Who we fund – and who we don’t
Community groups and charities, based in Scotland and providing services in Scotland.
You may be new or established but must meet one of the criteria in Qualifying Category (see How to apply ) and be seeking funding of less than £25,000. That doesn’t guarantee funding due to the volume of applications received and our limited budget, but it means that Trustees will consider your application. Awards are made at their discretion and their decision is final. You must also be able to demonstrate the benefit a grant from the Trust will bring to the people or community you serve.
The Trust will not accept applications from individuals. Nor will it accept applications related to commercial activity, research, pilot projects, educational establishments, governing bodies or public sector bodies, nor can it provide monies for sponsorship. Applications from outwith Scotland or for projects or activities outwith Scotland will not be considered.
In Scotland. There’s no geographic bias, applications from around Scotland will be considered equally. However, applications from outside Scotland will not be considered, nor will requests for funds for services outwith Scotland.
Yes, you can as long as you are a constituted group and your work meets a Qualifying Category (Sport, Health, Culture, Recreational Facilities or Animal Welfare); you are seeking less than £25,000; are not a commercial venture or any other group we do not fund; are not seeking sponsorship; and that you are based and deliver your services in Scotland.
Don’t worry, we may email to ask about your current financial position but don’t let the fact that you are a new group stop you from applying. There is also space on the Application Form to detail your finances including any other grant applications submitted.
No, we do not fund businesses that operate on a commercial basis, even in a community.
No.
One that has an annual income of £150,000 or less each year.
Check the FAQ “Who we fund – and who we don’t” for details of who can apply and “what we fund – and what we don’t” to see what kinds of things you can apply for funding for.
Complete the online Application Form, using the “Completing the Form” guidance notes (and having checked the “Who we we fund – and who we don’t” FAQ).
It’s pretty straightforward:
- Complete the Application Form online.
- You will receive an automatic acknowledgement that it has been received and a copy of your submitted application form.
- Trustees normally consider applications quarterly. You will receive an email from the Trust Director either offering you a grant or rejecting your application.
Yes, there is an option to save and continue at each step of the process. We will provide you with a unique link that will be active for 30 days.
This is for security to check that it is a person submitting an application rather than a computer trying to spam the site.
When to apply
Online applications can be submitted at any time. From 2025 there will be four closing dates and these are published on the website. Online applications can be submitted at any time.
If you submit your application early and your circumstances or requirements change, we are happy for you to amend it.
You can still apply but your application will not be considered until the following closing date.
Applying for an award
Check the FAQ “Who we fund – and who we don’t” for details of who can apply and “what we fund – and what we don’t” to see what kinds of things you can apply for funding for.
Complete the online Application Form, using the “Completing the Form” guidance notes (and having checked the “Who we we fund – and who we don’t” FAQ).
It’s pretty straightforward:
- Complete the Application Form online.
- You will receive an automatic acknowledgement that it has been received and a copy of your submitted application form.
- Trustees normally consider applications quarterly. You will receive an email from the Trust Director either offering you a grant or rejecting your application.
Yes, there is an option to save and continue at each step of the process. We will provide you with a unique link that will be active for 30 days.
This is for security to check that it is a person submitting an application rather than a computer trying to spam the site.
How much can we apply for?
Cost out your project or activity then ask for what you need. But the Trust reserves the right to award grants in full, in part or not at all depending on its assessment of the merits of the application. We may fund requests in full but we expect to see evidence of efforts being made to raise funds by applicants themselves. The small awards fund will consider applications up to a maximum of £25,000. In exceptional circumstances Trustees may make an award in excess of £25,000.
The Trust’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
Yes, up to a maximum of £25,000 but there is no minimum. But no matter how little or how much you need, subject to meeting the criteria on the “How to Apply” page, the Trust will consider your application. It is for Trustees to make offers of monies at their discretion and the Trust reserves the right to award grants in full, in part or not at all depending on its assessment of the merits of the application.
In exceptional circumstances Trustees may make an award in excess of £25,000.
Any decision is final and cannot be appealed.
All awards are for one year or less. If you are successful, you must wait a calendar year before reapplying for further funding.
If you are successful
Yes. At the end of the year or project, a short report summarising what has been achieved. Feel free to send pictures too. This should not be overly time-consuming or onerous but it allows the Trust to ensure that the monies it is disbursing are making a difference. If further funding is sought, it may also help to assess whether that is given or not.
We expect you to be able to account for the money being used as laid out in the original application.
You must be prepared to undertake PR in association with the Trust. That is a condition of applying for a grant – see the Application Form for details.
If you are successful, you must wait a calendar year before reapplying for further funding.
Yes, you can. It is a condition of the grant that you must be prepared to undertake PR in association with the Trust. This could be in the form of a published case study on the Trust website. If you also choose to do your own PR, you must get prior approval from the Trust Director for what you release.
Yes, you can. However, you must get Trust approval for what you release publicly, whether through social media, contact with the press or to others associated with you.
If you are unsuccessful
If you are unsuccessful, you can reapply for funding in the next round of funding. If you have not met all the criteria to be considered for an award – meeting a Qualifying Category, being based and providing services in Scotland, seeking less than £25,000 and being a small charity/not for profit community group (see How to apply) – you will not be able to reapply unless your circumstances change to meet those.
The Trust’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
As awards are made at the discretion of Trustees, the Trust’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
No. Awards are made at the discretion of Trustees, the Trust’s decision is final and cannot be appealed.
No. Unfortunately due to the high number of applications we cannot provide individual feedback.
If you are unsuccessful, you can reapply for funding in the next round of funding. Closing dates are published on the website. But you can’t reapply with the same project if it did not meet all the criteria to be considered for an award – meeting a Qualifying Category, being based and providing services in Scotland, seeking less than £25,000 and being a charity/not for profit community group (see How to apply)
Scams and contact via email, Facebook or other social media
This is a scam. Neither the Weirs nor the Trust makes unsolicited offers of money. Do not respond to any request for financial or personal details from the scammers.
This is a scam site.
This is a scam. Do not respond to any request for financial or personal details from the scammers.
What we fund – and what we don’t
Broadly speaking, services and projects related to Sport, Recreational Facilities, Animal Welfare, Health and Culture.
- Individuals
- Commercial ventures, including start ups
- Requests for sponsorship if fundraising for a charity or good cause
- Debt reduction, redundancy payments, fees or payouts for legal actions raised against an individual, group or charity
- Applications for retrospective funding
- Applications from groups based outwith Scotland or for activities carried out outwith Scotland
- Large capital projects costing more than £100,000
- Community Councils, Parent Teacher Associations, Active Schools activities
Funding can be used for capital projects (such as equipment, fixtures, fittings and refurbishments), running costs, one-off projects, core costs and salaries. In summary, anything you need it for as long as it contributes to providing a benefit to your community. If you receive an award, the money must be used for the purposes laid out in your application.
No, that falls outwith the remit of the Trust.
No.
No. The information should be contained in one application.
All awards are for one year or less. If you are successful, you must wait a calendar year before reapplying for further funding.
Application Closing Dates
Late Applications Will Not Be Considered
Friday 28th February 2025 at 5pm
(outcomes advised end April/May 2025)
Friday 23rd May 2025 at 5pm
(outcomes advised end June/July 2025)
