Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund
Application Guidance Notes
What is the Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund?The Scottish Government Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund provides grants of up to £300 (in exceptional circumstances up to £500) to small voluntary organisations and community groups in Scotland to help them run an event or engagement activity with a group of five or more people to gather their thoughts on Creating a Fairer Scotland and what matters to them. By 2030, Fairer Scotland aims to create a place where people are healthier, happier and treated with respect, and where opportunities, wealth and power are spread more equally (see http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0047/00479666.pdf for more information)
Discussions and engagement should include:
· What are the issues that matter most to people?
· What do people think needs to be done?
· How can people and their community play a role in helping to shape our future?
Discussions and engagement ideally should take place before 16 October 2015.
A brief report and evidence of what emerged from the event / engagement must be returned to the Voluntary Action Fund (VAF) no later than Friday 23 October 2015. The report can be in a range of formats such as notes from the discussion, a video clip or photographs from flipchart sheets. The views provided through your event or engagement will then be sent to the Scottish Government on 30 October 2015 as part of a series of events and conversations to help create a fairer Scotland. If a report has not been submitted by 23 October 2015, you will need to repay the grant.
Who Can Apply?
To apply for a grant, groups must have:
ü A constitution and an annual income below £25,000 in the last financial year (excluding any income for capital items such as buildings and equipment)
ü A bank account in the name of the group with 2 signatories on all cheques
Groups without a constitution or bank account can still receive funding, but the application has to be made by another body submitting the application on their behalf. If successful this other body will receive the grant and is responsible to VAF for how it is spent. Applicants on behalf of unconstituted groups can have an income above £25,000.
Groups that are not charities will be considered for a Grant if:
ü Their purpose and activities could be considered charitable
ü Their constitution or set of rules makes it clear that any assets or funds that belong to the group can only be used for the group’s purposes and cannot be distributed amongst members.
What can be funded?
There are few restrictions on what can be applied for. However, costs should relate to holding an event for or engaging with five or more people to discuss their views on how to create a fairer Scotland. The minimum grant is £75 and the maximum grant is £300.
An organisation or group can apply for more than one grant if the event or engagement activity involves different people.
In exceptional circumstances, larger events or engagement activities will be considered up to a maximum grant of £500.
Costs can include:
ü Venue hire
ü Catering costs
ü Childcare costs
ü Travel costs
ü External facilitator and interpreter costs
What cannot be funded?
The Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund will not consider funding:
ü Individuals or activities that promote a political party or religion
ü Core costs of your organisation
ü Costs for capital items
ü An event or activity that would have taken place anyway which would not have incurred costs.
How to Apply
Applications should be sent to VAF from now until the deadline of 12 October 2015. We will let you know within 2 working days of receipt of your application whether your application has been successful or not.
Read these Guidance Notes and complete the electronic application form which can be downloaded from the VAF website.
The completed electronic application form along with your constitution/governing document and accounts (or most recent bank statement if a new organisation) should be emailed to:
If you do not have, or cannot make, electronic copies of these documents, paper copies should be sent by post to: Voluntary Action Fund, Registered Office, Suite 3 Forth House, Burnside Business Court, North Road, Inverkeithing, Fife KY11 1NZ.
The email submitting the application should have your organisation’s name in the subject line.
If you are unsure if you can apply, have difficulties completing the application form or require the form in a different format please contact the Fairer Scotland Engagement Fund team at the Voluntary Action Fund by telephone on 01383 620780 or by email at
The Voluntary Action Fund receives funding from the Scottish Government.
Scottish Charity number SC035037. Company Number SC261186.
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