Funding Bulletin

We hope this page provides you up to date information and inspiration to submit applications to support your valuable work across Inverclyde. Please make sure that you follow us on Facebook to keep up to date on deadline information and funds with short lead in time.

If you are working on an application and need some support, please contact us at funding@cvsinverclyde.org.uk to find out about our editing and enhancement service or sign up for one of our funding events on our website.


Looking for funding for a project, or running costs and need some help?

Then come along to our next in-person funding surgery on Monday 3 March at our office in West College Scotland, Finnart Street, Greenock.

Anne from the Funding Team will be on hand to answer your queries.

Spaces are limited, please email sabrina.sigler@cvsinverclyde.org.uk to book a slot.


Joao our National Lottery Community Fund Officer is back with us on Monday 10 February and Monday 24 February to provide support and information to organisations considering applying to the National Lottery Community Fund.

30-minute sessions can be booked by returning the below form to Sabrina.sigler@cvsinverclyde.org.uk. Please note that you must download the form to complete it.

 Read more: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hYIDlPhXHT8B1ltVJP8b5Fqv4rcnH9rF/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=112757919319664926259&rtpof=true&sd=true


Just Incorporated? What’s next for your organisation?

Join us for an exciting event focused on helping your newly incorporated organisation thrive.

Whether you’re a charity or social enterprise, this event is designed to provide you with valuable insights, guidance and resources to take your organisation to the next level.

The session will cover business planning with insight from the experts at Business Gateway, funding, social enterprise trading and governance. 1-1 support will be available at the end of the event. Book now on the link below.

Read more: https://shorturl.at/VulLq


The National Lottery Community fund has launched a new £166 million funding stream, providing new opportunities for communities in greatest need over the next five years.

Two new programmes, Community Action and Fairer Life Chances will focus on tackling poverty, disadvantage and discrimination through bigger and longer-term grants, helping provide greater long-term security for community groups and charities.

The Strengthening Organisations programme has also recently opened, this funding is for organisations already funded by the National Lottery and want to try out new ideas or to improve their current work. Funding from £300 to £50,000 is available for up to 2 years.

Read more: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/funding/programmes


Bank of Scotland Foundation – Empower – 12 February 2025

The Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Empower programme provides unrestricted funding to charities who support vulnerable groups of people. This can be used towards core costs, delivery costs, project costs and/or general running costs enabling organisations to use their funding in the way that helps them best. To be eligible charities must have an income of between £150,000 and £500,000 and a minimum of three years of account lodged at OSCR. Charities can apply for a 3-year unrestricted grant of £150,000 – £50,000 per annum.

Read more: https://bankofscotlandfoundation.org/


WCIT Charity – 16 February 2025

The WCIT Charity is a national charity with the purpose is to use the power of tech for impact through digital inclusion, education, charitable, and public engagement initiatives across the UK.

Registered charities, educational establishments and organisations with a formal not-for-profit constitution such as a community interest companies are eligible to apply for funding which relate to one or more of the priority areas listed above.

Projects need to demonstrate an innovative use of IT, be scalable for wider replication, and be sustainable over time.

Read more: https://wcitcharity.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/


Screwfix Foundation – 10 February 2025

The Screwfix Foundation is a grant giving charity with a purpose to support projects to improve, repair and maintain homes and community facilities used by those in need throughout the UK. They currently offer registered charities and not for profit organisations funding up to the region of £5,000.

Read more: https://www.screwfix.com/landingpage/screwfix-foundation


KFC – The Youth Foundation – 14 February 2025

The KFC Youth Foundation creates opportunities for young people that inspire and empower then to fulfil their potential and build a positive future.

Applications are welcome from organisations which:

  • Benefit young people aged 11-25 years old.
  • Support those in a position of economic disadvantage (Including at least one of these groups; care leavers, those experiencing homelessness, young carers, young parents, refugees, young people at risk of or with experience of the criminal justice system).
  • Support by providing spaces that allow young people to feel safe and secure, helping to unlock talent and build life skills, provide mentoring and improve their chances to gain meaningful employment. Ultimately empower all young people to fulfill their potential and build a positive future.
  • Are based in the UK.
  • Have an annual income of no more than £400,000.

Read more: https://www.kfcyf.org.uk/grants


Idleworld Trust – Arts and Conservation Funds – 14 February 2025

Idleworld Trust has two grant programmes:

Arts: Nurturing Early-Stage Professionals – this grant supports training opportunities for emerging professionals, working creatively and backstage, within the performing and visual arts, post-training, and at an early stage in their career.

Conservation: Objects and Works of Art – this grant supports the conservation of cultural heritage of recognised national and international importance in museums, libraries, galleries, historic buildings, or landscapes accessible to the public.

Priority will be given to applications that include a knowledge sharing element as an outcome of the project. A public engagement activity that helps to improve the public understanding of conservation practice is encouraged. Applications must include a treatment proposal from an accredited conservator.

Read more: https://www.idlewildtrust.org.uk/apply-grant


Scottish Book Trust – Live Literature part-funded Sessions – 16 February 2025

Live Literature brings reading and writing to the heart of communities by funding author events for organisations across Scotland.

Live Literature aims to make author events affordable by covering some author fees and expenses for not-for-profit organisations. Alongside financial support, the team at Scottish Book Trust can be on hand with help and advice for planning and promoting your session. Events can take place in person or remotely.

Read more: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/writing-and-authors/live-literature/apply-now-part-funded#deadlines-and-eligibility


The Hedley Foundation – 26 February 2025

The Hedley Foundation provides grants to smaller charities operating across the spectrum of social need.

Typically, grants of up to £5,000 are regularly made and occasional larger sums are given to charities where high impact can be achieved. Similarly, smaller charities often benefit from smaller grants of £250 upwards.

You should meet the following criteria:

  • You are a small UK registered charity with an annual income below £1m.
  • Your application is not for core salaries, building construction, general running costs, transport, financial deficits or overseas projects.
  • Your application is not on behalf of a community interest company, for religious institutions, museum or for an individual.
  • You have not received a grant from The Hedley Foundation, or submitted an unsuccessful application to the Foundation, within the last two years.

Read more: https://www.hedleyfoundation.org.uk/apply-now


The 7Stars Foundation – 1 March 2025

The7stars Foundation’s grants are targeted to further the potential of children and young people who are surviving abuse, at risk of/or experiencing homelessness, caring for a loved one, or challenged by addiction. Various grants are available across Shine Bright, Project Funding, Individual Funding and Social Impact. More information about each grant is available below.

Read more: https://the7starsfoundation.co.uk/apply-for-funding


The Baily Thomas Chartable Fund – 1 March 2025

The Baily Thomas Charitable Fund is a grant making registered charity which 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 working in this field .

The Fund operates two general grant funding streams, a General Grant Programme for appeals of £9,000 and above and a Small Grant Programme for appeals below £9,000.

Read more: https://www.bailythomas.org.uk/grants/general-programme


Kelly Family Charitable Trust – 1 March 2025

The Kelly Family Charitable Trust is a grant-giving body founded in 2004 by members of the Kelly family.

The Trust is interested in funding charities whose activities involve all or most family members, where possible, in initiatives that seek to tackle problems facing one or more of its members. Previously funded projects include early intervention, mediation, prison services and services for families affected by sexual abuse, physical abuse and domestic violence, among others.

Generally, grants worth up to £5,000 are offered– though trustees will consider requests for higher amounts. The Trust is happy to fund charities’ core costs and encourage applications from relatively new charities to help them become established.

Read more: https://kfct.org.uk/application-criteria/


Inspiring Scotland – Neighbourhood Ecosystem Fund – 3 March 2025

This fund seeks to inspire, encourage, and enable communities to explore and deliver ambitious ecosystem restoration projects locally. It also seeks to raise awareness about the importance of local ecosystem restoration and address barriers faced by community-led efforts.

Community groups can apply for up to £13,500, with successful applicants receiving up to £1,500 in professional fundraising support in addition to their grant.

Read more: https://inspiringscotland.org.uk/fund/neighbourhood-ecosystem-fund/


The Neil Mackenzie Trust – 15 March 2025

The Neil Mackenzie Trust was set up in memory of Neil (Bell) Mackenzie to encourage training and adventure. The funds are available to assist young people and adults to carry out skills training in non-competitive outdoor sports in Scotland and adventures and expeditions anywhere in the world. Grants are not limited by age or location, the amount of grant available will depend on the adventure and may be limited by available funds.

Read more: https://theneilmackenzietrust.com/fundraising/grants-available/


Matthew Good Foundation – Grants for Good – 15 March 2025

Grants for Good is funded by the John Good Group and is designed to direct funding only to small and growing local charities, voluntary groups or social enterprises that are making a big impact on communities, people or the environment. To be eligible, 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.

Read More: https://www.matthewgoodfoundation.org/amplify-fund-grants-for-good/


Help the Homeless – 15 March 2025

Help the Homeless is a grant-giving trust, founded in 1975, to help homeless people off the streets and enable them to live healthy, independent lives. They fund a wide variety of organisations and favour small, grassroots charities working to help the most vulnerable people in their communities. Small grants of up to £5,000 are available.

Read more: https://www.help-the-homeless.org.uk/applying-for-funding/


Ulverscroft Foundation – 15 March 2025

The Ulverscroft Foundation was formed to:

  • Relieve and assist, and to provide treatment and education for sick or handicapped persons and in particular persons suffering from defective eyesight.
  • Support medical research and to provide and assist in the provision of facilities for the treatment or alleviation of sick or visually impaired persons

Applications for funding can be considered from any source, UK or overseas. Applicants need not necessarily be a charity; they can be a CIC or social group.

Read more: https://www.ulverscroft-foundation.org.uk/grants/


Strategic Legal Fund – 31 March 2025

The Strategic Legal Fund (SLF) is a fund to support legal work that goes beyond securing justice for an individual and makes a significant contribution to law, practice and procedures to uphold and promote the rights of migrant groups in the UK.

Organisations are eligible to apply if they undertake pre-litigation research or make third party interventions to ensure that the key legal points are made in existing cases.

Read more: https://strategiclegalfund.org.uk/


Inverclyde Council – New Business Start-up Grant

This discretionary fund can provide a grant to new businesses that are starting to trade in the area. The grant can be used to cover up to a maximum of contribution of £750 towards the start-up costs of the business.

Read more: https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/business-and-trade/business-development/financial-support/new-start-up-grant


The Cockaigne Fund

This Fund supports creative, challenging, and original projects that explore cultures and traditions, past and present. They have a particular interest in historically informed projects related to classical and traditional music from the 9th to 19th centuries.

The Fund may also consider community projects that push boundaries, strive for excellence, and enable people to access new musical experiences

Applications are welcomed from both individuals and organisations.

Read more: https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/apply-for-funding/funding-available/cockaigne-fund


Mary Janet King Fund

This Mary Janet King Fund supports community groups working with young people to take up musical instruments.

The fund supports piano scholarships at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow, but it will also make a small number of awards to community-based organisations who are helping young people to learn a musical instrument and play music as part of a group. Successful applications are likely to focus on tuition costs and musical instruments which can be loaned out to young people. The fund has £40,000 to spend this financial year.

Read more: https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/apply-for-funding/funding-available/mary-janet-king-fund


Historic Environment Grants Programme

The Historic Environment Grants Programme (HEG) can support a wide range of projects which clearly relate to and will benefit Scotland’s historic environment.

To be eligible, all projects will need to:

  • clearly relate to a Scottish historic environment asset (tangible or intangible);
  • be able to demonstrate how they will contribute to HES Grants Priorities;
  • offer good value for money;
  • be able to demonstrate that they are deliverable;
  • have not started (unless discussed and agreed by HES Grants Team); and
  • not already be funded by a City Heritage Trust or through any other funding programme from Historic Environment Scotland

There are three different funding streams under the Historic Environment Grants (HEG) which are:

  • Express Grants (£1,000 to £25,000)
  • Small Grants (£25,001 to £100,000)
  • Large Grants (£100,001 to £500,000)

Read more: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/grants-and-funding/our-grants/historic-environment-grants-programme


Social Investment Fund

The Social Investment Fund offers blended grant and loan investment to social enterprises, community organisations and charities working across Scotland. The fund can invest between £10,000 and £250,000 per organisation; up to 25% (£62,500) of this can be in the form of a non-repayable grant and the remainder a repayable loan.

The investment can be used for:
• Working capital
• Acquisition of assets
• Business growth
• Capital expenditure

Read more: https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/apply-for-funding/funding-available/social-investment-fund


The Charity Governance Awards – 12 February 2025

The Charity Governance Awards are a not-for-profit initiative created to celebrate outstanding governance and trusteeship in charities across the UK, allowing large and small not-for-profit organisations to inspire and learn from one another. Their mission is to celebrate and reward exceptional charity governance, while sharing exemplary work that inspires and informs boards and trustees across the country.

For the tenth and final year of the awards, there are five categories intended to showcase the work trustees do to help charities respond to emerging challenges and fulfil their missions. The grand prize for winners has also been increased to £6,000 (£1,500 for runners-up).

Entries for the awards will be accepted until 12 February 2025. The shortlist will be announced in April 2025, with winners revealed during a live ceremony on 3 June 2025.

Read more: https://www.charitygovernanceawards.co.uk/


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