Enable Programmes 2024
Programme Opens Closes Charities advised of outcome by
Enable Early autumn TBC End of November 2024

Eligibility

Your charity must support vulnerable groups. 

Your charity must also be registered in Scotland with a charity number beginning SC0.

Your records at OSCR (and Companies House if applicable) must not be overdue.

You CANNOT APPLY if your charity’s sole purpose on OSCR is listed as being: - 

  • the advancement of animal welfare
  • the advancement of religion

You CANNOT APPLY if your charity’s sole type of activity undertaken on OSCR is listed as being: - 

  • it makes grants, donations, or gifts to organisations. 

You CANNOT APPLY if your charity is a political organisation. 

You CANNOT APPLY if your charity already has a live grant with us. Your grant Terms & Conditions email will contain the date of when you’re eligible to apply again.

You CANNOT APPLY if your charity has received a decline from us within the last 12 months. The decline email you received will contain the date of when you’re eligible to apply again.

Full eligibility criteria will be shared before the programme opens.

Eligibility Guidelines

Enable grants provide restricted funding for volunteering projects/costs/initiatives such as:

  • Volunteer database costs
  • Volunteer transport costs
  • Volunteer Manager salaries/partial salaries of charity employees whose role is to support volunteers
  • Volunteer training
  • Volunteer protective equipment/clothing/badges
  • Volunteer out-of-pocket expenses e.g. drinks/meals
  • Volunteer insurance
  • Volunteer administration e.g. newsletters, meetings
  • Volunteer advertising and recruitment costs

To enable volunteers and ensure they can support charities the best they can, our funding can also be used to purchase materials for activities that volunteers are delivering.  For example, the purchase of:

  • plants/fencing for a sensory garden that volunteers will be building
  • I-pads for volunteer counsellors to hold online counselling sessions
  • fridges for a foodbank manned by volunteers
  • supplies for a volunteer-led arts and crafts therapy group

If you have any questions about how you may use Enable restricted funding, please email the team at enquiries@bankofscotlandfoundation.co.uk or call 07385 02442

Decision Making Process

Every application we receive is unique however our approach during the assessment period is consistent  - whether you are applying for £1.5k or £150k. 

Our overarching aim is to fund, support and champion charities that are making a difference with vulnerable people and improving their quality of life.

Initial Checks

All applications are checked to ensure that they meet our eligibility criteria and all supporting documentation has been uploaded.  Details can be found here. 

Assessment

If an application meets our initial checks, it will be assessed by one of our Grant Managers who will consider:

  • The purpose of your charity (why you do what you do) and the vulnerabilities of the people you support
  • Your activities and the difference your charity makes to the lives of the people you support 
  • Why you need funding and (if applicable) what unrestricted funding will help you to do?  
  • Your financial position – your current sources of income, your funding gap/need for funding, your unrestricted reserves

Our Grant Managers assess each application on a stand-alone basis.

Further Information

We may contact applicants to gather further information if needed.

Decisions

When the Grant Managers have made their recommendations, they have a detailed review and challenge session with the Chief Executive.

Trustees

All decisions are presented to the Board of Trustees who have final approval. 

Notification

All applicants are informed of their decision and advised of next steps.  Where an application is declined, we can offer feedback calls to explain the reasons why.

Early autumn