Bank of Scotland Foundation recognises the extreme impact that the cost-of-living crisis is having on people across Scotland. To ensure our funding can reach those in real need, the Enable grants programme will solely focus on helping charities who support vulnerable groups/people.
Our Enable programme provides restricted funding solely 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
Enable is an innovative, JOINT grants programme with Lloyds Banking Group, providing charities with both funding and volunteers as we aim to help charities grow stronger and thrive beyond the lifetime of their grant. For the charities that we fund, we expect colleagues to commence volunteering with most of them after the first year of funding is complete.
The Group’s colleagues across Scotland are enthusiastic and passionate about supporting charities and are keen to engage with the charities funded through Enable to volunteer their time and skills to support projects and initiatives.
When applying, charities will be asked to provide examples of the types of volunteering opportunities that will be available to Lloyds Banking Group colleagues and a member of the Foundation team will be responsible for ensuring charities and colleague volunteers are matched together.
Eligibility
To be eligible for this programme your charity MUST:
- put vulnerable people at the heart of everything it does.
- operate in Scotland and benefit people living in Scotland.
- be registered in Scotland with a charity number beginning SC0.
- have a minimum of 2 years accounts lodged and checked at OSCR. (Please note these 2 years accounts must be for the charity number on the Enable grant application).
- have income of £500k or less for the last year as stated in your most recent accounts that have been lodged and checked at OSCR. (If your charity income is more than £500k then it is not eligible for this programme and the application cannot be progressed.)
- have records at OSCR (and Companies House if applicable) which are not overdue on the closing date for applications.
- Have an OSCR record which states “it carries out activities or services itself” for the types of activity undertaken and should not state “‘it does none of these”.
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.
Application process
Stage One
Our application process is simple and straightforward. You’ll be asked to provide information about your charity such as contact details and highlight other recent funding applications.
Our funding is restricted for volunteering projects/costs/initiatives, and you will be asked to provide details of what our funding will be used for, such as the examples highlighted above.
At this stage of the process, we also ask you to provide a MAXIMUM of one A4 page, and no more than 500 words, letting us know for example:
- The purpose of your charity (why you do what you do) and the vulnerabilities of the people you support.
- The activities of your charity and the difference your charity makes to the lives of the vulnerable people you support.
- How your charity puts vulnerable people at the heart of everything it does.
- Why your charity needs funding for volunteering costs/projects/initiatives.
- The types of volunteering opportunities that will be available to Lloyds Banking Group colleagues.
Stage Two
Using the information provided in Stage One, applications will be assessed by one of our Grants Managers who may contact applicants to gather further information. (Please ensure you give us an alternative contact in the event of absence/holidays)
Stage Three
When the Grant Managers have made their recommendations, they have a detailed review and challenge session with the Chief Executive.
Stage Four
All decisions are presented to the Board of Trustees who have final approval.
Online application
To apply you must submit an online application, please note we can only accept one application per charity.
You must ensure as part of your application that you upload the following three documents:
- A maximum of one A4 page with no more than 500 words as outlined above.
- Your most recent signed Annual Accounts (including an Independent Examiner’s Report) which have been lodged and checked at OSCR.
- Your charity’s constitution or Memorandum and Articles of Association.
