Deadline: 29-Nov-22
The Women’s Fund for Scotland is now open for applications to promote systemic change in Scotland to empower women, and to help overcome the multiple disadvantages and discriminatory practices that females experience throughout their lives.
Their vision is of a Scotland in which women participate equally at all levels of society, free from any barriers to full and equal engagement in political, institutional, economic, and cultural life, including freedom from the fear of abuse and sex-based violence.
Purpose
They are aiming to develop a sustainable network of grass roots organisations throughout Scotland which are supporting women and girls to achievements in line with their investment themes. To this end their grant programme in 2022/23 will offer unrestricted grants to sustain existing work with women and girls or to support new work in line with their investment themes and priorities.
Investment Themes
Applications must be from eligible organisations, clearly relate to at least one Investment Theme and address at least one of their Funding Priorities.
Applications should demonstrate how they fit into one or more of their key investment themes of:
- Building skills and confidence
- Improving health and well-being
- Growing social connections
- Moving on from abuse
- Developing leadership and innovation
- Combatting poverty and building financial resilience
Funding Priorities
- All applications will be considered according to these funding priorities. Applications which most clearly fit one or more of these will be prioritised. They are:
- Women’s organisations, especially those run by and for women
- Community-based organisations running projects with women and girls
- Projects supporting disadvantaged women and girls
- Empowering women and making a tangible difference to their lives
- Supporting women to escape and recover from domestic or sexual abuse
- Using their limited resources for maximum long-term impact and improving organisational sustainability
- To support the Scottish Government’s wider strategic objectives
- To ensure so far as possible Scotland-wide distribution of funds.
- Organisations who have a proven track record of working with women and girls can apply for an unrestricted grant of up to £5,000.
- Applicants should give 3 SMART objectives relating to their work with women and girls. These objectives should relate to their investment themes and will form the basis for monitoring at the end of the grant. Priority will be given to organisations who can demonstrate previous achievements from their work and who have plans for longer term sustainability.
Funding Information
- To date they have made almost 1,000 grants, to over 640 groups with a value of £3 million.
- They will award grants up to a maximum of £5000
Eligibility Criteria
- Any properly constituted non-profit organisation which meets their criteria may apply, including charities, social enterprises, and unincorporated organisations.
- Organisations with an annual turnover of more than £500,000 are not eligible for funding. Please note that if they are oversubscribed, they will give priority consideration to organisations with an annual turnover not greater than £300,000
Ineligible
- They try to be as flexible as possible to encourage innovation, however, they do not fund:
- Uniformed, political, or religious organisations except where they are running a project which would otherwise be eligible, and which does not promote any religion or a political purpose. (For example, a project promoting women’s participation in the political process may be eligible where it is for women of all political persuasions.)
- Organisations with an annual turnover of greater than £500,000 are not eligible for funding
- Organisations that pay less than the living wage of £10.90 per hour (2022)
- Projects primarily targeted at girls under the age of 12
- Projects for mixed groups (i.e., males and females)even groups that, for example, are 90% female, 10% male
- Applications from individuals
- Activities that have already taken place
- Repayment of loans and debts;
- General fundraising appeals;
- Trips abroad;
- Activities that are the responsibility of statutory authorities.
- Their grant making partner has some standard exclusions that apply to all funds.
For more information, visit https://www.womensfundscotland.org/funding/grant-guidelines/
