Grants

Voluntary Action Fund is Scotland's leading independent grant-making body investing in voluntary and community based organisations throughout Scotland.   The funding and support VAF provides enables community based organisations to undertake projects that challenge inequalities and overcome barriers to being involved in community life.

Our grant programmes meet the needs of disadvantaged communities through encouraging volunteering and tackling discrimination. VAF currently manages grant programmes that are funded through the Scottish Government.

Small Grants

The Community Chest (CCP)

To build on its success, the CCP grant programme has been extended for another year from April 2011. Aimed at small community groups across Scotland, the Community Chest provides grants of up to £1,000 to help small community groups with an income of under £25,000 fund their activities. Please note: you cannot receive both a CCP and an EYV grant during the period Apr 2011 - Mar 2012.

The aim of the Community Chest is to help build the capacity of groups in Scotland to deliver their activities. Groups in receipt of a grant will also have the opportunity to attend a number of free workshops covering topics such as charity law, making successful funding applications and managing money.

VAF is particularly keen to support community groups who work with: disability or health related issues; people who are excluded due to their ethnic origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity; families and young people; and older people.

The final deadline for the CCP is: 15 January 2012.

European Year of Volunteering (EYV)- not open to new applicants

To celebrate the 2011 European Year of Volunteering, VAF with funding from the Scottish Government, dedicated small grants to promote and celebrate the work of volunteers in Scotland. In addition, free training to help increase the skills of members, staff or volunteers will be offered to groups applying for a grant.

The grant was open to community groups and voluntary organisations with an annual income below £250,000; however groups with an income below £100,000 were considered a priority. Please note: you cannot receive both a CCP and an EYV grant during the period Apr 2011 - Mar 2012.

Grants were be awarded for activities that clearly contribute to: increasing the number of people engaged in volunteering; increasing the diversity of volunteers especially those from disadvantaged groups; and volunteers feeling valued and supported.

Main Grants

The Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme (VSGS) - not open to new applicants

The Volunteering Scotland Grant Scheme has been extended for a further year. Its grants support organisations to develop high quality volunteering opportunities that attract harder-to-reach volunteers and volunteers who want to gain work-relevant skills.
For 2011/12 VSGS grants will be invested either in projects that encourage the development of partnership working between clusters of volunteer-engaging organisations, or in extending volunteering projects that are already funded. VAF is unable to invite new applications to VSGS at this time.

The Equality Grants Programme (EGP) - not open to new applicants

The EGP incorporates 4 separate streams funded by the Scottish Government.  The programme aims to combat inequality, foster integration, promote dialogue and understanding between communities:

  • Race Religion and Refugee Integration Fund
  • Grants through the Gender funding stream
  • Grants through the LGBT funding stream
  • Grants through the Disability funding stream

Scottish Ministers recognise the potential impact of the current budget reductions on our communities and have, therefore, proposed the funding for the equality budget be maintained at its 2010/11 level.

The Scottish Government's Equality Policy and Communities Teams, with support from VAF, have since issued and assessed funding applications for a further one year grant extension. Scottish Ministers have now agreed funding and grant offer letters will be issued to successful groups in time for the beginning of the new financial year, 1 April 2011.