Funding

In addition to our Supporting Communities Fund, AVA has recently developed a file of Covid-19 funding information that can be downloaded and shared. We've done some of the filtering of information for you and made it easier to find the approriate fund for you to apply to. The document will usually be updated on a weekly basis and will show funds that are open at the time of publishing.

You can download the file by clicking here.

General Funding Opportunities

Community groups operating across Aberdeenshire are welcome to request a funding search to be carried out by our Funding Officer, Donna Speed and she can be contacted by emailing donna.speed@avashire.org.uk and calling 07964 036821 or 03718 110008.

In addition to the funds shown below, you can search for funding opportunities on the Funding Scotland website by clicking here.

Youth and Philanthropy Initiative Scotland - Aberdeenshire
YPI is run by the Wood Foundation and is an active citizenship programme which has seen £4m granted to grassroots social services charities championed by young people. Each secondary school is responsible for directing a £3000 YPI grant to a local charity through a unique programme of teamwork, research and competition. There are 15 secondary schools taking part in YPI in Aberdeenshire. Find out more about YPI here: https://www.thewoodfoundation.org.uk/developing-young-people-in-scotland/youth-and-philanthropy-initiative/

Aberdeen Airport Community Fund.  The fund places priority on funding projects linked to education, the environment and economic regeneration.  https://www.aberdeenairport.com/about-us/community-matters/communities-trust/ 

Scotrail Arts and Cultural grant offers up to £5,000.  https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/…/scotrail-cultural-…/
Promotion of performing arts, visual arts, literature, community arts, and cultural traditions • Support for artists and artistic organisations to work with communities • Public art e.g. sculptures in open spaces engaging with communities • Play areas for children • Provision of local activity programmes (including local festivals, civic weeks and galas) • Increasing participation in sport and physical activity • Sports events and sport outreach programmes.

The Stafford Trust offers funding of £500 - £5,000 to registered charities.  http://www.staffordtrust.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/  

Mid Hill Wind Farm Banchory Community Fund is open for applications. http://www.marrareapartnership.org.uk/…/Banchory-Community-…
You do not need to be a registered charity to apply however you must be able to demonstrate that your project offers a benefit to the community.  

AVIVA Community Fund offers grants to local projects. https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/campaign/getinvolved 

The Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts is the operating office of 17 different independent grant-making trusts established by members of three generations of the Sainsbury family.  http://www.sfct.org.uk/

Aberdeen Harbour Community Action Fund is open in February and March each year, with the selection process taking place in April, and funding to successful applicants made in early May.  http://www.aberdeen-harbour.co.uk/about-us/community/community-action-fund/

The Climate Challenge Fund provides grants and support for community-led organisations to tackle climate change by running projects that reduce local carbon emissions.  https://www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/sustainability-climate-change/climate-challenge-fund/

Gordon and Ena Baxter Foundation offers up to £25,000.  http://www.gebfoundation.com/faq

Cala Homes Bursary supports local charities, community groups and organisations by funding projects, which help make a vital difference in and around the local communities.  https://www.cala.co.uk/cala-group/our-company/sustainability/bursary

Shell Small Grants are awarded to support community groups and organisations within the Aberdeenshire Council area of Buchan, especially projects that will improve the quality of life for local people and have a focus on community safety.  Further details and applications forms are available from Buchan Development Partnership telephone 01771 613584.

Aberdeenshire Council Capacity Grants has four funding streams.  https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/leisure-sport-and-culture/capacity-grants/

Santander Discovery Grants offers up to £5,000 to help disadvantaged people to make the most of their future.  http://www.santanderfoundation.org.uk/discovery-grants.aspx

The MacRobert Trust offers grants for a broad range of projects.  http://www.themacroberttrust.org.uk/grant-making/monetary-awards/themes-sub-themes/

Heritage Lottery Fund supports various projects.  Heritage is really wide-ranging. We support all kinds of projects, as long as they make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities.  https://www.hlf.org.uk/looking-funding/what-we-fund

Prince of Wales Foundation offers up to £5,000.  https://www.princeofwalescharitablefoundation.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/apply

Bank of Scotland Foundation offers up to £25,000.  https://bankofscotlandfoundation.org/funding-programmes

Corra Foundation Henry Duncan Awards offers up to £7,000.  https://www.corra.scot/grant-programmes/henry-duncan-grants/

Children in Need offers small and main grants of up to £10,000 and above.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/1N4ddmFHns8VPKjyp3PMYwn/apply-for-a-grant

Henry Smith offers between £20,000-£60,000 per year, for up to 3 years, for Improving Lives and Strengthening Communities.  https://www.henrysmithcharity.org.uk/explore-our-grants-and-apply/ 

Asda Foundation offers five types of funding.  https://www.asdafoundation.org/what-we-fund 

Morrisons Foundation funds various projects.  https://www.morrisonsfoundation.com/ 

Ernest Cook Trust gives grants to registered charities, schools and not-for-profit organisations wishing to encourage young people’s interest either in the countryside and the environment, the arts (in the broadest sense) or in science, or to raise levels of literacy and numeracy.  http://ernestcooktrust.org.uk/grants/

Co-op Local Community Fund supports various projects.   https://www.coop.co.uk/membership/local-community-fund 

The Fore offers funding of up to £30,000.  http://www.thefore.org/charities/

Charles Hayward Foundation has small and main grants.  Their funding is available for Social and Criminal Justice, Heritage and Conservation, Overseas and Older People.  http://www.charleshaywardfoundation.org.uk/ 

Barrack Charitable Trust offers up to £5,000.  http://thebarrackcharitabletrust.co.uk/advice-to-applicants/trust-categories-of-interest/

Gannochy Trust offers grants for Inspiring Young People (this is a Scotland wide fund), and Improving the Quality of Life for People (Perth and Kinross only).  http://www.gannochytrust.org.uk/index.php?page=strategy

Ryvoan Trust offers funding for inspiring, effective and innovative projects.  http://www.ryvoantrust.com/ 

Esmee Fairbairn supports a broad range of projects.  https://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/what-we-fund  

Dobbies Garden Centres Helping Your Community Grow donates plants and gardening equipment to good causes.  https://www.dobbies.com/about-dobbies/dobbies-in-the-community/helping-your-community-grow/

B&Q operates a community re-use scheme through all stores.  https://www.diy.com/corporate/community/waste-donation/

The Pilgrim Trust funds Preservation and Scholarship, and Social Welfare.  https://www.thepilgrimtrust.org.uk/grants/

The Architectural Heritage Fund offers project viability and development grants.  http://ahfund.org.uk/grant/

First Port has Start It and Build It grants of up to £20,000.  http://www.firstport.org.uk/funding

The Garioch Partnership Initiative Grant offers up to £1,000.  http://gariochpartnership.org.uk/community-initiative-grant-scheme/

The Mickel Fund supports the advancement of education, the prevention or relief of poverty, the advancement of health and the saving of lives, the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture & science, and the advancement of public participation in sports.  http://mickelfund.org.uk/application-process/what-we-fund/

The Foyle Foundation offers between £1,000 and £10,000.  Grants are offered for core costs, equipment or project funding to charities which can show that such a grant will make a significant difference to their work.  http://www.foylefoundation.org.uk/small-grants-scheme/

The Clothworkers Foundation offers up to around £25,000 for capital costs.  https://foundation.clothworkers.co.uk/Open-grant-programmes/Main-and-Small-Grant-Programmes/Programme-areas.aspx

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation funds capital and revenue costs.  http://trusthousecharitablefoundation.org.uk/grants/

Garfield Weston supports a broad range of charities across the UK that make a positive difference.  https://garfieldweston.org/what-we-support/

Tudor Trust offers grants of around £10,000 and above, and this an be multi year funding. http://tudortrust.org.uk/what-we-do/about-our-grants/ 

Scotmid Co-op Community Grant offers up to £500.  https://www.scotmid.coop/community-and-charity/supporting-local-communities/community-grant/

Marr Area Partnership Initiative Grant offers up to £750.  http://www.marrareapartnership.org.uk/funding/

WHSmith Community Grant offers up to £500.  https://blog.whsmith.co.uk/community-grants-application/

Greggs Foundation offers up to £2,000 to local community projects.  https://www.greggsfoundation.org.uk/grants

Skipton Grassroots Giving offers up to £500.  https://www.skiptongrg.co.uk/ 

Idlewild Trust funds Arts and Conservation projects.  http://idlewildtrust.org.uk/our-programmes

There are some great funding ideas on the Youth Link Scotland funding directory:  https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/funding/funding-directory/ 

The Keith Builders Community charity provides financial support to aid local charities, groups, organisations and projects.  http://www.keithbuilders.co.uk/content/charity-0

Easyfundraising: collect free donations every time you shop online the easyfundraising way.  https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/ 
It doesn't cost you a penny extra.  When you shop the easyfundraising way with one of their 3,249 shops and sites they give us a commission for your purchase.

The ​Community Engagement Fund run by Scottish Natural Heritage is giving organisations an opportunity to apply for funding for projects helping communities make the most of their local greenspaces.  https://www.greeninfrastructurescotland.org.uk/news/community-engagement-fund-reopen

The Inverurie Youth Sports Foundation is open for applications in Aberdeenshire.  Since its start in 2014, IYSF has provided funding to support a wide range of different sports, helping individuals and local clubs to develop and achieve their sporting goals.  https://www.iysf.org.uk/how-to-apply. Funding is available to help support the development of youth in sports. 

Jo Walters Trust offers funding in Aberdeenshire.  The trust also supports projects which provide educational opportunities to people in the outdoors.  http://www.jowalterstrust.org.uk/

Mary Salmond Trust offers up to £500 for North East projects.  http://marysalmondtrust.com/guidelines.html

Cairngorms National Park travel grant
The scheme is now open to all schools in Scotland and voluntary groups who experience disadvantage, to make educational trips to the Cairngorms National Park. Grants of up to £200 or 75% of travel costs are available to cover the costs of transport, which is known to be a key barrier to these groups visiting the Park. http://cairngorms.co.uk/park-authority/funding/travel-grant-scheme/ 

Zero Waste Scotland Resource Efficiency Waste Prevention Implementation Fund is open. http://www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/…/resource-efficiency-w…
Up to 100% of capital costs are avaiable between £5k - £100k.  The fund has been designed to help organisations overcome waste prevention barriers to undertake a particular project with a focus on raw materials savings, carbon savings and the movement of waste material up the waste hierarchy.

CashBack for Communities Youth Work Fund is now open.  https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/…/cashback-for-communiti…/
They welcome proposals for the delivery of targeted youth work activity programmes which provide diversionary youth work activities for young people aged 10 to 24, who face one or more forms of disadvantage.

The Swire Charitable Trust offers funding for community and social welfare, education and training, and heritage. The Swire Charitable Trust’s aim is to help deliver positive and lasting change to UK society.   https://www.swirecharitabletrust.org.uk/our-work/…

The Environment Now Fund offers up to £10,000 to those aged between 17 and 24 with an idea to help the environment, such as improving energy efficiency, reducing waste or increasing recycling. http://www.o2thinkbig.co.uk/the-environment-now

St James's Place Foundation offers up to £10,000 funding for UK registered charities supporting Young People with Special Needs, Supporting Disadvantaged Young People, Supporting People with Cancer.  http://www.sjpfoundation.co.uk/apply-for-funding.aspx

Let’s play with MyParkScotland We want our parks to be alive with the sound of play!  With all the talk of an increasingly inactive society, there is no better place to play - no matter what your age - than in parks and green spaces across Scotland.  https://www.mypark.scot/  

The David Doig Foundation offers £2,000.  https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/…/david-doig-foundat…/
Examples of projects the fund will consider (this is not an exhaustive list): •Provision of one to one coaching sessions for 5-11 year olds who are at risk of exclusion due to behavioural issues •Provision of a series of taster sessions aimed at young mothers in order to build skills, confidence to access higher education or return to work... •Provision of outward bound education courses to a group of 12-18 year olds currently excluded from mainstream education •Supporting the cost of a homework club for children and young people aged 5-18 years old affected by HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV). 

National Lottery Awards for All offers funding from £300 to £10,000 to support what matters to people and communities. https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/…/scotland/awards-for-all…

Big Lottery Young Start funding is open for applications. £10,000-£50,000 is available to create opportunities for children and young people aged between 8 and 24 to help them realise their potential.  https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/youngstartfund

Weir Charitable Trust. The average grant is typically around £3,500, although applications for larger amounts will be considered.  To be eligible, proposals must address one of the following areas:  health, sport, culture, recreational facilities and animal welfare. http://weircharitabletrust.com/what-we-fund 

The Robertson Trust funds both capital and revenue costs, and offers multi year grants.  They also have a Wee Grants for Wee Groups fund.  http://www.therobertsontrust.org.uk/

Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation concentrates on two main areas for grants: local communities and emerging markets.  https://www.youthlinkscotland.org/…/aberdeen-asset-managem…/

The Princes Trust Development Award offers funding to train, learn or help get a job for 14-25 year olds. Priority is given to activities that have a focus on particular communities in Scotland and are registered charities, social enterprises, community interest companies and/or other charitable entities providing social impact that do one or more of the following: support rural regeneration as part of a community development project and have a housing component that supports the local community where the regeneration project is taking place.  Projects involving community ownership in rural areas are likely to be given the highest priority. https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/he…/get-funding-train-learn

Life Changes Trust offers funding programmes for people affected by dementia and care experienced young people.  http://www.lifechangestrust.org.uk/trust-funding

The Crerar Trust gives back to local communities to improve the quality of everyday lives.  http://www.crerarhotels.com/crerar-trust 

If you would like more information on the application process or wish to request an application form, please email: trust@crerarhotels.com.  The Deeside Inn and Thainstone House Hotel are part of The Crerar Hotel Group. 

Life After Stroke Grants are available from the Stroke Association. Life After Stroke Grants provide a one off payment of up to £300 to fund vital home or personal equipment, or by funding support to become active in your community.  https://www.stroke.org.uk/finding-…/life-after-stroke-grants

The South Marr Community Safety Group has funding available for community groups for projects that aim to improve safety in their community.  http://www.aberdeenshirecommunitysafety.org.uk/c…/smarr.html

 The Royal Bank of Scotland is making £280,000 available across Scotland through their Skills & Opportunities Fund. http://skillsandopportunitiesfund.rbs.com/

Community Transport Funds
Groups and organisations interested in setting up a new community transport service, or existing groups who require funding to set up a new service/purchase equipment not already fully grant funded are invited to apply to Aberdeenshire Council for a one-off small grant of up to £3,000 to assist with up to 75% of the project costs. Applications can be made until 1 February 2020 and will be considered on their individual merits and awarded subject to the overall budget allocation.  If you think your group may benefit from this please contact Heather or Marion in the Passenger Transport Unit on 01467 539084 to discuss your project.

Tesco Bags of Help funds 225 projects in Scotland every 2 months. You can apply now for up to £4,000 for projects that bring benefits to the community.   https://www.groundwork.org.uk/sites/tescocommunityscheme   

Northsound Cash For Kids funds both individuals and community groups. Cash for Kids will award grants to children who are 0 to 18 years old, who are sick, disabled, disadvantaged or suffering from abuse or neglect. The applicants must reside in the Northsound radio transmission area. https://planetradio.co.uk/northsound/charity/info/grants-9/

National Churches Trust offers grants of up to £40,000. From repairing a roof to helping to install an accessible toilet - and many other projects - their grants help people to continue to serve, and to serve better, their local communities. http://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/our-grants

The Peter Harrison Foundation offers funding through the Opportunities Through Sports programme. The Trustees wish to support sporting activity or projects which provide opportunities for people who are disabled or otherwise disadvantaged to fulfil their potential and to develop other personal and life skills. http://www.peterharrisonfoundation.org/opportunities-throug…

Will Aid is a special partnership between the legal profession and nine UK charities. Every November, participating solicitors waive their fee for writing a basic Will.  Instead, they invite clients to make a voluntary donation to Will Aid.  http://www.willaid.org.uk/will-aid-charities

The Rural and Islands Housing Funds (RIHF) can help you build new homes, change buildings into homes, make empty homes ready to rent or sell.  https://www.mygov.scot/rural-housing-fund/overview/

The MacMillan Cancer Support offers four grant programmes. Start up, development, user involvement and individual development grants are available. https://www.macmillan.org.uk/…/how-we-support-your-group.ht…

Cattanach Trust offers funding of £3,000-£25,000 per year. You must be working with young children (under 3) and their parent/families, or with a parent/families expecting a baby in Scotland.  Families experiencing deprivation or in crisis will be given priority.  Their Dads Fund is an additional funding stream for projects which focus on dads and young children. http://www.cattanach.org.uk/faq

Ofcom’s Community Radio Fund. Grants can range from about £2,000 to around £19,000 with an average grant of about £14,000.  Grants will be made as a single lump sum and are to cover a one-year period only. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/…/radio-broad…/community-radio-fund

British and Foreign School Society (BFSS) Applications will be considered from educational or training institutions which have UK charitable status or, in the case of schools, colleges, universities and churches, “exempt charity” status that need funding for education or training for children and young people up to the age of 25 years. https://www.bfss.org.uk/…/looked-after-children-and-young-…/

WREN’S FCC Scottish Action Fund is accepting applications. Grants of between £2,000 and £100,000 are available for categoires: Land Reclamation, Community Recycling, Public Amenities and Parks, Biodiversity and Historic Buildings.  http://www.wren.org.uk/apply/fcc-scottish-action-fund

Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services.  https://www.turn2us.org.uk/