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Supporting Scotland's vibrant voluntary sector

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership organisation for Scotland's charities, voluntary organisations and social enterprises. Charity registered in Scotland SC003558. Registered office Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh EH3 6BB.

Fundraising is all about storytelling and building relationships. Your application is your chance to do both by telling your unique story and helping the funder understand exactly why your organisation is best placed to support your community.

When writing your application, it might help to think about the following questions: 

  • Who are you helping? 
  • Why do they need your help? 
  • How did you involve beneficiaries in your decision making? 
  • What do you hope to achieve and how will you do this? 
  • What have you learned from your previous experiences?
  • Where and when will the activity take place? 

Many funders provide their own application form. An application form is your chance to tell the funder exactly what they want to know about your work. In this case it is important that you read the guidelines and FAQs carefully before completing your application. Most funders will be happy to answer any questions you might have, but don’t contact a funder if the answer is already on their website.

Things to remember:
  • On application forms, answer the questions that are being asked and stick to any word counts.
  • Try not to use jargon and acronyms. If you need to, remember to spell them out the first time you use them.
  • Send all the additional information asked for, but if they specifically ask you not to send anything, don’t!
  • Make sure you know of any deadlines and submit your application on time.
Last modified on 2 August 2022
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