Funding to support children and young people experiencing inequality
Corra’s Henry Duncan Grants are open to organisations supporting children and young people (aged 6-26 years) experiencing inequality. Grassroots organisations with an annual income of £500,000 or less can apply for up to £8,000 a year for up to five years.
This year Corra is working alongside children and young people to support the design and decision-making processes for Henry Duncan Grants.
The theme for this year was developed with children and young people, and two key priority areas were identified:
Organisations that are supporting children and young people to shape their own lives.
Organisations that are supporting children and young people to develop skills for the future.
Carolyn Sawers, Corra Acting CEO said: “Our strategy is all about listening to people’s voices, shifting power and getting alongside people to create change. This means grant making needs to be shaped by the people it exists to serve.
“We’re enormously grateful to the children and young people who helped us design this year’s Henry Duncan Grants, and to those who will participate in making the funding decisions.
“One of the things we’ll be looking for is organisations that engage children and young people in their own design and decision-making processes.”
Corra welcomes applications from organisations working to:
Provide advice and advocacy services that are person-centred and led by the child/children or young person/people.
Support safe spaces for children and young people to connect with each other and access support.
At least £300,000 (approximately 30%) of the fund budget will support organisations that are led by Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities. This reflects the historic inequity of funding and Corra’s proactive focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
The closing date for applications is 12pm on Tuesday 5 July.
Corra will be holding information sessions for organisations interested in applying to Henry Duncan Grants as well as opportunities to discuss ideas with a Grants Advisor.
Three good causes across the East of Scotland have been awarded a share of a £25,000 funding pot, thanks to Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect award scheme.
Sepsis Research (FEAT) secured £15,000 in funding, with FetLor Youth Club and You’re Never Too Old (YNTO) both receiving a £5,000 award. The charities were shortlisted by the community retailer to receive the lifeline financial support helping them to continue carrying out their vital work within their communities.
Sepsis Research (FEAT) strives to identify why some people are more affected by sepsis than others. Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection when your body’s immune system overreacts, and this can quickly lead to multiple organ failure. Funding from Scotmid will be used to research genetic variants, target new treatments and improve survival rates for those affected.
FetLor Youth Club provides services, including free activities and hot meals, for children and young people aged 7 to 17 in North Edinburgh, many of whom come from disadvantaged areas. Funding from Scotmid will be used to host the 2022 Summer programme which supports over 1000 people, allowing children and their families can spend time together and enjoy life changing experiences.
You’re Never Too Old (YNTO) supports older socially isolated people living in their own homes in the North-West area of Edinburgh. Twice a week they provide transport for members to the club where they take part in stimulating activities, days out and enjoy lunch together. Reducing isolation, making new friends and creating memories is at the heart of everything You’re Never Too Old do. Funding from Scotmid will be used to help cover transportation costs.
Dr Richie Adams, Chief Executive at FetLor Youth Club, said: ” FetLor is delighted to receive this award from Scotmid. We will use the £5,000 funding to give young people a fantastic summer holiday of fun and educational experiences.
“Our programme of events brings communities together and offers opportunities many of our members may not, otherwise, be able to access. Our summer programme is all about giving our young people the best summer ever!”
“This funding will allow us collect, store and process patient DNA samples and investigate why some people get so sick from sepsis and others make a fully recovery. The hope in the future is that this research will be able to develop new treatments so more lives can be saved.”
Anne Stewart from You’re Never Too Old, said: “YNTO is absolutely delighted we have been awarded funding of £5,000.
“We would like to thank Scotmid and all the members for voting for YNTO. The funding is extremely important and will ensure we continue to make a difference to older, socially isolated people.”
Since Scotmid’s Community Connect launched in 2017, more than £500,000 has been awarded to 54 good cause groups enabling key projects to continue operating in their local areas.
“We have seen first-hand how local charities and good cause groups have provided a vital lifeline to many people, particularly over the course of the pandemic, whilst also facing new challenges of their own.
“We are truly delighted to award these good causes with this funding support, which will help them continue providing vital services within their own communities.”
Migraine Trust and Thistle Health and Wellbeing among projects benefiting from investment
Nineteen projects supporting people with neurological conditions are to benefit from Scottish Government backing.
As part of a five-year neurological care and support action plan, innovative projects which harness new techniques and technology will be helped by a third round of funding – with £1 million commissioned for work across Scotland.
The 2022 to 2023 award will continue to support earlier projects as well as invest in new schemes.
These include a collaborative bid from the Migraine Trust and NHS Grampian to work with community, primary and secondary care pharmacists to help people with migraine manage their symptoms and treatments more effectively.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Partnership Delivery Group will also receive more than £100,000 to meet key Neurological Care and Support Framework commitments – helping people to live well and improving patient experience.
Epilepsy Scotland will receive more than £40,000 to improve mental health outcomes for people with epilepsy, and other projects include NHS Lothian’s digital neurosymptoms platform.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Around one million people in Scotland live with a neurological condition and our neurological action plan provides a clear vision for those affected to be able to access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms.
“The allocation of this funding, as part of our £4.5 million investment over five years, will benefit a wide range of projects helping those living with epilepsy, Parkinson’s, ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders.
“We know that migraine, which affects one in seven Scots, can have a hugely negative impact on the lives of those affected by it and this investment will enable the Migraine Trust and NHS Grampian to help those dealing with it.
“But all of these innovative projects, including cross-sector collaborations, seek to ensure seamless access to high-quality and co-ordinated health, social care and third sector support in the right place at the right time.”
The Scotch Whisky Action Fund offers eligible projects up to £25,000 – closes 25th April
Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, set up the Scotch Whisky Action Fund (SWAF) in 2013 and has to date awarded over £940,000 to 70+ projects aiming to reduce the negative impact of alcohol-related harm across Scotland.
Only open once a year, Foundation Scotland is urging interested groups to apply now as applications close on the 25th April 2022. Offering up to £25,000 in funding; it is the only fund dedicated to tackling alcohol-related harm in Scotland and supports targeted interventions, new initiatives and pilot projects designed to tackle alcohol-related harms in Scotland’s communities.
Jennifer McPhail, Funds Adviser at Foundation Scotland, said:“We’re delighted to be running this important funding stream again.
“Now in its ninth year, the Scotch Whisky Action Fund has already made a massive impact on individuals and communities affected by alcohol-related harms. The alcohol industry plays an important role in Scottish society, and Scotch Whisky is at the heart of the industry.
“However, the misuse of alcohol through excessive or inappropriate consumption can have implications for health and a range of social problems, including anti-social behaviour, violence, family breakdown, problems with money and work. This can impact individuals, families and communities.
“The fund is not set up to support recovery or treatment of alcohol issues. Rather it’s for innovative projects to educate, raise awareness, and prevent future alcohol-related harm.
“Examples of projects include preventative training programmes and diversionary activities for young people, peer support groups for carers and family member counselling services.
“There are many examples of previously funded projects available on our website and we are advising interested groups to carefully read through all the guidance before applying. We are encouraging those that are interested to progress quickly as the fund only opens once a year.”
Groups such as Waverley Care, Paisley YMCA, Bright Light and Govan Youth Information Project have received project support across the lifetime of the fund.
Projects which secure funding from SWAF, and can demonstrate an impact after their first year of funding, may be able to receive further funding of up to £25,000 per annum for a maximum of three years, to support their initiative.
For full information, including eligibility criteria and application details visit:
A company behind innovation to create healthy forest ecosystems which support successful tree-planting has secured £370,000 in equity investment.
Edinburgh-headquartered Rhizocore Technologies produces locally adapted mycorrhizal fungi to enhance tree-planting projects, a key measure in addressing carbon sequestration. The company’s specially developed fungal pellets are used when new saplings are planted helping accelerate woodland regeneration, improve forest productivity, and increase natural capital benefits.
Rhizocore was founded by Toby Parkes, a Biology graduate from the University of Bath who also holds a PhD in Biochemistry; and David Satori, a Master’s degree graduate in Plant and Fungal Taxonomy, Diversity and Conservation from Queen Mary University of London and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
The pair developed their business idea with support from the University of Edinburgh’s Roslin Innovation Centre. Rhizocore also participated in the Food & Agriculture Science Transformer (FAST) programme.
A collaboration between Deep Science Ventures and the University of Edinburgh, FAST is supported by the University’s Data-Driven Entrepreneurship programme to work with innovative high growth start-ups operating in the agriculture sector. The initiative draws applications from around the world.
The seed investment package secured by Rhizocore includes £85K of equity funding via the Edinburgh Technology Fund (ETF) managed by the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh Innovations Investment Team, and a further £85K from Deep Sciences Ventures. An additional £70K comes from climate tech investors including David Rowan with £130K investment from Nucleus Capital, specialist investors which provide finance for purpose-driven entrepreneurs tackling planetary health challenges.
The company has also secured around £180K in additional grants from SMART:SCOTLAND, Scottish Edge, the Forestry Commission, and Graduate Career Advantage Scotland.
The University of Edinburgh assisted Rhizocore providing strategic business advice including internal and external due diligence support on its recent SMART:SCOTLAND grant application.
Now employing seven staff, Rhizocore will use this additional investment to scale its business across all parts of the UK where local fungi is implemented as part of its production processes. The company will also invest in further strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing woodland ecosystems and increasing carbon sequestration from tree-planting projects.
Rhizocore is currently involved in several existing pilot projects including one with woodland regeneration charity Trees for Life in the Caledonian rainforest, and another with forestry management company Tilhill in the Scottish Borders.
Rhizocore co-founder and CEO Toby Parkes said: “This latest investment will help us scale production as we aim to support the planting of 40 million new trees across the UK every year.
“The range of support we’ve had from angel investors and grant funding bodies is a real testimony to our innovative approach in addressing the challenges of successful and sustainable tree-planting by enhancing local forestry ecosystems.”
Charlotte Waugh, Enterprise and Innovation Programme Lead at Edinburgh Innovations, said: “The University of Edinburgh is proud to support and invest in Rhizocore, a purpose-led business focused on maximising the impact of reforestation projects.
“The company’s participation in the FAST programme and further support through the Roslin Innovation Centre has helped Rhizocore develop its proposition where it’s now ready to scale for significant growth. We look forward to working with them and supporting the exciting journey that lies ahead.”
A total of 77 initiatives working with people affected by drug use are to receive awards totalling more than £25 million over the next five years.
Grants of more than £6 million in total have been allocated to 16 organisations providing residential rehabilitation and pre and post rehabilitation support to enable them to further enhance their services.
The charity Teen Challenge UK, which supports young people with drug and alcohol addictions is among the recipients. An award of almost £800,000 will be used to improve and increase capacity at their Sunnybrae and Benaiah rehabilitation centres in Aberdeenshire by increasing staffing and carrying out refurbishment work.
A further 38 awards totalling more than £10 million have been made to organisations who support people through recovery including WRASAC (Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre) Dundee & Angus Ltd.
The money will be spent on establishing a women’s hub in Dundee to support women with substance dependency and additional complex needs.
In addition, 23 projects working with children and families have received funding of almost £9.5 million.
Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said: “I am pleased that so many organisations doing valuable work around the country are to benefit from this latest round of funding from our Improvement Fund and Children and Families Fund.
“The grants awarded will enable services to increase and improve the support available for people suffering from addiction and of course, their families.
“Getting more people into the treatment which works for them is central to our National Mission and we continue to embed the new Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards which reinforce a rights-based approach for people who use drugs and the treatment they should expect regardless of their circumstances.
“We aim to increase the number of publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements by more than 300 per cent over the lifetime of this Parliament and I recently announced a treatment target to increase the number of people with problematic opiate drug use accessing community treatments.
“I am determined that the £250 million we are investing in tackling this public health emergency will make a difference and we will continue to prioritise our efforts to turn this crisis around.”
Teen Challenge North East Scotland Area Manager Gordon Cruden said: “We are extremely grateful to have been awarded this funding for our work at Teen Challenge North East Scotland.
“We are passionate about seeing people set free from addiction and this funding will help us support more men and women to freedom.
“The grant has been specifically awarded to improve, expand and increase the capacity of our two residential centres – our men’s centre, Sunnybrae, and women’s centre, Benaiah – through increased staffing, improvements to equipment and minor refurbishments.
“A main aim of ours is to see each resident progress on with positive personal life goals in the areas of home, career, financial stability and social network and this funding will help us to support people to achieve just that.”
From Annan’s Lonsdale Cinema to Mareel in Shetland, 29 independent cinemas and two touring cinema operators from across Scotland have received new funding support from the Scottish Government through Screen Scotland.
The £3.19 million Recovery Fund for Indie Cinemas will help stabilise, rebuild and revitalise independent cinema businesses in Scotland, by supporting new activity and initiatives that help address the fundamental shifts to the industry brought about by COVID-19.
Edinburgh’s Dominion Cinema is among the beneficiaries.
Sambrooke Scott, Head of Audience Developmentat Screen Scotland said: “Scotland has a marvellously unique cohort of independent cinemas serving communities across the country, from historic purpose-built venues to arts centres and multi-screen cinemas.
“Despite facing unprecedented challenges as we adapt to living with COVID they have continued to provide vital cultural, social and economic hubs for the towns and cities they serve.
“This fund will ensure they are able to continue that work and make vital changes to welcome cinema-goers back, to reach new audiences and future generations to come.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertsonsaid: “We’re delighted to support independent cinemas across the country to build back and adapt their businesses in the light of the challenges faced by the industry throughout the Covid pandemic.
“Local cinemas are a focal point for communities and these funds will help them to develop new activities to re-engage with, and grow, their audiences.”
This latest funding takes the total emergency funds awarded to cinemas, from the Scottish Government through Screen Scotland, since the pandemic began in March 2020 to £8,727,829 through the Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund and the Recovery Fund for Indie Cinemas.
Over £85,000 awarded to 12 organisations from Foundation Scotland’s PHP Community Impact Fund
Foundation Scotland, Scotland’s community foundation, has announced a dozen community projects in Scotland have received a funding boost thanks to the new PHP Community Impact Fund.
The fund, established by Primary Health Properties, launched last Autumn to offer support for health and wellbeing initiatives in the communities served by its medical practices.
Managed by Foundation Scotland, one of only two community foundations in the UK to pilot the new initiative, the fund is designed to provide additional and innovative services for those most in need from the patients served by practice buildings owned by PHP across the country.
Social prescribing enables a holistic approach to people’s health and wellbeing and is increasingly being used to complement the work of GPs and their teams.
The approach continues to play a vital role in helping communities recover and rebuild after the coronavirus pandemic, with a particular emphasis on services to support mental health and combat loneliness.
As one of the UK’s leading investors in modern primary healthcare facilities, PHP created the Community Impact Fund to support GP practices and their communities with this model of care.
Two Edinburgh-based projects – Thistle Health and Wellbeing (£10,000) and Carr-Gomm (£5000) – have received PHP Community Impact funding.
Jennifer McPhail, Fund Adviser from Foundation Scotland, explained: ““We were delighted PHP chose Scotland to pilot this innovative new fund. With 38 properties spread across the country we were able to reach community projects from the Lothians up to Aberdeenshire.
“The Community Impact Fund launched at a critical time following the height of the pandemic. As our NHS continues to be under immense pressure, this is a fantastic initiative from PHP to help improve patient wellbeing outcomes, quality of life and emotional wellbeing”
Teapot Trust, a mental health charity in Musselburgh that provides support for children and families coping with chronic conditions received £5,000 from the fund for a new social prescribing project providing one-to-one art therapy sessions for children and young people.
Working closely with Community Link Workers, Teapot Trust will encourage self-referrals from children, young people and families in need of support in order to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Sarah Randell, Chief Executive, Teapot Trust, said: “We are most grateful for the support of Foundation Scotland. The funding we have received from the PHP Community Impact Fund is extending the reach of our one-to-one art psychotherapy service for children and young people struggling to cope with a chronic physical condition.
“The Teapot Trust self-referrals scheme enables families to get the support they need when they need it most. This funding is supporting referrals from either a PHP owned GP Practice or directly from one of their patient families for the first time.
“Teapot Trust is delighted to help children and families build resilience, develop healthy coping mechanisms and improve mental health and wellbeing through this work across Scotland.”
Across Scotland, a total of £86,927 was distributed among 12 organisations delivering a range of health and wellbeing programmes for their local communities.
These include services to support young people’s mental health and social inclusion, art therapy for children with long-term chronic conditions, gardening activities to promote wellbeing. This is an excellent example of true partnership working with GP’s, social prescribers and community groups coming together to deliver targeted solutions to their patients.
Harry Hyman, CEO of Primary Health Care Properties, commented: “We were delighted with the range and scope of the applications to our new Community Impact Fund.
“It’s clear that social prescribing is an important area of growth in promoting health and wellbeing and we look forward to hearing how the organisations we have funded are able to develop their services over the coming months.”
EVOC is delighted to announce that more than 120 community and voluntary organisations are to benefit from grants totalling £1.32 million from the Scottish Government’s Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in Edinburgh.
This investment will support a wide range of projects and enable people across the City to access additional mental health and wellbeing support in their communities. Programmes being funded include activity-based canal boat trips; befriending services; art therapy sessions; community garden growing workshops; 1 to 1 mentoring with childcare; outdoor programmes for families; local pantries and counselling.
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants is available here.
As a partner in Edinburgh’s Third Sector Interface we have taken the lead in developing a new community commissioning-based funding approach that invests the Scottish Government funding in projects that support the needs of different communities.
The process has taken both a geographical and thematic approach and focused on making sure people get the support they need, when they need it, where they need it.
Ian Brooke, EVOC’s Deputy Chief Executive said: “‘It is fantastic to see this investment going out to grass-roots organisations across Edinburgh and to know this is the result of shared decisions based on evidence of real need in the City’s communities.
“Our ambition to roll out a community commissioning-based approach for this fund, in less than six months, has relied on the hard work, commitment and energy of everyone involved.
“We believe this is the first process of its kind to be delivered in Scotland, if not the UK and have commissioned a research team to make sure that lessons learned and further improvements are made from this experience which can then be used to develop and refine future cross-sector funding models.”
Fresh Startis one of more than a hundred and twenty organisations and partnerships that have received a grant in this the second phase of the Fund – fourteen grants of under £2,500 were awarded earlier this month.
They have been awarded £10,673 to deliver a project that reduces the anxiety and stress that parents and care givers encounter trying to keep food on the table.
Fresh Start will run a variety of food related projects including family Fridays, provide Dish of Day cook bags, deliver community meals and provide additional support to families to tackle holiday hunger.
It is envisaged that they will support over 100 families in North Edinburgh.
Biddy Kelly, Managing Director, Fresh Start said: “We are delighted to have been successful in our application to the Scottish Government Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund and are looking forward to getting the services to people at a time when they are most in need.
“I am also delighted that our collective Respond and Recovery Group in North Edinburgh could co-ordinate our applications to ensure maximum impact and reduce duplication, and that we saw a significant amount of essential work being not only funded but recognised by this process of funding in a new way.’
A partnership between Leith Community Growers and Leith Growing has been awarded £17,341.72 to explore views about local community garden development, develop community garden spaces across the North East of Edinburgh and deliver a programme of workshops on gardening, growing, connecting with nature and outdoor play.
Patrick Dunne, Leith Community Growers said: “‘Leith Community Growers aims to support and develop growing and green space initiatives in Leith.
“This funding allows us to run sessions about gardening with local organisations and our own community to the benefit of their wellbeing and mental health, and also supports us to encourage local community members to develop their local spaces in whatever way they can.
“It’s been interesting to be a part of this new model of funding process. While challenging at times it has encouraged us to reach out and collaborate with groups and spaces that are new to us and we are very happy that those new relationships will grow and be of benefit in our community in the next 12 months.
“We are looking forward to growing alongside the people of Leith this year.”
A NEW APPROACH
EVOC has worked alongside key partners in the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, Edinburgh’s Thrive Collaborative, Volunteer Edinburgh and others from the voluntary sector to develop a process that prioritises what works at a grass-roots level and what the people and communities of Edinburgh really value.
These efforts will continue and build on the City’s partnership working, developing new ways in which people and local organisations can be supported.
In addition, the work being carried out toward the development of an Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact offers opportunities for organisations to get involved throughout the next year.
Judith Proctor, Chief Officer, Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “The pandemic has seen rises in health inequalities, mental health challenges, and growth in social isolation.
“Whilst this is a national picture, in Edinburgh we are committed to finding ways to reach people and ensure they have access to the right kind of support at the right time. Everyone’s different.
“Via this funding, we’ve not only been able to accelerate work in this area, but through the engagement led by EVOC and our Edinburgh Wellbeing Pact, we’ve been able to reach a wide range of communities and reach those with lived experiences who are not always heard.
“Without doubt, we are very encouraged by what’s been achieved and are committed to building on this as we move forward.
“We’re incredibly thankful to all who have engaged and taken part in this process, particularly to our partners at EVOC for their hard work throughout.”
A full list of groups and organisations awarded grants from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for the City of Edinburgh can be found here.
The Scottish Government announced the £15 million-pound Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund in October last year and announced additional investment for this fund on 25 February.
An overview of the community commissioning process devised and delivered for the Edinburgh funding by EVOC and other key partners can be found here.
