Funding to grow grassroots groups

The Baillie Gifford Multi-year Awards fund, aimed at supporting grassroots community groups across Scotland, is now open to applications.

Priority will be given to projects that can demonstrate a fit with one of the following priorities:

• Reducing isolation in Scotland’s communities – this includes all forms of isolation whether due to health, disability, rurality, or projects which aim to tackle barriers to inclusion. 
• Supporting financial inclusion – this can include food poverty-related projects and those that seek to maximise the income of families that may be struggling due to the impact of Universal Credit, disability, in work poverty and so on.
• Overcoming homelessness – this includes any work to tackle homelessness in our communities.
• Improving employability and enterprise, particularly in young people.
• One grant will be to a local sports club to help people participate in grassroots sport. 

Groups can apply for funding over a maximum of three years. The maximum grant available is £15,000, i.e. £5,000 a year for three years.

The fund can support core costs as well as project costs. However, it can only support applications where the grant request is at least 25% of the total costs. 

Please note this fund is only open to organisations with an annual income of under £250,000. However, if your organisation is interested in applying under the 'overcoming homelessness' or 'supporting financial inclusion' headings they will accept applications from organisations whose income exceeds £250,000.

The closing date for applications is 28 April. For full details, visit the Foundation Scotland website.