Funding

Community groups operating across Aberdeenshire are welcome to request a funding search to be carried out by our Funding Officer, Donna Speed, email: donna.speed@avashire.org.uk or call 03718 110008.

AVA distributes a newsletter every month containing up-to-date funding information - read our newsletters here. 

Watch the Institute of Fundraising videos at the bottom of this page and visit their website for an Introduction to Fundraising.

Download the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) Essentials for Fundraising Organisations guidance here. On 25th May 2018 the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect in the UK. This will replace the current Data Protection Act and introduce new and different requirements for all sectors and organisations. To help fundraisers understand the key parts of GDPR in relation to direct marketing and how you can lawfully contact your supporters, this guidance has been produced by the Institutue of Fundraising in partnership with Bircham Dyson Bell to take you through the main questions.

Visit the Scottish Fundraising Standards Panel website here.

Funding opportunities:

Aberdeen Airport Community Fund closes 24th September.  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 until 29th October.  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/

Foundation Scotland offers a number of funding awards.  They also offer express grants.  Check them out on:  https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/grants-and-funding…/…/ 

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

Growing a Greener Britain offers funding to constituted community groups of up to £1,000 to transform green spaces.  https://www.growingagreenerbritain.org/small-grant-program…/

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

LEADER Grant Funding.  The North Aberdeenshire Local Action Group encourage and support projects contributing to the five Local Development Strategy priorities, in addition to demonstrating innovation, sustainability, equal opportunities and community empowerment.  http://nalag.org.uk/

The South Aberdeenshire LEADER programme supports the Local Development Strategy, helping to create a long-term legacy of vibrant, healthy, and inclusive rural and fisheries communities enabled to contribute fully to the social and economic fabric of South Aberdeenshire.  http://salag.org.uk/

Funding for a 'Fairer Scotland'
£29 million worth of funding for community and third sector projects is available to help support the Fairer Scotland Action Plan, published in October 2016.  £12 million of the funding comes from the European Social Fund.  The Scottish Government will direct £18.9 million into a new 'Aspiring Communities Fund' which offers funding opportunities for third sector organisations and community projects working to find long lasting local solutions to poverty. A further £9.7 million will be dedicated to the 'Growing the Social Economy Programme', which will enable third sector organisations to try new ideas and approaches by collaborating with research organisations or supporting people to improve their skills. Full information about the funds can be found here: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/15300/ESFTPSI.

Jo Walters Trust offers funding in Aberdeenshire.  In 2018, the trust is again inviting applications that will 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.

Social Investment Scotland: Growth & Replication Challenge 
The growth & replication challenge is a competitive opportunity that combines bespoke business support worth up to £10,000 with tailored financial backing. They’re looking for established charities or social enterprises who have developed strategies for growth or replication, are looking for investment between £100k and £1m and need help to make that happen in 2017. For more information, visit: http://www.socialinvestmentscotland.com/looking-for-investment/  

The Swire Charitable Trust offers funding for community and social welfare, education and training, and heritage.  https://www.swirecharitabletrust.org.uk/our-work/…

The Swire Charitable Trust’s aim is to help deliver positive and lasting change to UK society. 

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.  There are no deadlines.  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/  

Aberdeenshire Council have Social Enterprise Support Scheme Grants available of up to £10,000.  https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/…/social-enterprise-suppo…/ 

The David Doig Foundation offers £2,000.  https://www.foundationscotland.org.uk/…/david-doig-foundat…/