Deadline: 05-Sep-2025
Applications are now open for Voluntary Sector Development Fund (VSDF) to support voluntary sector organisations providing social services that are a registered charity and are registered with the Care Inspectorate.
Administered by the Scottish Social Services Council on behalf of the government, the fund is designed to help charities focused on social services strengthen their workforce’s qualifications and professional capacity.
This year’s fund offers around £780,000 in grants to support staff pursuing required registration qualifications. It aims to enable organizations—especially small and medium-sized ones—to build a qualified and competent workforce capable of delivering high-quality social care.
Fund eligibility is tied to specific roles within social care delivery, such as support workers, practitioners, and supervisors operating in home care, housing support, and residential services for adults. The fund supports training toward SVQ Social Services and Healthcare qualifications at SCQF level 6 or 7, recognizing the critical role these credentials play in meeting regulatory standards and ensuring safe, effective care.
A highlight this year is the encouragement of applications for level 7 qualifications. These are aimed at supervisors who may have had extensions to their qualification deadlines and now need to complete a practice qualification to meet registration requirements.
For each eligible staff member who pursues these qualifications, employers can receive up to £1,200 in support, with a maximum cap of £24,000 per organization. This ensures funding can benefit staff across the organization while maintaining fairness in distribution.
Applications must be submitted to the VSDF team via email by 5 pm on Friday, 5 September 2025. Once submitted, organizations will receive an acknowledgment email confirming receipt of their application, though this is not an official approval of funding.
This fund provides a valuable route for social service providers to enhance their professional capacity—enabling staff to meet essential qualification requirements and further improving service standards across Scotland.
For more information, visit Scottish Social Services Council.
