,

The promotion and/or research the benefits of music to health and mental wellbeing, and

The support of musicians based in Scotland.

Funding Available: £1,000 to £5,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Projects and work must be based in Scotland.

Applications should be made in writing on no more than three sides of A4 via the application form which is available on the Fund website. If your organisation does not have access to email, a hard copy application may be sent.

FIELD OF WORK: Health, Disability

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core Costs

The Trust aims to provide relief to those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial or other disadvantage, in East Lothian or elsewhere in Scotland.

Funding Available: £20,000 to £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Registered charities in East Lothian or elsewhere in Scotland.

Request an application form from denise.mckenzie@mfmac.com

FIELD OF WORK : Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue, Core costs

The aim of People's Postcode Trust is to support smaller charities and good causes in the Scotland to make a difference to their community for the benefit of people and planet.

They support projects under the following categories:

Enabling participation in physical activity

Enabling participation in the arts

Preventing or reducing the impact of poverty

Supporting marginalised groups and tackling inequality

Improving biodiversity and responding to the climate emergency

Improving green spaces and increasing access to the outdoors

Providing support to improve mental health (Focus on organisations that actively support specific mental health issues)

Funding Available: £500 to £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Funding is available for organisations that have been operating for over a year and have a set of signed accounts at the time of application. See guidance for more details.

Priority will be given to charities and good causes that:

Have an annual income under £250,000

Support communities that rank within the top 15% on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation

Are led by and provide services for people from the following minority/marginalised groups: communities experiencing racial inequity; disabled people; LGBT+ community

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The main fund objectives are:

Increase the amount of land available for community food growing, allotments and orchards

Improve food growing skills and knowledge to empower communities and individuals to grow their own food

Funding Available: £5000 to £100,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications are open to projects across Scotland.

FIELD OF WORK: Community

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Co-op Local Community Fund gives money to local causes, helping to bring people together and make a difference. They give preference to projects run by small, local organisations that make a real difference to people in their community.

Funding Available - £1000 to £6000

WHO CAN APPLY: Any organisation can apply as long as it can prove it’s not run for private profit and has a project in mind that benefits their local community. That includes charities, community organisations, co-ops and social enterprises.

FIELD OF WORK: Historic

TYPE: Capital

The Creative Minds Fund will support museums and organisations working with people experiencing mental health issues to create engagement opportunities. Projects will involve participants in creative activities related to the museum and its collection.

Funding Available: £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Accredited and non-accredited museums in Scotland. [terms apply for non-accredited museums] All museums must apply in partnership with an organisation which provides support or services to those experiencing mental health issues. The organisation must be a registered charity, Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), public body or local authority.

FIELD OF WORK: Health and Wellbeing

TYPE: Capital / Revenue

Heart Research UK supports innovative projects designed to promote heart health and to prevent or reduce the risk of heart disease in specific groups or communities.

Funding Available: £15,000

Grants are only available for small, registered charities with an annual income of less than £1 million.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital

Funded by The Scottish Government, The Nature Restoration Fund encourages applicants with projects that restore wildlife and habitats on land and sea and address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. The primary focus of this fund is to increase the biodiversity value of land and sea with a focus on nature-based solutions to address the impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Funding Available: £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Constituted organisations, including Registered charities and trusts and Constituted community groups

Private individuals and companies - where public benefit will be demonstrated

Partnerships and organisations working collaboratively with others.

Download an expression of interest form via the NatureScot website and submit via email to nrf@nature.scot. Stage two is a full application if invited.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

The Scottish Fishermen's Trust is a charity established to enable individuals and organisations to receive funding for projects related to the marine environment, education and safety at sea.

Funding Available: £15,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Individuals and organisations involved in the fishing industry

FIELD OF WORK: Mental Health

TYPE: Revenue

The Serving Families: On the Move programme supports projects which help improve the quality of life for Service families impacted by relocation as a direct result of Service life.

They want to support early intervention projects that assist military families in accessing services as they relocate. These initiatives will help families integrate into their new communities and build lasting friendships.

Funding Available: £5000 to £50,000

WHO CAN APPLY: To be eligible to apply for this funding you must be a charity registered with one or more of the charity commissions for England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

FIELD OF WORK: Sport

TYPE: Capital

The Aldi Scottish Sport fund is a Scotland-wide community-based sport programme designed to make it easier for kids to take part in sports within their local communities by giving clubs the chance to secure funding.

Funding Available - £2500

WHO CAN APPLY: They only accept applications from organisations based in Scotland that meet one or more of the following criteria:

a local, community focused club with sport at the heart of what you do

a registered community amateur sports club (CASC)

a school or educational organisation

a religious organisation

a Scout or Guide group

a charitable service fund of the Armed Forces

a Community Interest Company

Download application form from the Aldi website and submit via email.

FIELD OF WORK: Mental Health

TYPE: Revenue

Grants are available for projects that will help to mitigate the impact of long or frequent involuntary separation for families, spouses, and serving personnel, including reservists and their families.

The programme will need to address one or more following outcomes:

Reduced impact of separation, loneliness, and isolation for Serving families.

Improved mental health and well being for Service families.

Enhanced access to support and activities to improve quality of life.

Support personnel to reintegrate into family and units post deployment.

Funding Available: £5000 - £25,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Applications are welcome from:

A registered charity with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities.

Community interest Company (CIC) with substantial recent experience of supporting Armed Forces communities.

An Armed Forces unit or base.

FIELD OF WORK: Environment

TYPE: Capital, Revenue

Cycling Scotland work with a number of Regional Transport Partnerships to support delivery of Transport Scotland funded People & Place programme. Funding is available to enable more people to cycle through increasing affordable access to bikes, parking and storage.

Funding Available: £10,000 to £50,000

WHO CAN APPLY: Local authorities and registered social landlords, schools, workplaces, community organisations.