Strengthening Organisations

Who can apply

You can apply if you currently have funding from us, and your organisation is a:

• constituted voluntary or community organisation
• constituted group or club
• registered charity
• Scottish charitable incorporated organisation (SCIO)
• not-for-profit company
• community interest company (CIC)
• community benefit society.

You need at least 2 board or committee members who are not related

Related can mean:

• related by marriage
• in a civil partnership with each other
• in a long-term relationship with each other
• related through a long term partner
• living together at the same address
• related by blood.

All companies who apply must have at least 2 directors who are not related in any of these ways. This also applies to companies that are also registered as charities.

Who cannot apply

Who we cannot accept applications from:

• organisations that do not currently have funding from us
• organisations that already have this funding (Strengthening Organisations)
• individuals
• sole traders
• organisations based outside the UK
• companies that can pay profits to directors, shareholders or members (including Companies Limited by Shares)
• organisations applying to more than one of our programmes for the same project over the same period. This is because you cannot get duplicate funding for something we're already funding you to do. It’s OK to apply to another programme if you've already had an unsuccessful decision though
• one organisation applying on behalf of another
• schools
• statutory organisations
• faith based organisations.

You can get help from support organisations - like your local authority or Third Sector Interface (TSI)

They may be able to give you support and advice on writing your application.

What we’re hoping to fund

To apply for this funding, your organisation must:

So to help us decide which applications to fund, we’ll look at what your organisation does and how it works. As well as what you’ll do with this funding.

Working with people that experience poverty, disadvantage or discrimination

We want to fund organisations that support vulnerable or excluded communities. We’ll expect you to tell us how your organisation works with these groups.

Involving the people you support in designing your work

We want to fund organisations that design their work with the people they support. We’ll want to see that you:

The work we fund must meet one of these outcomes

Organisations we fund are able to:

• overcome challenges and plan for the future

For example by:

• adapting your services when things change
• improving how you plan and manage staff or resources
• making your services or organisation more effective and efficient
• improving your processes or technology.

• try out new ideas and ways of working

For example by:

• piloting something that’s worked elsewhere
• increasing opportunities for people to have a say in your work
• testing ways to help you reach different people
• connecting with other organisations to share learning or resources.

You can achieve both outcomes. But you will not improve your chances of getting funding by achieving both outcomes.

If you’ll be working with children, young people or vulnerable adults

You need to have a policy in place that explains how they’ll be safe. If you get funding you’ll need to follow our expectations on safeguarding children and adults at risk.

The SCVO website has child safeguarding advice and information services.

We offer funding from £300 to £50,000. And can support your work for up to 2 years.

We’ll fund organisations of any size - including smaller organisations.

We can fund:

• part of your organisations’ overheads

We’ll fund the delivery of the project. And we’ll fund some of the indirect project costs

Also known as overheads. This could include things like rent or insurance. Or part of a salary for someone not working directly on the project. Like a senior manager or an office admin worker.

For example, the project you’re applying for could be half the work your organisation does. In that case, we could fund half of your overheads.

This is sometimes known as full cost recovery. Find out how to work out overheads in our guide to full cost recovery.

• equipment
• staff costs
• training costs
• transport
• utilities
• volunteer expenses
• fees for specialist consultants.

Working with consultants

You should let us know if you plan to use a consultant when you contact us about your idea.

Using a specialist consultant can help bring new skills or experience to your organisation. We can fund you to work with a consultant if that’s what you need.

But be careful of businesses or consultants that contact you first. They may say they’re acting on our behalf, or that they’re our preferred supplier. This is not how we usually work.

When you’re looking for a consultant, you should try to get 3 quotes for the work you need done. We'll ask to see evidence of this.

You cannot use our funding to pay a consultant for writing your application.

We cannot fund:

• retrospective costs
• alcohol
• contingency costs, loans, endowments or interest
• paying someone else to write your application for you
• profit-making or fundraising activities
• VAT you can reclaim
• religious activities (we can fund religious organisations if their project benefits the wider community and does not include religious content)
• statutory activities
• activities that help children or young people with their schoolwork during school time
• overseas travel
• projects that take place outside of the UK
• activities that make profits for private gain
• cash that will be given directly to individuals.