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A World of Opportunity

24 Aug 2010 in Audience Development Blog, General

 

Open Up Your Windows

Open Up Your Windows

  
There are a wide range of support mechanisms out there in the funding world, including grants, loans, investments, award schemes and many more to suit your organisation, group or project. While governmental bodies sort out how and where their public funding cuts will take place, we are actively sourcing and investigating alternative funding streams such as the Big Lottery Fund and trusts and foundations providing grants for cultural projects. Below is a snapshot of some of the funding opportunities that are available for the cultural sector that may benefit your project or give you some inspiration for a future project.         
    
The Big Lottery Fund – Investing in Communities Area: Scotland Application open/close dates: 30 June 2010 – 30 June 2015  Min/Max – £10,000 – £1 million  Investing in Communities focus on three investment areas:  

  • Growing Community Assets – aims to help communities take more control and have more influence over their own future through ownership of assets.
  • Life Transitions – aims to support projects that help people at key times of change, helping them to make their lives better for the future.
  • Supporting 21st Century Life – aims to support projects that build stronger families and stronger communities.

The fund seeks to fund projects which will bring about lasting change, with equalities, environment and empowerment at the heart of the projects they will support.  

Please click on this link to view the full guidance notes for the fund.  
 Awards for All Scotland  

Area: Scotland  

Min/Max – £500 – £10,000  

Awards for All Scotland aims to help people become more actively involved in projects that make a positive difference to their local communities. They aim to fund projects that meet one or more of the following outcomes:  

  • People have better chances in life – i.e. trying out new activities, volunteering, learning new skills or playing a more active role in their community.
  • Communities are safer, stronger and more able to work together to tackle inequalities – i.e. by enabling different communities or younger and older people to tackle common issues together.
  • People have better and more sustainable services and environments – i.e. by improving community spaces or increasing recycling.
  • People and communities are healthier – i.e. by enabling more people to take part in activities that improve their health and well being.

For more information and guidance please click on this link for the full Awards for All Scotland Guide.  

   

Trusts and Foundations 

Below are just a snapshot of the trusts and foundations that fund arts and culture.  

Esmee Fairbairn Foundation– The foundation aims to improve the quality of life throughout the UK. Their primary interests are in the cultural life of the UK, education and learning, the natural environment and enabling disadvantaged people to participate more fully in society.  

Clore Duffield Foundation– A grant-making organisation that concentrates its support on education, the arts, museum and gallery education, cultural leadership training, health and social care.  

Foyle Foundation– Is an independent grantmaking trust that distributes grants to UK charities. The Main Grants Scheme for the Arts supports applications with a strong artistic case for support in either the performing or visual arts. The Arts Programme aims to help sustain the arts and to support projects that particularly help to deliver artistic vision.  

The Macrobert Trust– The trust was established by Lady MacRobert during World War II. The Trust’s categories of interest include: science and technology, youth, services and sea, education, disabled and handicapped, community welfare, and their minor categories include agriculture and horticulture, arts and music, and medical care. The MacRobert Trust gives preference to organisations based in Scotland.   

The Robertson Trust– An independent Scottish grant-making Trust, this exists to provide financial support to charities in Scotland. Their four main priority areas are care, health, education and training, community art and sport.  

   

Other Support 

Scottish Community Foundation Grants   

The Scottish Community Foundation aims to improve the quality of life and chances for the people of Scotland. Their work covers a wide range of social welfare and community development activities through a number of different grant programmes.  

The two grant programmes open to groups throughout Scotland are:  

  • Community Grants – grants of up to £5,000
  • Woman’s Fund for Scotland – grants of up to £5,000.

Community Grants are one off grants directed at locally based work carried out, and often initiated by, members of that local community.  

Please click on the following link for more information about the Scottish Community Foundation and the grant making programming.  

In-Kind Advertsing for non-profit organisastions from Google  

Google Grants offers an in-kind donation programme awarding free AdWords advertsing to select charitable organisations. Google supports organisations sharing their philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy and the arts.