Links to funding sources
Local authorities, NHS Boards and Community Health Partnerships in your area may have pots of funding that you may be able to apply for. Contact them directly to find out what is on offer.
Small grants
Community Food and Health (Scotland) small grants scheme (£500 - £3,000)
Although this grant scheme is over subscribed every year, it is worth reading the guidance to see if your project fits. This small grant scheme has an easy to complete form and friendly advice on the phone.
Awards for All (£500 - £10,000)
Any community group can apply to this fund which distributes money raised by the National Lottery.
www.awardsforall.org.uk
B&Q Better Neighbourhood grants (£50-£500 worth of goods)
Apply to your local store for materials to improve your project.
www.diy.com
Comic Relief up to £5000 for disadvantaged communities
This fund supports work by community led organisations to change things for the better.
www.comicrelief.com/applyforagrant/grants-uk-rnd.shtml
Communities Scotland The New Ideas Fund (£100 and £5,000)
This fund provides grants to community and voluntary groups within disadvantaged areas or working with disadvantaged groups to assess the feasibility of new ideas and to develop and build support for new and innovative approaches to regeneration. Apply through your local area office.
www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk
Communities Scotland The Seeing is Believing Fund (£100 and £5,000)
This fund provides small grants to community and voluntary groups within disadvantaged areas or working with disadvantaged groups so that they can visit and learn from successful regeneration projects or access other learning opportunities. Apply through your local area office.
www.communitiesscotland.gov.uk/
Co-op Community Dividend Fund
Community groups can apply for money raised from customers through their loyalty card scheme. Forms are available from Co-operative group stores.
www.membership.coop/membership/regional/SC/SC_fr.html
Crofters commission Crofters Community Development Scheme (up to £7,000)
This fund aims to promote community and co-operative development by crofting communities, or other community groups
www.crofterscommission.org.uk/cd_ccds.htm
The Crofters Commission also offers other grants for other crofting projects and crofters. Contact them for further information.
Scotland unlimited social entrepreneurs fund (up to £5,000 initially)
This grant pot supports individuals demonstrating enterprising solutions to social problems. Initially individuals can apply for up to £,5000 to support their work. This can be followed on by a second level grant of up to £15,000.
www.scotlandunltd.com
Scottish Community Foundation (up to £5,000)
This body gives grants to a broad cross-section of constituted groups involved in social welfare and community development activities. The majority of the funding is directed at locally based work carried out, and often initiated by, members of that local community
www.scottishcommunityfoundation.com/page8613.cfm
Sheila McKechnie Award (£5000 per year for three years)
This award scheme is made annually to community food initiatives to commemorate the contribution that Dame Sheila McKechnie made in helping to set up the Agency. Two community food initiatives will be chosen every year and each will receive £15,000 (£5,000 a year) over a three-year period.
www.food.gov.uk/aboutus/how_we_work/damemckechnieaward/
Medium-sized grants
Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland
This grant awarding body gives out grants and offers advice and information to those who are thinking of making an application. You are advised to attend a funding surgery before you begin to make an application. This foundation aims to support and work in partnership with charities which help people, especially those who are disadvantaged or disabled to play a fuller role in communities throughout Scotland.
www.fundingthefuture.org.uk/pages/ourgrants
Scottish Community Action Research Fund (SCARF) - up to £10,000
This fund gives community groups support to improve their skills and confidence to carry out their own research. The fund helps them to plan a project, collect information and understand it, use the information and learn from the experience. The fund gives mentoring and financial support.
www.scdc.org.uk/scarf
The Robertson Trust
This Trust supports work done by charities in Scotland.
www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/guidelines.htm
The Tudor Trust
Tudor is an independent grant-making trust which supports organisations working across the UK. They aim to support work which addresses the social, emotional and financial needs of people at the margins of our society.
www.tudortrust.org.uk/index.html
Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme (up to £35,000 per year for three years)
The Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme aims to improve the lives of individuals and their communities through volunteering. They are keen to invest in new projects that encourage more people to volunteer, and which will be of lasting benefit to volunteers, organisations and their local communities.
www.voluntaryactionfund.org.uk/grant-schemes/vsgs
Large grants
The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation
This is one of the largest funding trusts in the UK. It is of interest to groups who are setting up or operating as a social enterprise, engaging difficult-to-reach adults in education or working on a local food agenda.
www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk
Investing in Communities Funding (£10,000 - £1 million up to five years)
The Big Lottery Fund in Scotland has £257 million to spend between 2006 and 2009. They want to invest this money to bring real improvements to communities and to the lives of people most in need
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk
The People's Millions
The People’s Millions is a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV in which viewers vote for the project they want to receive funding. Ninety awards of up to £80,000 are available in 2007 (closing date for applications is 17 May 2007) for projects that help communities transform their local environments by improving green spaces, buildings and amenities.
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_peoples_millions.htm