Apply for funding

First Funding Window – Medium Fund

• Opens: Monday, 10th March 2025, 12 noon

• Closes: Friday, 28th March 2025, 12 noon

• Grant Available: Up to £10,000 (Medium Fund)

• Funding Announcements: By the end of May 2025

• Funding Distributed: By the end of June 2025

Eligible charities can apply for grants to support projects and activities that address issues such as poverty, financial hardship, social exclusion, or disability. The Medium Fund aims to support impactful initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Practical family support (food, clothing, shelter)

• Support for single parents or parents of preschool children with disabilities

• After-school care and holiday cover with educational support

• Youth clubs, employability training, or one-to-one mentoring programmes

To be eligible to apply for a Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust Medium Fund grant, applying organisations should meet the following criteria:

• The organisation applying should be a registered charity in Scotland with a charity bank account. It should also return annual accounts.

• The money is for a project delivered in Scotland.

• The charities accounts are up to date.

• Work with the most vulnerable children, young people and families at a demonstrably high risk of being negatively impacted by poverty.

• Demonstrate involvement of individuals and communities that understand and have experience of the issues that poverty presents.

• Work outside, or supplementary to, statutory responsibilities.

• Clearly demonstrate positive impacts and can deliver end of grant analysis reports.

• We ask for charities to have a level of match funding in place to support their project or activity.

We will not fund:

• Statutory agencies or projects or activities which are a statutory responsibility.

• We do not accept applications for any charitable arm of a Local Authority, Arms Length External Organisations (ALEO’s), Housing Associations or their charitable arms.

• We do not accept applications from Community Interest Companies (CIC).

• A project or activity that takes place outside of Scotland.

• Retrospective or deficit funding or repayment of loans.

• Administration costs (including marketing and IT).

• Projects or activities undertaken by any organisation other than by registered charities.

• Projects that require funding for more than one year.

• Charities that are in receipt of an active grant award from Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust.

How much can you apply for?

The Medium Fund will allow applying charities to apply for a funding grant of up to £10,000.

Examples of projects or activities that we may consider funding include those delivering:

• Practical family support including food, clothing and shelter.

• Support for single parents including parenting skills, health and nutrition.

• Accessible and affordable daycare or play facilities.

• support for vulnerable parents with preschool children or families with pre-school children suffering from any type of disability.

• Provision of after school care/holiday cover ensuring time and resource for additional educational support.

• Provision of specific IT/educational equipment for socially deprived children or children suffering from any form of physical or mental disability.

• One to one mentoring of children struggling within school because of family circumstances.

• Support for community libraries and learning spaces.

• Community based leisure and sporting programmes.

• Local youth clubs and recreational activities.

• Employability and skills training within a local community.

• Mentoring or one to one support, building the self-confidence and skills required to enter the employment market.

How we will fund

Applications for funding which satisfy our guidance and are received before the closing deadline of the funding window will be presented to and assessed by the Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust Board of Trustees. The final decisions as to the award of funding will be determined by the Trustees.

Application Milestones

• Interested parties complete application form.

• Applications are reviewed and a shortlist is prepared.

• Further information may be required (including by interview and/or project/activity/charity visits).

• Shortlist presented at quarterly meeting of Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust Board of Trustees.

• Terms of Funding of successful applicants issued and accepted.

• Funding issued to successful applicants.

• As a successful applicant, your registered charity/SCIO will have to wait 12 months from your initial project funding start point before reapplying to Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust.

• An unsuccessful applicant will be informed when they can reapply to Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust.

• We will work with all successful applicants on an appropriate marketing and media plan.

• All successful applicants will be required to complete impact analysis on the completion of their funding award period. This will be discussed in more detail with the applicant in advance of the funding award period ending.

Second Funding Window – Small Fund & Bright Futures Fund

• Opens: Monday, 15th September 2025, 12 noon.

• Closes: Friday, 3rd October 2025, 12 noon

Grants Available:

• Small Fund: Up to £5,000

• Bright Futures Fund: Grant details to be announced soon

• Funding Announcements: Mid-November 2025

• Funding Distributed: By the end of December 2025 (or earlier for Christmas/December-related activities)

The second window will focus on smaller projects and activities, alongside initiatives aimed at creating brighter futures for children in Scotland.

How to Apply

To apply for funding, eligible charities must submit their application through our online platform within the specified funding window. Please note that applications will only become available on the platform once the funding window officially opens.

Important Information:

• All applications must be completed and submitted before the deadline

• No extensions will be granted, so we strongly recommend submitting your application well in advance of the closing date to avoid last-minute issues.

• Each application will be thoroughly reviewed by the Scottish Children’s Lottery Trust Board of Trustees, who will make the final decisions on funding awards

Access the Online Platform: https://scottishchildrenslottery.grantplatform.com/

We are committed to supporting your vital work in improving the lives of children and young people across Scotland. If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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