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 grant 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.

People's Health Trust - Healthy Communities small grants

The Healthy Communities small grants programme offers grants of £5,000 - £10,000 to charities, local community groups and social enterprises for projects that improve people's health and wellbeing, increase physical activity, improve the look and feel of local communities and improve transport within communities.  Check the website to see if applications are being accepted from your area.
http://www.peopleshealthtrust.org.uk/index.php/apply-for-funding/small-grant-programmes 

Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland

Distributes funds to recognised charities in Scotland that are focused on improving the quality of life for people in Scotland who are disadvantaged.  There are two grant programmes, the Henry Duncan Awards and Capacity Building Grants. 
http://www.ltsbfoundationforscotland.org.uk/index.asp?tm=21 

Bank of Scotland Foundation

This small grants programme accepts applications up to and including £20,000 from charities in Scotland. Its investment strategy has 2 themes : developing and improving local communities, and financial literacy, financial inclusion and social housing. 
http://bankofscotlandfoundation.org/small-grants-programme     

Awards for All (£500–£10,000)

Any community group can apply to this fund which distributes money raised by the National Lottery. Groups should have a constitution but not necessarily be a registered charity.
www.awardsforall.org.uk/scotland

The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

This is one of the largest funding trusts in the UK. In addition to its normal grant stream for charitable aims, it has recently launched a fund particularly for food. The fund will aim to promote an understanding of the role of food in enhancing quality of life. Applicants do not have to be a registered charity and the Foundation welcomes applications from social enterprises. There is no set grant limit.
www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk

2014 Communities

A new funding programme from the Big Lottery Fund Scotland, focused on building a legacy of wellbeing before and beyond the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014.

Sports clubs, voluntary and community organisations, community councils and schools are invited to apply for grants of between £300 and £1,000 to support and stimulate grass roots involvement in sport and physical activity, including gardening projects.
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_2014_communities

The Scottish Co-op Community Food Discount Card

Community food initiatives likely to spend at least £50 per week can apply for a Community Food Discount Card giving a 10% discount at Scottish Co-op food stores. Applications should be sent to Patricia Di-Tomasso, The Co-operative, Robert Owen House, 87 Bath Street, Glasgow G2 2EE.

Co-operative Membership Community Fund

The Co-operative Membership Community Fund is a grants scheme that helps local communities throughout the UK. The scheme is funded by Co-operative members donating some or all of their share of profits, which is then given away in the form of small grants in their local communities. Grants are available from £100 to £2,000.

To be successful, a group must carry out positive work in the community and a project must: address a community issue; provide a good long-term benefit to the community; support co-operative values and principles; and ideally be innovative in its approach.
www.co-operative.coop/membership/local-communities/community-fund 

Voluntary Action Fund

Scotland Unlimited Millennium Awards

This grant pot supports individuals demonstrating enterprising solutions to social problems. Initially individuals can apply for up to £5,000 to support their work. This can be followed on by a second level award of up to £15,000.
www.unltd.org.uk/template.php?ID=1&PageName=whatareunltdawards

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. Grants available include general grants, grants for women's projects, and the sports relief programme.
www.scottishcf.org/strengthening-communities/apply-for-a-grant/

Comic Relief

This fund supports work by community-led organisations to change things for the better. Check deadlines and funding priorities on the website. Large and small grants are available to charities or constituted groups.
www.comicrelief.com/apply_for_a_grant

Charles Hayward Foundation

The Foundation sees the value in supporting activities which have been demonstrated to work and can be replicated. It predominantly funds capital costs. Its preferred area of impact is at the community and neighbourhood level.

Small grants up to £5,000 only to charities with an annual turnover of less than £250,000. Other larger one-off grants are also available.
www.charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk

O2 It’s your community

Awards of up to £1,000 are available to local groups and individuals, for projects that will benefit a community.
www.itsyourcommunity.co.uk

Waste Recycling Environmental Limited (WREN)

WREN funds projects with a total cost of under £50,000 and grants can be awarded between £2,000 and £15,000. Typical projects suitable under the WREN small grant scheme might include village halls, community centres or play areas.
www.wren.org.uk/how-to-apply/small-grants

(To find out if your project is near a landfill site and you may be eligible for the Landfill Communities Fund check www.wrg.co.uk.)

Tesco Charity Trust - Community Awards

The Trust can provide practical benefits, such as equipment and resources for projects that directly benefit children, the elderly, and adults and children with disabilities, living in the local communities around their stores in the UK. The Trust provides one-off donations of between £1,000 and £4,000. Tesco also gives a 20% top-up to monies raised by Tesco employees for charity.
www.tescoplc.com/tescocharitytrust

Gateway Exchange Fund

Grant awards of up to £5,000 are available to constituted, not-for-profit groups. Priority for grant awards will be given to projects that seek to involve or empower people to move on with their lives or fulfil their potential where they would otherwise not have the opportunity. For example, ex-offenders, people recovering from addiction or individuals with mental health problems or recovering from abuse. The fund is administered by Scottish Community Foundation.
www.scottishcf.org/page11264.cfm

The Gannochy Trust

Funds Scottish registered charities in the areas of health, education, social welfare, recreation and arts. Grants up to £200,000 (but normally smaller amounts). Application by letter. Trustees meet monthly.
www.gannochytrust.org.uk/ 

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund

This charity was established primarily to aid the research into learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability by making grants to voluntary organisations (including schools and Parent Teacher Associations) within the UK. It offers grants from £250.
www.bailythomas.org.uk

The Hugh Fraser Foundation

Funds projects conducted by registered Scottish charities. Favours projects which are well focused and which might not otherwise attract funding. Application is by letter. Trustees meet quarterly, no website available.
Contact c/o Turcan Connell, Princes Exchange, 1 Earl Grey Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9EE 0131-228-8111

Hilton In The Community Foundation

The Foundation makes grants to a wide range of charities and organisations that work with young people on health issues. Small grants of up to £5,000 are processed quickly, although it is possible to apply for more. Hilton hotel vouchers are available to community groups for prizes in raffles or auctions.
www.hilton-foundation.org.uk, 020 7605 7733 or info@hiltonfoundation.org.uk.

Philip Lawrence Awards

Awards of up to £1,000 for young people between 11 and 20 to reward outstanding achievements in good citizenship. Deadline once a year.
www.philiplawrenceawards.net/

BT

Support to improve the communication of community-based organisations who want to make a difference locally. Grants are to help groups communicate through the internet and email. Particularly useful for groups wanting to set up a website.
www.btcommunityconnections.com

UIA Charitable Foundation

Funds registered charities or formally constituted groups which work with victims of domestic abuse; victims of drug and alcohol addiction; rehabilitation of offenders; Third World poverty; and Third World human rights. They are rarely able to support requests over £1,000.
www.uia.co.uk/About-Us/Charitable-foundation/

Community Matters

Charities and local good causes are eligible to apply for Waitrose initiative called Community Matters. Customers and employees choose who gets the funding. 
www.waitrose.com/content/waitrose/en/home/inspiration/community_matters.html 

Cashback for Communities

The Cashback for Communities small grants scheme offers up to £2,000 to support local youth groups. The scheme funds start up costs of a unit or youth group (up to £1,000) and the costs (or part of the costs) of a particular programme of activity (up to £2,000). 
www.youthscotland.org.uk/projects/cashback-small-grants-scheme.htm     

British Heart Foundation

The Help a Heart Grant programme is a small grants programme, funded by the British Heart Foundation, for groups of heart patients, carers and people at high risk of developing heart disease in local communities. £300 to £2,000 is available for projects that promote healthier lifestyles.
www.bhf.org.uk/living_with_a_heart_condition/how_can_we_help_you/help_a_heart_grants.aspx 

Live Well Edinburgh Fund

Medium grants

The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

This is one of the largest funding trusts in the UK. In addition to its normal grant stream for charitable aims, it has recently launched a fund particularly for food. The fund will aim to promote an understanding of the role of food in enhancing quality of life. Applicants do not have to be a registered charity and the Foundation welcomes applications from social enterprises. There is no set grant limit.
www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk

The Robertson Trust

This Trust supports work done by charities in Scotland. Application is by letter and there are no deadlines.
www.therobertsontrust.org.uk

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

Voluntary Action Fund

Runs the Volunteering Scotland grant scheme for registered charities that attract harder-to-reach volunteers. Small grants of up to £5,000 are considered through out the year and larger grants have a closing date.
www.voluntaryactionfund.org.uk/5/grants

Paul Hamlyn Foundation

The Foundation funds organisations whose charitable activities help people to realise their potential and have a better quality of life. The foundation is particularly interested in education and social justice. There is no minimum or maximum size of grant that organisations can apply for. Applications can be made at any time.
www.phf.org.uk/default.asp

Healthy Heart Grants

Offers grants to support innovative projects that promote heart health and prevent or reduce the risks of heart disease within specific communities in the UK. Grants can be for up to £10,000 and applications are invited from voluntary and community organisations and researchers. There are two application deadlines per year.
www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy_heart_grants.htm

Investing in Ideas

The Big Lottery runs the Investing in Ideas grant scheme which awards grants of £500 to £10,000 to test and develop ideas that could be of benefit to your local community.
www2.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_investing_ideas  

Henry Smith Charity

The Henry Smith Charity makes grants for work throughout the UK. Applications can be made for revenue and capital activity. Priority is given to work with groups experiencing social and/or economic disadvantage, for example, people with disabilities; and work that tackles problems in areas of high deprivation.
www.henrysmithcharity.org.uk/grants.html

Large grants

The Climate Challenge Fund

The Climate Challenge Fund forms part of the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Action Fund.  The Fund supports communities to tackle climate change by reducing their carbon emissions and increasing their capacity to take action. Up to £150,000 is available.

The Climate Challenge Fund is managed by Keep Scotland Beautiful and made funding of £37.7million available to communities across the four financial years 2008-2012.

Applications are now invited from Scottish communities for activities that take place between now and March 2015.
http://ccf.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/ 

The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation

This is one of the largest funding trusts in the UK. In addition to its normal grant stream for charitable aims, it has recently launched a fund particularly for food. The fund will aim to promote an understanding of the role of food in enhancing quality of life. Applicants do not have to be a registered charity and the Foundation welcomes applications from social enterprises. There is no set grant limit.
www.esmeefairbairn.org.uk

Investing in Communities

The Big Lottery has recently relaunched its Investing in Communities Programme, offering grants of £10,000 to £1million. There are three investment areas that make up Investing in Communities: Growing Community Assets aims to help communities have more control and influence over their own future through ownership of success; Life Transitions aims to support projects that help people at key times of change, helping them to make their lives better for the future; and Supporting 21st Century Life aims to support projects that build stronger families and stronger communities.
www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/prog_investing-in-communities.htm?regioncode=-sco  

People's Postcode Lottery Dream Fund

The People’s Postcode Lottery Dream Fund is a new initiative to give organisations the chance to deliver the project they have always dreamed of, but never had the opportunity to bring to life.  In order to meet the challenges facing the charity and voluntary sector, the fund encourages applications that will address the key strategic concepts of collaboration of organisations to provide more efficient services, and the promotion of volunteers.

The Dream Fund will offer £600,000 over two years, with £300,000 available for 2011, and £300,000 for 2012. Registered charities and community organisations in Scotland can apply for up to £100,000 to deliver a new and innovative 12-month project that meets one of the following funding criteria: Helping Communities Lead an Active Life; Helping to Involve Volunteers; and Helping to Tackle Climate Change.
www.postcodetrust.org.uk/dream-fund/

Themed

Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club Programme

The Greggs Foundation Breakfast Club programme supports young people of primary school age who live in disadvantaged areas in the UK. The grant awards offer a commitment of 2 years and provide healthy food and equipment to get the club started. It supports schools where at least 40% of pupils qualify for free school meals and that can show that the school serves a disadvantaged area. www.greggsfoundation.org.uk/grants/grant-programs/breakfast-clubguidelines-and-application

ARI Site Visits Travel Bursary

The Allotments Regeneration Initiative awards up to £300 for travel and associated expenses for allotment groups to visit other allotment sites to learn and share good practice.
http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/ari/grants/travel-bursaries-mainmenu-84?task=view 

Rural Direct

A service to help rural communities in Scotland apply for a range of funding programmes aimed at tackling climate change, reducing waste and improving environmental management. Rural Direct is operated by the Crofters Commission and the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
www.ruraldirect.org.uk/

Young Scot Action Fund

Grants for 12-26-year-olds in Scotland to take ideas and turn them into action. Grants of £200 and £750 are given out to individuals and groups respectively. Deadlines are normally every three months but they can fast track the process in emergencies. Applications can be made online.
www.youngscot.org/actionfund

Elizabeth Finn Care

Elizabeth Finn Care is the UK's largest, independent, direct grant-giving charity, helping individuals of British or Irish nationality, their partners and children with one-off grants or regular allowances towards meeting life's essentials. The Charity gives practical help, advice and support. For more information, visit
www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk

Changing lives

Crisis is the national homeless charity, dedicated to providing realistic opportunities for single homeless people to move towards financial independence. Changing Lives is its grant awarding project, and provides financial awards of up to £2,500 to people who have been homeless to help them move towards a work-based vocational goal. The award could be used to pay for a course, for materials to use at work or for start-up equipment to set up a business.
www.crisis.org.uk/pages/crisis-changing-lives.html

The Social Entrepreneurs Fund

This fund, managed by Firstport,  is available to individuals who wish to establish new businesses with social purpose. Awards are made at three levels ranging from £5,000 to £20,000 and the programme works in conjunction with the current Scotland UnLtd awards.
www.socialentrepreneursfund.co.uk

Rosa

Rosa, a UK-wide fund devoted exclusively to championing and investing in charities working with women and girls.  Work which improves the wellbeing of women will be funded.
www.rosauk.org

Coalfields Regeneration Trust

Funds organisations based within the former coalfield wards. The Trust will fund community, voluntary and statutory organisations that provide opportunities and services to residents of former mining towns. The Trust is particularly keen to support projects which: help people get back into work, such as information, advice and guidance services or work experience programmes; improve confidence and skills levels for people of all ages; encourage healthier lifestyles and participation in leisure activities; make access to community facilities and services easier for residents. The grants available range between a few hundred pounds to much bigger. Applications can be submitted at any time.
www.coalfields-regen.org.uk/applyingforfunds/default.asp 

Leonardo Di Vinci fund

All Leonardo projects involve working with European partners to build partnerships, exchange best practice, increase the expertise of staff and develop the skills of learners. The programme is open to every organisation involved in vocational education and training, so why not have a look at the opportunities available?
www.leonardo.org.uk/default.asp?section=00010001&sectionTitle=Home

The Links Foundation

The Links Foundation reinvests funding back into the communities and those surrounding areas Working Links (www.workinglinks.co.uk) work within. There is no set amount to apply for but average awards are £20,000.
www.linksfoundation.org

Women's Fund for Scotland

Grants between £2,000 and £5,000 are available from the Scottish Community Foundation for projects that enable women to be better able to cope with the effects of the economic downturn.
www.scottishcf.org/resources/funds/view/57/women-s-fund-for-scotland/?from=W/1 

Age Scotland

Age Scotland offer grants of up to £10,000 for its member groups for a broad range of activities. Any group in Scotland that works solely with older people, or specifically set up their group for older people or who’s whole group consists of older people can become members of Age Scotland free of charge. www.agescotland.org.uk  

Area specific funds

Have you checked to see if your area has access to these funds?

Mineral Trust Fund

In some areas of open-cast mining the commercial operator gives a percentage of profits to a community fund. Ask your local authority for details.

Wind Farm money

In some areas communities have negotiated a payment from windfarm profits; ask your local authority for information.

Organisations based in the Shotts, Allanton, Bonkle, and Hartwood areas of North Lanarkshire are invited to apply for support from the Blacklaw Windfarm Community Benefit Fund. Funding of up to £30,000 is available for initiatives that encourage the more efficient use of energy or provide, maintain or improve a public park on other community facility. The funding will be distributed to projects through the Environmental Key Fund.  Next round of funding will take place in 2013.
www.environmentalkeyfund.com/blacklaw.html 

Landfill funds

Contact Forward Scotland (www.forward-scotland.org.uk) to see if your area is eligible for Landfill funds. Or try WREN (www.wren.org.uk/how-to-apply/small-grants) which provides grants from Landfill funds.