Discover Funding Opportunities

Veterans' Foundation Grants Programme

The Veterans' Foundation (VF) has established a substantial grants programme to support charities and organisations that provide support to those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers and their immediate families. The VF gives priority to charities and organisations who can demonstrate that they are directly involved in the provision of support to those in need, with preference for organisations with low to medium income. The range of charities and organisations supported by VF is extensive and includes areas such as homelessness, employability, financial disadvantage, disability, welfare issues, mental health, support for families and children and assistance during older age. Applications are assessed by the Grants Team and considered by the CEO and/or the Grants Committee, with typically four funding rounds per year. The Foundation encourages applications from under-represented groups including people with additional support needs, ethnic minorities, LGBT+ community, and female groups.

Veterans' Foundation Small Grants Programme 2025

The Veterans' Foundation Small Grants programme was established to support charities and groups that provide assistance to those in need among serving armed forces personnel, veterans, operationally qualified seafarers and their immediate families. The programme gives priority to charities and organisations who are directly involved in the provision of support to those in need, with a focus on low to medium income organisations. Grants are available for between £500 and £5,000 and must be spent within 12 months. The Small Grants programme was designed to support primarily small, grassroots groups to flourish in the Armed Forces Community and to deliver impactful community-based activities. The eligibility, application and monitoring requirements are simpler than other VF grants programmes, targeting harder to reach groups that have not received funding from the VF in the past, such as breakfast clubs, drop-in centres, and groups that support underrepresented individuals. The programme operates on a rolling basis, allowing applications to be submitted at any time.

WATIF Driving Lesson Fund 2024

The WATIF Driving Lesson Fund provides financial support up to £300 for driving lessons to residents within the WATIF area of benefit in Scotland. The fund aims to enhance health and wellbeing, increase access to essential services, and encourage sustainable economic development by helping young people gain driving skills for employability, travel to education, and to reduce social isolation. Applications must be made by the person taking the lessons, and applicants can apply up to 4 months prior to their 17th birthday. Payment is made directly to the driving school or instructor upon approval. The fund is part of WATIF's broader mission to create a beautiful and vibrant place with a great quality of life for all through community partnership and support.

Whiteside Hill Wind Farm Community Fund

The Whiteside Hill Wind Farm Community Fund supports community projects benefiting those living in areas covered by the community councils of Kirkconnel and Kelloholm and the Royal Burgh of Sanquhar and District. This fund is provided by Netro Energy, which manages the Whiteside Hill Wind Farm. An annual amount of at least £135,000 per year, rising in line with inflation, will be paid into the fund for the operating life of the wind farm, which is expected to be 25 years. The fund opened in 2018. The fund prioritizes projects that contribute to Upper Nithsdale Community Trust priorities, including services and projects delivering economic benefits such as events, festivals, arts, employability activities, and tourism-related projects; activities demonstrating community benefits and building community capacity such as community-managed services, civic pride and environmental projects; and services addressing the needs of disadvantaged groups through early intervention, including young people and aging population engagement. Grant requests support a wide range of costs and activities including equipment costs, running costs for local groups, staff or sessional worker costs, consultations, and maintenance or refurbishment of community facilities. Multi-year awards for a maximum of three years may be applied for. Applications are prioritized when they enhance or are additional to normal service provision, demonstrate community consultation, and show evidence of working in partnership with other organisations.

River Avich Hydro Education & Training Fund

This fund provides bursaries for individuals living in Inverinan, Lochavich, Dalavich, or Kilmaha seeking to improve their employability prospects or develop a new career. Awards can support participation in a range of courses, from short non-certificated courses to post-graduate degrees. Started in 2021, the fund is being provided by Awesome Energy Dalriada (AED), owner and operator of the River Avich Hydro-power Scheme. AED is a community benefit society set up and run by the local community to develop and operate the hydro scheme. Bursaries are available for individuals seeking to improve their employability prospects or develop a new career. The fund aims to support local residents in gaining the skills and confidence required to enter or retain employment in sectors including management of natural resources, STEMD, construction, tourism, hospitality, food and drink, rural development, health and social care, education, creative industries, and other sectors generating benefits for the local community. Bursaries can support a wide range of courses, full or part-time, including driving lessons/tests, Modern Apprenticeships, Foundation Apprenticeships, NC, HNC, HND, undergraduate degrees, postgraduate qualifications (but not PhDs), and short vocational courses. Bursaries can cover travel, subsistence, childcare, driving lessons and tests, study aids, technical aids/equipment, course fees not already being paid for from elsewhere, and accommodation costs.

Patna Education & Training Fund

The Patna Education & Training Fund provides grants of up to £1,500 to help local people aged 16 or over to take up and progress through education and training courses, to increase their skills and enable access to a wider range of further training or employment opportunities. It helps people overcome financial barriers that might otherwise prevent them from starting, completing, or participating fully in courses. The fund is made available by the owners of the South Kyle Wind Farm to improve opportunities and livelihoods for people living in Patna. Participation in a wide range of courses can be funded (full or part-time), including Modern Apprenticeships, Foundation Apprenticeships, NC, HNC, HND, undergraduate degrees, postgraduate qualifications (though not PhDs), and short vocational courses. Funding can be used to cover course fees where these cannot be met from other sources and support costs such as study aids, equipment and accommodation. The fund can also support travel, subsistence or childcare to enable attendance. Awards can support costs that are directly related to attending your course or apprenticeship, including course fees, study aids and equipment (e.g., laptops, software, and stationery), technical aids/equipment (e.g., specialist clothing relating to the course, tools, and other specialist equipment) capped at £700, and travel and subsistence costs at a flat rate of £15 per day.

Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Kinglassie) Education & Training Fund

The Nadara Westfield Wind Farm Community Fund (Kinglassie) Education & Training Fund supports residents of any age living in the Kinglassie Community Council area to take up vocational training and educational courses. The fund is provided by Westfield Wind Farm Limited (WWFL) the owner and operator of the Westfield Wind Farm in Fife. The fund provides grants to help local people take up vocational education and training courses to increase their skills and enable access to a wider range of employment opportunities. In recognition of the financial and practical challenges that can make it more difficult for people in Kinglassie to take up courses, funding can be used to cover part or all of a course fee, travel costs, essential equipment such as books or IT equipment, childcare and subsistence. The Kinglassie Education & Training Fund began as a one-year pilot in 2023, and will now run continuously with up to £10,000 available each year to support local people aged 16 and over take up education and training opportunities. The annual amount available will be reviewed periodically but could continue for the wind farm's operating lifetime, which is expected to be until 2039.

Nadara Gordonstown Wind Farm Education & Training Fund (Auchterless, Inverkeithny & Fisherford)

This fund provides educational and training bursaries for individuals living in the Auchterless, Inverkeithny & Fisherford Community Council areas seeking to improve their employability prospects or develop a new career. Awards can support participation in a range of courses, from short courses to postgraduate degrees. The fund aims to support residents in gaining the skills and confidence they need to improve their employability prospects or develop a new career, and is not limited to education or training in support of any specific industry or economic sector. Awards can support participation in a wide range of courses, either vocational or professional, and full-time or part-time. Applications to support courses leading to formal qualifications will be favoured over informal courses. Examples of formal qualifications include SVQs, NCs, HNCs, HNDs, undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. The chosen course may be provided anywhere in the UK. Driving lessons may also be supported. The fund is part of the Gordonstown Wind Farm Community Fund, provided by Nadara, the owner of Gordonstown Hill Wind Farm in Aberdeenshire. Multi-year grants can be awarded to support, for example, HNDs or degree courses.

Middle Balbeggie Wind Farm Education & Training Fund

The Middle Balbeggie Wind Farm Education & Training Fund (MBET Fund) supports residents living in the Thornton Community Council area in Fife who have started or wish to engage in study or training. The fund began in 2017, and is provided by Middle Balbeggie Wind Limited, managed by Netro Energy on behalf of Alpha Real Capital. The fund provides grants to help local people aged 16 or over to take up and progress through education and training courses (including apprenticeships), to increase their skills and enable access to a wider range of further training or employment opportunities. It helps people to overcome financial barriers which might otherwise prevent them from starting, completing or participating fully in courses. Funding can be used to cover part or all of course fees, travel costs, essential equipment such as books or IT equipment, childcare and subsistence. The fund has been operating for the wind farm's lifetime, which is expected to be 25 years, and has awarded over £40,000 in 2023 alone.