2025 GRANTS PROGRAMMES NOW ANNOUNCED
You can read more about our 2025 grants programmes in our funding bulletin
Building a Brighter Future for Scotland
In Scotland, social exclusion, disadvantage, and deprivation remain huge priorities to address.
Levels of poverty were increasing long before the shocks of the last four years. The impact of the cost of living crisis on quality of life is profound, with a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable people who are more susceptible to experiencing harm, discrimination, or disadvantage.
Through our new five-year strategy – Building a Brighter Future for Scotland – the needs and aspirations of vulnerable people will drive our work as we aim to fund, support and champion the small and local charities that work to improve their quality of life.
Four strategic aims will determine our programmes of work over the next five years:
• Flexibility and mutual understanding will underpin our work as we make more of multi-year and unrestricted funding, enabling charities to use their grants in the way that helps them best.
• Through collaboration with Lloyds Banking Group, we'll be a source of added value for charities offering strategic development support and colleague volunteers.
• Working with charities and other funders we aim to become more influential by championing the work of charities and raising awareness of the challenges vulnerable people face.
• We'll keep listening and learning, and monitoring and evaluating to continually improve ourselves and ensure we work effectively and efficiently to maximise our contribution and the impact of the charities we support.
You can read more about our new strategy in our latest newsletter
| Programme | Opens | Closes | Charities advised of outcome by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energise | Noon Monday 2nd June 2025 | Noon Wednesday 11th June 2025 | End August 2025 |
What We Do
Bank of Scotland Foundation receives an annual donation from Lloyds Banking Group as part of the Group's commitment to Helping Scotland Prosper. We distribute these funds to charities across Scotland through our Grants Programmes and a Matched Giving Programme for Lloyds Banking Group colleagues in Scotland.
Launched in January 2024, ‘Building a brighter future for Scotland’ is the Foundation’s five year strategic plan which includes a range of new funding programmes for small charities supporting vulnerable people across Scotland.
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To be eligible to apply, charities must: -
- have an income of between £150k - £500k
- have a minimum of three years accounts lodged at OSCR
Charities can apply for a 3 year unrestricted grant of £150k (£50k per annum).
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To be eligible to apply, charities must: -
- have an income of £150k or less
- have a minimum of one year accounts lodged at OSCR
Charities can apply for a 2 year unrestricted grant of up to £40k (£20k per annum).
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To be eligible to apply, charities must: -
- have an income of £500k or less
- have a minimum of two years accounts lodged at OSCR
Charities can apply for a 3 year grant of between £30k - £90k (£10k - £30k per annum) for restricted funding for volunteering projects/costs/initiatives.
Opportunity to engage colleagues from Lloyds Banking Group in volunteering.
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Lloyds Banking Group colleagues can claim up to £1,000 each calendar year for a charity for which they have either raised money for or given time to.
They can claim up to £500 for fundraising events and/or £500 for voluntary time given (£10 per hour).
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Through collaboration with Lloyds Banking Group, we’re a source of added value for charities offering strategic development support and colleague volunteers.
SCVO
The national membership organisation for the voluntary sector aiming to support, promote and develop a confident, sustainable voluntary sector in Scotland.
Scottish Grantmakers
Set up in 1993 (with now 45 members) to share best practice in grantmaking to promote the voluntary sector and the effectiveness of charities.
Scotland Funder’s Forum
Described as a Funders’ Collaborative Hub, the forum promotes good and effective funding practice and sharing learning about funding practice.
Association of Charitable Foundations
The leading membership association for foundations and independent grantmakers in the UK aiming to strengthen trusts and foundations to ‘rise to the challenges of our times.’
ACOSVO
A membership organisation of over 750 voluntary sector Chief Executives and senior leaders across Scotland, all committed to the vision of: 'Excellent Voluntary Sector Leadership in Scotland.'
IVAR
IVAR works with charities, foundations and public agencies to strengthen communities across the UK through action research.