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Running from August 2026 to December 2027, the New FWDF initiative contributes to Scotland’s mission to increase earned incomes and eradicate child poverty by investing in colleges. This targeted investment equips colleges to upskill in-work parents, carers, young people and other priority groups, boosting household incomes for those in, or at risk of, in-work poverty. Simultaneously, it helps employers to close skills gaps, adopt Fair Work practices, and drive business productivity.This fund is specifically aimed at low-income parents, carers, disabled and care-experienced young people within the workforce, and employer partnership is essential.The key objectives of this funding are to:- **Break the cycle of poverty:** Support parents/carers in low-income households to enter, sustain, and progress in employment by providing college-based, employment-focused learning opportunities. These should be timetabled in a family-friendly way. This should equip people with skills to enter or progress in work, fostering collaborative multi-agency partnerships, and supporting existing ESOL provision in colleges.- **Provide “wraparound” support:** Deliver holistic “Whole Family Support” to address structural barriers like childcare and transport, ensuring learner choice and direct upskilling opportunities for low-paid workers are available to drive career progression.Funding is for 2026-27 only at this stage. Future funding is subject to confirmation by the Scottish Government.

Join schools and organisations across the Scottish Borders in taking action to protect, enhance or connect with the environment. Inspired by the enthusiasm of Borders’ High School students to collective take action on the climate, Borders Act for Change provides seed funding for events and activities that will have a positive impact in the Scottish Borders and beyond.Action should take place in and can be one-off events or ongoing activity, such as:- Tree planting- Biodiversity surveys- Community gardening day- Upcycling fashion event- Litter picks- Guided nature walk- Clothes swap- Expertise talks - Environmental film screenings - Volunteering day- Reduce energy usage

The Whole Family Support Third Sector Delivery Fund is a fund for charities to deliver help that is tailored to the specific needs of families living in poverty or at risk of poverty. This will help them connect with the services and support in their communities that can make a difference.This fund helps third sector organisations support families living in poverty or at risk of poverty. It will do this by boosting their capacity to deliver Whole Family Support in communities across Scotland. It contributes to Scottish Government's goal of ending child poverty in Scotland.Scot Gov wants to work with:- partners who can work nationally, or across multiple local authorities areas, to support families in their communities- successful organisations to help ensure that this activity is as joined-up as possible with existing local work to deliver Whole Family SupportScot Gov expects that funding will continue and move to a multi-year basis from 2027/28, subject to future confirmation.

The Community Enterprise Fund is a funding programme that helps community organisations to start trading or set up social enterprises in Scotland. It offers grants to be spent over 6 months. Funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund (SEF).The Community Enterprise Fund is for you if your group wants to begin trading activities or set up a social enterprise so you can generate income, become more financially resilient, reduce reliance on grant funding and be better equipped to support your community.Your community group is ready to apply for a CE award if it can demonstrate:- A strong business model- showing how the idea will generate income, so it does not rely on grants in the long term.- A clear social impact– demonstrating that your group has identified a social or environmental issue they want to tackle.- A determined and motivated team – SEF focuses on the people involved in the idea, so we want you to tell us about the skills, knowledge, and passion within their team for the issue they are tackling and how these will help to make the idea a success.Your proposal must:- Be or plan to be a social enterprise – i.e. an asset-locked organisation where all profits will be reinvested into the business and its social aims (no private individuals or bodies can benefit from the assets or uncapped dividends of the business)- Be in the early stages of development – i.e. the ‘start-up’ phase and not yet regularly trading- Request eligible costs associated with starting up a social enterprise- Cover a 6-month period, with a timetable for spending the funds by the end of that period- Detail how the enterprise will become financially sustainable through trading as opposed to grant income.- Provide direct, measurable social impact to individuals, communities, and/or the environment- If the proposed social enterprise requires premises before it can start trading, demonstrate that you have found suitable premises and obtained an agreement in principle from the owner/landlord.The grant can be used for most start-up and development costs -- see website for details.

The Linder Foundation provides funding to projects which fall under five main categories:- The Environment- Young People- Medical Electives (by invitation only)- Hospices and Respite Care (by invitation only)- The Arts (by invitation only)UK organisations supporting young people or the environment can apply to the respective funding stream.Young People Fund Priorities:- Projects will include those supporting young people in the community, in prison or young offenders institutions, or on release.- Providing the above support to looked after children and children in care.- Projects that show potential to be replicated or scaled up.The funder seeks to fund at least 50% of the total cost of projects supporting vulnerable young people where the majority of those who benefit have suffered from adverse childhood experiences or childhood trauma.Environment Fund Priorities:- Projects that show potential to be replicated or scaled up.- Projects involving volunteers and/or community engagement.- Projects aiming for biodiversity improvements seeking to deliver improvements for targeted species or projects that promote, implement or manage habitat improvements.- Local or regional projects.- Projects seeking to improve carbon capture.- Regenerative farming projects focusing on healthy soils, farmland eco systems for sustainable food production and carbon capture.The funder seeks to fund Environment projects where the grant represents at least 50% of the total project cost and where the project has strong community/volunteer engagementSee the website for more details of project priorities, eligibility and exclusions.

Financial support is available to communities to utilise existing Community Right to Buy legislation, allowing communities to register an interest in acquiring land or buildings and have the first option to purchase if/when it's offered for sale.

Go See Share is a small fund for individuals, organisations and creative businesses to explore new ways to expand their business activity and make them more financially sustainable. The aim of this fund is to help recipients undertake trips or remote meetings, allowing them to gain knowledge and insight, build relationships, and to share this knowledge back in Scotland.They are looking to support visits that will help you to consider the ways you could expand your business activity and increase your economic sustainability. This learning should also help the creative communities you will share with to do the same. Examples include:- Local, national and international trips to see examples of best practice or new business models in operation- Remote meetings which help you to research best practice or alternative business models- Relevant event, festival, and professional development opportunities that will support your business development, business practices or business sustainability- Visits to a person, organisation or business, to explore new ways of workingFunding can be used to support business sustainability, such as:- Travel and accommodation costs- Relevant event or conference tickets- Time to attend meetings with other businesses or individuals you feel you can learn from- Time to prepare presentations and materials for sharing Proposed activity should take place between May to October 2025.

The Ironmongers’ Foundation wishes to support initiatives that encourage young people to study science subjects at school and go on to pursue STEM-related further education or vocational training, particularly in the area of Materials Science. The Foundation works in partnership with other organisations to deliver specific projects, which must meet all of the following criteria:- Grants are made to registered or exempt charities only. Applications will not be accepted from schools. Projects involving corporate partners must have charitable purposes and be for public benefit, not private gain- Activities must be within the UK- Preference will be given to projects engaging young people between the ages of 11 and 18 from disadvantaged backgrounds. Participants should be within this age range or be educators working with young people within this age range- Activities must be additional to those funded by government or other sources e.g. covered by school budgets.- Projects should have clear objectives and measurable outcomes, providing repeat engagement and focusing on how they will enhance the Science Capital of young learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. A written evaluation report demonstrating how impact has been measured must be provided on completion

Grants for organisations working with racially minoritised young men aged 18–25 in contact with the criminal justice system.Your organisation will:- Provide specialist services for racially minoritised young men, that meet their specific needs- Have a track record of at least 18 months of delivering this type of provision- Provide person centred, holistic and long-term services- Have lived experience voice throughout their services, organisation and governance, although this may be less well-developed in some smaller organisations.Evidence shows that young men from racially minoritised communities are over-represented at many points in the justice system. This is not by chance. It’s the result of ongoing systemic bias combined with a lack of specialist services that understand their needs and the racism they have experienced, both personally and structurally. They recognise that Muslim men are also disproportionately represented in the prison system and will fund organisations working with young men from this community. The Foundation will provide multi-year grants to organisations with a focus on direct service delivery providing specialist, culturally appropriate support, centring lived experience. The Foundation values both lived experience and the importance of highly skilled staff who may not share the lived experience of those they support. They will prioritise organisations ‘led by and for’ the racially minoritised communities they serve and at least 50% of the budget will be ring-fenced for them.To receive funding organisations will fall into one of these two categories:- Organisations ‘led by and for’ the racially minoritised community they serve. - Definition of a ‘led by and for’ organisation is one where 50% of trustees/directors and 50% of staff are from the community they represent. - At least 50% of their expenditure and time is to be spent providing support to racially minoritised young men in contact with the criminal justice system. While it is understood that many of these organisations will be working across the community, they need to ensure there is a focus on the type of work being targeted.- Non-racially minoritised-led organisations providing specialist services to racially minoritised young men - Definition of specialist services is those which have been specifically designed for, and ideally co-produced with, the young men they are supporting. - It is expected that the specialist services are to be a significant part of the organisations’ work. This means clear evidence that the organisation has a focus on racial disparity in the criminal justice system, alongside delivery of specialist services that meet the needs of this group. Download the [full funding guidelines](https://henrysmith.foundation/grants/equity-in-justice/) from their website.

The Way Forward for Families Partnership Fund is delivered by Corra Foundation and is a partnership between Corra Foundation and Scottish Government, and supported by our network of Youth Partners – Clued Up Project, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs’ Routes Project, and Youth Scotland.You’re Only Young Once (YOYO) is a fund designed by young people as part of the Way Forward for Families Partnership Fund. The young people have designed the fund criteria, application process, name, and logo.The young people of the Way Forward’s Be Different to Make A Difference Advisory Group is focussing this small grant programme on supporting children, young people and their families to shape and share experiences, create connections, and to create the conditions where they are empowered to influence participation, policy and practice across Scotland, and can thrive in the future.