News

The latest stories from Inspiring Scotland and our partner charities.

10 charities to form £1.3m Building Brighter Futures Fund

Ten charities that support disadvantaged young people across Scotland are to benefit from a share of a £1.3 million Building Brighter Futures Fund (BBFF). BBFF is managed by Inspiring Scotland on behalf of Hub Community Foundation. The BBFF was set up to create long-term training and job opportunities for underprivileged young people aged 12 –

1419 charity wins ‘Exceptional Employee’ Award 2016

Chris Martin of Inspiring Scotland’s 1419 Fund charity Callander Youth Project wins Exceptional Employee Award at this year’s Scottish Charity Awards. Judges deemed Chris’s dedication and innovation key in transforming Callander Youth Project Trust into the success it is today. The founder of one of the country’s most innovative social enterprises has spoken of his

2021/ 2022 Annual Overview

We are pleased to publish our 2021/ 2022 Annual Overview. 2021 / 2022 was another year dominated by the impact of Covid-19 and the growing cost of living crisis. Despite these challenges, the commitment and response from Scotland’s third sector has been nothing short of inspirational. During this time, the focus for Inspiring Scotland was

2021/22 Organised Outdoor Community Play Fund

Applications are now closed for the Organised Outdoor Community Play Fund. Funded by the Scottish Government, it aimed to support charities who provide organised outdoor play opportunities for children and families in Scotland’s most deprived communities. In 2020-21, the fund distributed £380,000 across 23 play charities, reaching more than 5,000 children in Scotland. In

A message on COVID-19

We are living in uncertain and unprecedented times and we appreciate this will be a very challenging time for us all. We are acutely aware of the impact COVID-19 may have on people and communities across Scotland. At times like this the role of charities and community groups is more vital than ever. I would

A. Sinclair Dunlop appointed Chair of Board

To coincide with our 10th anniversary, leading third sector funder, Inspiring Scotland has appointed Sinclair Dunlop of Epidarex Capital as Chair of its Board of Trustees. Mr. Dunlop succeeds Professor Niall Lothian OBE who led the Board since Inspiring Scotland was founded in 2008. Today, Monday the 29th of January 2018, marks 10 years since

Abriachan opening marks outdoor nursery first for Thrive

The first outdoor nursery directly supported by the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland through its Thrive Outdoors programme has opened at Abriachan Forest near Inverness. Joining local children and parents at the nursery’s first day was Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd, who cut a bespoke ceremonial ribbon made from greenery. Also there

Active Play programme expands into Highlands to improve children’s physical and mental wellbeing

A programme to improve the health and wellbeing of children through inclusive outdoor play is expanding into three communities in the Highlands. With investment from the Scottish Government Active Scotland Division and support from Inspiring Scotland, CALA Childcare will bring the Active Play programme into early years, school and communities across Inverness, Ullapool and Aviemore,

An open letter to young people

Chief Executive, Celia Tennant joins Scotland’s business leaders in an open letter to young people recognising the challenges of the last two years and our commitment to their future. We wanted to write to you in our role as Scotland’s business leaders and on behalf of our networks of thousands of Scottish employers to reassure

Applications welcomed from independent support

Applications are welcomed from not-for-profit organisations providing independent support in Scotland to help people use self-directed support (SDS) to have choice and control over their social care plans. £3m per year is available through the Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) Fund for the next three years to help people use self-directed support options to

Autism and the social rule book

At least 1 in 100 people in Scotland are autistic. Through the Increasing Understanding of Autism programme we are aiming to make Scotland a more accessible, inclusive and understanding place for autistic people to learn, work and live.? Inspiring Scotland is a Scottish Government delivery partner and we are delighted to have been involved in

Autistic Adult Support Fund open for applications

The Autistic Adult Support Fund launched today (Wednesday 16th August 2023) aiming to help adults with an autism diagnosis, self-identified autistic adults, and their families and carers understand what neurodivergence means for them and improve their wellbeing. The Autistic Adult Support Fund will provide £500,000 for the six-month period from October 2023 to end of

Building Brighter Futures Fund Open

Building Brighter Future Fund is looking to support disadvantaged young people with the opportunities to gain the skills and confidence to succeed through education, training and employment, throughout Scotland. Building Brighter Futures Fund will distribute up to £300,000 in total per annum over three years to selected organisations supporting young people, aged 12 to 21,

Callander Youth Hostel leader named Social Enterprise Champion

Chris Martin, Managing Director of Inspiring Scotland-supported charity Callander Youth Project Trust (CYPT), has been named Social Enterprise Champion by Social Enterprise Scotland. CYPT runs the Callander Youth Hostel and Bridgend café in Callander as a social enterprise offering training and employment for young people in the hospitality industry. Chris, pictured above with Angela Constance MSP,

Care Day 2023

Today is Care Day (17 February 2023) which aims to champion children and young people with care experience and tackle misconceptions. All families need a helping hand to navigate tough times, such as chronic illness, mental health problems or a bereavement. It is during these tough times when parents can struggle without a solid support

Care Inspectorate partners with Inspiring Scotland for outdoor nurseries guide

Inspiring Scotland has partnered with Care Inspectorate to produce a How-to guide for establishing outdoor nurseries in Scotland. Karen Quinn and Donna Conroy from Care Inspectorate will work alongside Inspiring Scotland’s Thrive Outdoors team for the rest of the year and will support development of the guide, focusing on how to ensure safe, high-quality

Celebrating International Women’s Day at Inspiring Scotland

This March to mark International Women’s Day, a group of Inspiring Scotland staff reflected on their own career experiences to prompt discussion, share stories and connect on all our individual experiences. We #ChooseToChallenge by sharing these reflections today. We posed these questions and prompts below: • How would you choose to challenge gender

Celebrating two years of intandem’s young person group InVoice

The intandem team at Inspiring Scotland had a celebratory day at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo on Saturday 4 March 2023. Joined by more than 100 children and young people, mentors, charity partners, funders and the Minister for Children and Young People, Clare Haughey The occasion was to celebrate the second

Chinese institute learns from Inspiring Scotland’s philanthropy approach

A Chinese charity group, backed by leading philanthropists including Bill Gates, visited Inspiring Scotland to learn about our approach to tackling social issues. Delegates from the China Philanthropy Global Institute (CPGI), a charity education group whose founding members include Microsoft founder Bill Gates, visited the offices of Inspiring Scotland on Tuesday 26 April to see

Christmas Boost for Green Island Projects

UPDATED: 21 initiatives have now been selected. A full list can be found here. A map of all 21 funded initiatives can be found here. 12 initiatives have been selected as some of the first projects to benefit from the £2m Islands Green Recovery Programme (Prògram Ath-Shlànachaidh Uaine nan Eilean).

Commercial Sexual Exploitation Report Oct 2021 – Sept 2022

The Delivering Equally Safe (DES) fund team at Inspiring Scotland have released a new report, which highlights the work carried out by funded organisations supporting women affected by Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE). CSE is included in the definition of violence against women and girls (VAWG) within Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating VAWG,

Community Play Fund 2019

[APPLICATIONS FOR THIS FUND ARE NOW CLOSED] The Community Play Fund, aimed at supporting childhood health and wellbeing through play, opened in May 2019. Outdoor play improves childhood health and wellbeing, helps to raise attainment and aspiration, thereby addressing inequality and improving the life chances of Scotland’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families.

Conference to help people with additional support needs get into employment to be held in September

Online conference aims to redesign sustainable employment opportunities for people with additional support needs in the South of Scotland. A conference focused on addressing employment opportunities for young people with additional support needs in the South of Scotland will be hosted by the Additional Support Needs (ASN) Learning Network on Friday 8 September 2023. The

Consultation on new Support in the Right Direction Funding

Last November and December, we worked with Scottish Government and Self-directed Support Scotland to consult with the independent support sector on potential criteria and process for applying to a new Support in the Right Direction Fund (SiRD) . Through a series of events, a survey and webinar we discussed preferred application methods, thoughts on potential

COSLA the latest signature to Scotland’s National Position Statement on Outdoor Play

Momentum continues to build in embedding play and learning outdoors as a fundamental part of growing up in Scotland. COSLA, the national association of Scottish councils is the latest major new signatory to sign the national statement which is a commitment to making play and learning outdoors an everyday activity for all children in Scotland.

Cost of living crisis commitments from Scottish Funders

This statement has been coordinated by The Scotland Funders’ Forum. This is a gathering of funders in Scotland, including statutory bodies and independent grant making trusts, who are committed to best practice in funding the voluntary and community sector and to maximising the impact of funding for the benefit of Scotland. Funders know from listening to communities

Creative Communities: V&A Dundee host film premiere

Artists and participants of the £2million Creative Communities programme gathered for the first time at V&A Dundee for the premiere of their film highlighting the power of creativity to support wellbeing during the last year. Creative Communities is a Scottish Government initiative aiming to connect communities by providing creative opportunities in communities where social or

Delighted tenants thank advocate David Cobb for pro bono help

Inspiring Scotland Pro Bono supporter David Cobb provided vital legal advice for the Lorne Community Association in their fight against eviction. Celebrating residents have been quick to acknowledge the help of a volunteer advocate in a successful 18-month fight to avoid losing their homes. The tenants of 92 flats in Lorne Street, Leith, Edinburgh, had feared

Delivering Equally Safe fund launched to tackle violence against women and girls

Organisations who work to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) are being invited to apply for a share of up to £13 million to help them develop and further their vital work over the next three years.

Delivering Equally Safe Impact Report April 2022 – September 2022

The Delivering Equally Safe (DES) team at Inspiring Scotland have released a new report on the impact of funded activity tackling gender-based violence (GBV) between April 2022-September 2022. During the six-month period 23,439 people affected by GBV received frontline support from funded organisations and 27,541 people engaged in awareness raising and education sessions. The report highlights key

Delivering Equally Safe update

The Delivering Equally Safe (DES) fund provided £9.5 million to 121 projects in its first six months. These projects give one-to-one emotional and practical support, as well as refuge, legal or financial advice and other services. Many of the organisations also run training and outreach programmes aiming to prevent violence against women and girls. Equalities Minister

Evaluation of Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support (SOCAS) fund

“The support funded by SOCAS significantly improved survivors’ quality of life, including improved mental health, physical health and improved social connections, allowing survivors to start feeling more in control of their lives and learning to navigate their trauma.” These are the findings of an independent evaluation of the first three years of the Scottish Government

Evaluation tender open

Inspiring Scotland invite tenders for an evaluation of the impact of Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support Fund (SOCAS). The evaluation will assess the difference the programme is making and provide learning for the future. It is anticipate that the evaluation will involve an analysis of self-evaluation reports and data produced by grant-holders, and some primary

Every one can benefit from using nature to support mental health

Inspiring Scotland works with some of the most innovative charities in Scotland today. This Mental Health Awareness Week focuses on the power of nature – so we’re sharing our key learnings from the projects we work with on how to use nature to improve mental health and wellbeing of new parents, children, young people,

Extension to current Support in the Right Direction funding

Audit Scotland today published a review of Self-directed Support. As part of their response to the review Scottish Government have announced a six month extension to current funding to 31 September 2018. The extension is very welcome and will give Scottish Government time to take account of the findings of the current review of Independent

Free COVID-19 charity support service launched

The Third Sector’s response to COVID-19 has been incredible. However, the strain being put on the leaders and staff of Scottish charities cannot be underestimated. At Inspiring Scotland we are committed to doing all we can to support the sector through this time of unprecedented challenge. To help ensure the Third Sector’s continued resilience, we

Free global pro bono legal service comes to Scotland- TrustLaw

A free global pro bono legal service is expanding to Scotland through the collaboration with Legal firm CMS and Inspiring Scotland. TrustLaw is the Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono legal programme which connects high-impact NGOs and social enterprises with the best law firms and corporate legal teams to provide them with free legal assistance.

Free training to support rural and island community organisations

Grassroots community organisations play a central role in leading and creating vibrant rural places in Scotland. But we know that new or small-scale organisations can find it overwhelming to raise funds to deliver projects, build relationships with the right people, and strengthen an organisation from within. Great ideas start locally, which is why we’ve launched

Funding for rural communities

Community led projects to receive £3 million funding boost. Over 180 diverse projects across rural Scotland, will receive grants ranging from £100,000 to less than £500, from the Rural & Island Communities Ideas into Action (RICIA) fund. The fund encourages and supports not-for-profit community groups with innovative approaches to community-led local development which include solutions

Funding support for outdoor play and learning

**PLEASE NOTE: Applications for this fund have now closed. To find out more about Thrive Outdoors and how we can help you, please visit this page. New £1 million children’s winter clothing fund. New funding of £1 million will mean more children can reap the benefits of outdoor play and learning, whatever the

Funding to tackle violence against women and girls

The Scottish Government announced today additional funding for frontline services and prevention. More than 121 projects across Scotland will share £38 million to support survivors of gender-based violence and focus on prevention. The Delivering Equally Safe Fund includes more than £28 million for frontline services which provide direct support to women and girls, prioritising

Health, education and natural heritage leaders back #AwayandPlay campaign

Leaders of Scottish bodies from health, education and natural heritage have backed the #AwayandPlay campaign highlighting the benefits of outdoor free play for young people and children. Senior figures including the Deputy Chief Medical officer and representatives from bodies such as Glasgow City Council, Historic Environment Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, Care Inspectorate, Scottish Natural Heritage

Highlights from our work in 2020/21

At our core, Inspiring Scotland is all about providing support to organisations to enable social impact, and this past year was no exception. In a year of such challenge, we had to adapt to continue providing robust support to over 450 organisations across Scotland – responding to new challenges within our portfolios and sharing learnings

Impact of gender-based violence and abuse on the mental health needs of women, young people and children

Evidence from the Delivering Equally Safe (DES) funded organisations and from other studies has shown that “experiences of violence and abuse against women, young people and children can be the cause of mental ill health, and those experiences can exacerbate existing mental health issues.”* A new report from DES looks the at evidence of the

Improving understanding of autism in Scotland fund

This fund is now closed for applications. Applicants will be contacted in due course. Inspiring Scotland, in partnership with Scottish Government, are delighted to announce the launch of a fund to help improve the understanding of autism in Scotland amongst non-autistic individuals. This fund aims to address the real lack of understanding across Scottish society

Individual one-to-one sessions to boost your fundraising

Small organisations working in rural and island communities play a key role in delivering local needs and priorities, but it can be hard work, and fundraising can feel like it’s never off the to-do list of volunteers, boards, and staff. This summer, Inspiring Scotland is hosting a series of online training sessions and 30-minute individual

Infant Mental Health Week

This year, we are exploring how the third sector supports good infant mental health, and what we can do to support, develop and add value to infant mental health provision. Research shows that investing in the earliest years of life makes the biggest difference. The first 1,001 days of a baby’s life (through pregnancy and

Insights on the cost-of-living

At Inspiring Scotland, we are very aware of the pressure that the increased cost-of living is having on people and the funded charities we support. Throughout Autumn 2022 our fund teams gathered and shared information from portfolio partners about: How concerned they are about cost-of-living crisis for people they support, their organisations, their staff and

Inspiring Scotland announced as delivery partner for islands recovery programme

Island communities will benefit from a £2 million programme of locally-led green projects designed to help support their economic recovery from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Islands Green Recovery Programme, announced in the Programme for Government and now open for applications, is split into four strands and managed by four partners, delivering investment in

Inspiring Scotland appointed Fund Manager for Scottish Government Equality and Human Rights Funds

Following a tender exercise, Inspiring Scotland has been appointed as Fund Manager for Scottish Government’s Equality and Human Rights Funds. This work will start in November 2020 and involves supporting Scottish Government to develop the new Equality and Human Rights funding streams – Delivering Equally Safe (DES) and the Supporting Equality and Human Rights Fund

Inspiring Scotland confirmed as SiRD2021 delivery partner

Following a successful tender, Inspiring Scotland has been engaged as Scottish Government’s delivery partner for the Support in the Right Direction 2021 (SiRD 2021) programme. As fund managers, Inspiring Scotland will support 30 projects across Scotland to deliver independent support to people and carers accessing social care. SiRD 2021-funded projects are locally based throughout Scotland.

Inspiring Scotland marks its 10th birthday

Today Monday 29 January 2018 marks 10 years since Inspiring Scotland launched its first fund with the target of helping 35,000 disadvantaged young people into destinations of education, training and employment. The youth employment-focused 14:19 Fund is on track to meet its ambitious target by the end of 2018 and has so far helped 27,897 young

Inspiring Scotland named Family Friendly Employer

Inspiring Scotland was announced as joint winners of Scotland’s most Family Friendly Third Sector Employer Award with Routes to Work South, in front of a 150 strong audience of leaders from all sectors at the Working Families Awards on 9th March. Commenting on winning the award, Celia Tennant, Inspiring Scotland Chief Executive said:Being a family friendly

Inspiring Scotland supports Scottish Government’s Early Learning & Childcare Quality Action Plan

Inspiring Scotland supports Scottish Government in its commitment to improving the quality of Early Learning and Childcare through the publication of it’s Quality Action Plan. Through the work of the go2play fund, Inspiring Scotland has championed and encouraged play-based outdoor learning in Scotland’s communities, schools and natural spaces since 2010. We are pleased to see

Inspiring Scotland’s new role in supporting greater use of outdoor learning in the early years

Minister for Childcare and Early Years, Maree Todd, has announced the number of hours nursery children spend outdoors is set to increase, and Inspiring Scotland will play a key role in encouraging and supporting greater use of outdoor learning in the early years. Ms Todd made the announcement during a visit to City of Edinburgh

Inspiring Scotland-backed Get On Board programme wins national award

An Inspiring Scotland-backed project has been named a winner of a prestigious national award recognising and celebrating the role of teamwork in higher education. Get On Board, a Edinburgh Napier University initiative designed to help students get on to the boards of third sector organisations was one of 15 projects from across the UK

Inspiring Volunteers

This National Volunteers Week, Inspiring Scotland CEO Celia Tennant shines a light on and thanks our volunteers, in their many and varied roles. When the pandemic struck, the reaction from people across the country to support others through volunteering was humbling. So many people felt compelled to use their time and skills to help individuals,

intandem film marks three years of Scotland’s mentoring programme for young people

intandem, Scotland’s national mentoring programme for children looked after at home has launched a new film to celebrate the third anniversary of their first mentor-mentee match. Screened for the first time at an event at Edinburgh’s iconic Scotsman Picturehouse, the film takes a closer look at some of the individual stories of eight young people

Introducing the graduates of the first Thrive Outdoors Leadership Programme

The first ever Thrive Outdoors Leadership Programme finished last week with all 21 graduates coming together to celebrate. Funded by a number of investors including Scottish Government and developed by Inspiring Scotland, the bespoke six-month programme supported emerging leaders for the outdoor community play and outdoor ELC sectors, meeting for sessions every three weeks. As

Investment secured to launch outdoor nurseries in Scotland

Inspiring Scotland has secured social investment funding to launch outdoor nurseries in Scotland. Inspiring Scotland’s newly launched not for profit trading subsidiary – Willow Den – will offer Early Learning and Childcare in exclusively outdoor settings for children in Scotland aged 3 to 5 years old. The funding package includes £225,000 loan funding from Social

IPA 2023 in pictures

After five years in the making, the Inspiring Scotland Thrive Outdoors fund team gathered in Glasgow last month for the International Play Association (IPA) Triennial World Conference 2023. Hosted at Glasgow Caledonian University, the conference brought together 550 delegates from more than 40 countries including New Zealand, Hong Kong and the rest of the

Launch of £7 million Equality and Human Rights Fund

Projects invited to apply for support A new £7 million fund has been announced to improve equality and human rights in Scotland. It will support work which advances human rights, promotes equality and tackles discrimination around age, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability and race.

Launching a fund during a pandemic – lessons learned

The Creative Communities programme was due to launch just as the pandemic struck. Erica, head of the Creative Communities team takes a look at just what this meant for third sector organisations and Inspiring Scotland as a funder, and shares key learnings from the experience. The Creative Communities Programme was conceived as part of the Scottish Government’s Culture strategy, which

Legal support a key benefit of Inspiring Scotland’s Specialist Volunteer offering

Inspiring Scotland’s Specialist Volunteer network consists of over 500 professionals who provide their expertise free of charge to charities across Scotland. All types of support can be arranged, from HR, finance, and strategic planning to marketing, governance and mentoring. This support – available to charities outside our portfolios as well as portfolio members – allows

Link Up receives lottery funding to support a new kind of community activism in two Scottish communities

Link Up, Inspiring Scotland’s pioneering community project led by local people, has been awarded funding from Big Lottery Fund Scotland’s Supporting Great Ideas Fund to help combat long-term poverty and disadvantage. The £296,452 award will support Link Up in the Whitfield area of Dundee and Saltcoats in North Ayrshire to support more local people to

Mapping outdoor play in Scotland

Thrive Outdoors is mapping the outdoor play sector in Scotland, aiming to find out where outdoor play is happening, how outdoor play organisations are run and the challenges these organisations face. Extensive research highlights the social, physical and emotional benefits of outdoor play for children and young people. But the Covid-19 pandemic has meant more

Mapping the Mentoring Sector

Our intandem team recently joined Scottish Mentoring Network at the Scottish Parliament to present findings from a survey conducted to map mentoring services across the country and how to strengthen services available to care experienced children and young people. In an event hosted by Kaukab Stewart MSP, key stakeholders were brought together to share the

Mentoring with Morgan Stanley thanks to Inspiring Scotland’s Specialist Volunteer Network

Late last year we announced the launch of an exciting Specialist Volunteering Network (SVN) mentorship programme with Morgan Stanley Glasgow’s Women in Tech (WiT) working group. Six months, 12 matches, and nearly 60 mentoring hours later, we came together again at Morgan Stanley’s Waterloo St office to celebrate the graduation of cohort one’s mentees. The

Minister for Childcare and Early Years launches #AwayandPlay to help Scotland’s kids get the best start in life

Iconic Beano comic character, Dennis the Menace, joined Mark McDonald MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Childcare and Early Years, to launch a new campaign highlighting the benefits to children of free and creative play. The year-long campaign, “Away and Play”, is powered by Inspiring Scotland. It will highlight the benefits of free and unstructured play

Minister joins South Lanarkshire kids for Active Play session

Aileen Campbell, Minister for Children and Young People, joined children from Rigside in South Lanarkshire for an Active Play session on Friday 4 March to celebrate the success of the national initiative in the area. Ms. Campbell met pupils and teachers from Rigside Nursery and Rigside Primary School who have been taking part in an

More funding for children across Scotland to access Outdoor Community Play

Minister for Children, young people and keeping the Promise, Natalie Don visited Kirlandneuk Community Centre this week to celebrate the extension of the Outdoor Community Play, which will enable 14,000 children and families across Scotland to access outdoor community play on their doorstep. Funded by the Scottish Government and delivered by Inspiring Scotland, the extension

More funding to help parents and infants

The Scottish Government’s Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH), managed by Inspiring Scotland has been extended for another year (April 2023 – March 2024). The fund is supporting 34 charities to deliver vital mental health services to support families across Scotland. For parents and babies, the first few years of life is a critical

More outdoor play for Scotland’s children and their families

Scottish play charities will share a £550,000 funding boost to help get children and families out to play in their local communities. Creative outdoor play sessions, active play, and nature spaces for local communities are just some of the brilliant initiatives being supported by the Scottish Government Outdoor Community Play Fund aimed at improving the

National Position Statement on Outdoor Play relaunched

Outdoor activity plays a major role in supporting our health and wellbeing – something that has become increasingly clear over the past year. For children and young people, playing outdoors has an even greater impact – enhancing and supporting learning and development. Scotland has become the first part of the UK to directly incorporate Children’s

National position statement on outdoor play sees signatories double at 2 year anniversary

The national position statement on outdoor play and learning hits its 2 year anniversary this month – and the number of signatories signing up to this collective ambition has more than doubled. Two of the latest signatories, Scottish wildlife Trust and Clackmannanshire Council join over 100 organisations who recognise playing and learning outdoors as an

New commitment to mentoring programme supporting children and young people living in kinship care arrangements.

An award of £450,000 from The Robertson Trust will enable Inspiring Scotland to expand intandem, the national mentoring programme for children and young people looked after at home, to include 8-14 year olds living in kinship care arrangements across Scotland. intandem recognises that young people looked after while living at home can experience challenging circumstances.

New creative activities & opportunities for communities in Glasgow

Ten Glasgow-based projects have been selected as part of the Creative Communities Glasgow programme, which will support and empower community-led creative activities for people & communities who face barriers to participating in culture. Creative Communities Glasgow is developed and delivered by Inspiring Scotland and is made possible thanks to funding from Glasgow City Council’s Communities

New fund opens to support island communities

Businesses and community groups located across Scotland’s inhabited islands are now able to apply for grants of up to £150,000 through the new Island Communities Fund (ICF) for projects focussed on supporting sustainable island economies and the journey towards net zero. The fund is backed by £2 million of Scottish Government funding, which comes

New Outdoor Community Play Fund Open

The new Outdoor Community Play Fund was announced by Children’s Minister, Clare Haughey on Tuesday 12th April 2022. This funding will support charities providing outdoor community play opportunities for children and families experiencing disadvantage, as defined by SIMD. Up to £15,000 can be applied for by registered Scottish charities meeting the criteria. Funded by Scottish Government,

New perinatal and infant mental health fund launched

Inspiring Scotland are delighted to support the Scottish Government to launch the new Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Third Sector Fund. Directed at improving mental health care for new mums, infants and families, the fund will open to applications on the 5th May 2020 and run between August 2020 and March 2023, subject to annual

New portfolio focused on understanding autism announced

Nine charities offering a range of community and employment projects from around Scotland have been announced as recipients of almost £400,000 of funding aimed at raising society’s understanding of autism. This fund aims to make employment and community participation more accessible and to help autistic people to live active and independent lives. The fund will

New Support in the Right Direction (2021) grants announced

Scottish Government today announced the successful applicants to the Support in the Right Direction 2021 (SiRD2021) programme. SIRD2021 will fund 31 projects delivering direct and local independent support across 31 local authority areas, to help people and carers make informed decisions and plans for their social care and work towards maximising their choice, control and

New Trustees join Inspiring Scotland

Inspiring Scotland, has appointed Joyce White, Chief Executive of West Dunbartonshire Council, and Emma Congreve, Knowledge Exchange Fellow at the Fraser of Allander Institute, to serve on its Board of Directors. These appointments will support Inspiring Scotland to take forward its new strategic plan, which will see the organisation further its commitment to driving social

New Youth Action Fund sees collaboration as key to transforming the lives of young people across Scotland

An ambitious new charity initiative from the Scotch Whisky industry launched on 8th March, driven by a commitment to make a positive impact on the lives of young people across Scotland for the long term. To ensure the funds create real, sustainable and long term impact, the Distillers’ Charity has commissioned Inspiring Scotland to co-design

New £1.5m fund to support new ideas in rural communities launches

Not-for-profit community groups in rural areas can now apply for funding of up to £50,000, to trial new and innovative ways to address local challenges and benefit from local opportunities. The Rural Communities “Ideas into Action” Fund is supported by £1.5 million of Scottish Government funding and is delivered in partnership with Inspiring Scotland. It is

Organised Outdoor Community Play Fund 2020 now open!

Please note, this funding round (2020) is now closed, but you can find more information about the current fund here. Inspiring Scotland is seeking applications for the Organised Outdoor Community Play Fund, funded by the Scottish Government and set up to support children’s health and wellbeing through outdoor play. The Scottish Government is providing £380,000

Outdoor nurseries launched by Deputy First Minister in Castlemilk

Outdoor play and learning was given a boost when Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, John Swinney officially launched the Welly Wanderers outdoor nursery in Glasgow’s Castlemilk woods on World Children’s Day, 20 November 2017. The Welly Wanderers is one of three outdoor nurseries being established in Glasgow under a partnership

Outdoor Nurseries Social Enterprise Fund

[THIS FUND HAS NOW CLOSED] Thanks to a generous donation from a supporter who wishes to remain anonymous, we have established a new Fund to offer seed-corn investment to develop innovative approaches for the creation of a new generation of outdoor early learning and childcare (ELC) settings. Funding will be available for 12 to 18

PIMH Small Grants Fund announced to support innovative local perinatal and infant mental health services

As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to improving perinatal and infant mental health, a Small Grants Fund will open for applications in May 2021 for third sector organisations and local groups that support the mental health of parents, carers, and infants.

PIMH Small Grants Fund is now open for applications

As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to improving perinatal and infant mental health, Inspiring Scotland is now seeking applications for the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Small Grants Fund. Funded by the Scottish Government, the Fund is open to smaller third sector organisations and community groups that support parents and families who are experiencing

Pledging our support to embedding trauma informed principles

Inspiring Scotland has joined 58 organisations across Scotland by pledging commitment to embed trauma informed principles and practice across its work – as an employer and as a funder and partner. The Leadership Pledge of Support is an opportunity to join partners in raising awareness of the prevalence and impact of trauma, and committing to

Raising Attainment in Schools

The latest evidence shows that Inspiring Scotland’s Active Play Programme is helping to raise attainment in primary schools in Glasgow. Commissioned by Glasgow City Council Attainment Challenge, the ten-week programme trains teachers and works with children in both structured and unstructured play. Already the changes noted by teachers include increased communication, physical fitness, creativity, teamwork,

Saltcoats Link Up ‘Wins’ The Lottery

The National Lottery Community Fund announced today that Inspiring Scotland’s Link Up project in Saltcoats will benefit from an additional two-year funding of £95,400. “Our success in securing this new funding through National Lottery’s Community-led Fund will be critical in helping us to enable local people to drive the change they want for Saltcoats.” Brian

Scotland commits to life-enhancing outdoor play

50 people and organisations sign up to national pledge on outdoor play and learning Playing and learning outdoors will be a fundamental part of growing up in Scotland, following a national commitment from 50 people and organisations across the country. Alongside the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland, bodies as diverse as the Royal Zoological Society

Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland launch Understanding Autism campaign

Inspiring Scotland and Scottish Government will be working together on a new national programme to raise understanding of autism in Scotland. This announcement was made by Ms Claire Haughey, Minister for Mental Health, at the Scottish Strategy for Autism Seventh Annual Conference in Glasgow on the 26th March 2019. We welcome the Scottish Government’s focus on

Scottish play charities receive funding to help local communities get outside to play

25 Charities across Scotland will share £500,000 of funding to develop and deliver more free outdoor play opportunities in local communities, aimed at improving children’s health and wellbeing. Creative outdoor play sessions, an outdoor playgroup for children and their dads, nature play spaces for local communities and gardening sessions are just some of the

Showcase demonstrates the power and potential of creativity in Scotland’s communities

A showcase of projects involved in the Creative Communities Programme took place Thursday 19th May in Glasgow, creating a powerful and diverse exhibition. The showcase aimed to demonstrate how individual communities, facing barriers to engaging in culture, have formed their own unique creative activities: developing their own connection to culture and improved their wellbeing and

SiRD projects secure £2.9m in extended funding for social care

Funding for 31 third sector projects in social care has been extended to March 2022 with the announcement of an additional £2.9 million in Scottish Government backing. Inspiring Scotland’s ‘Support in the Right Direction’ programme was initially funded until March 2021 with the organisations receiving funding providing information, advice and advocacy for people accessing

SiRD2021 Fund to increase the delivery of independent support now open.

Scottish Government’s Support in the Right Direction 2021 (SiRD2021) Fund aims to continue to embed Self-directed Support as the mainstream approach to social care. Support in the Right Direction 2021 (SiRD2021) opens to applications today Monday 5 February 2018. Aiming to increase the delivery of independent support for people who require social care, SiRD2021 has

Social media top tips for the third sector

Social media can be a fantastic resource for charities in particular when communicating your cause and key messages. The world of communications has shifted quite dramatically over the last 2 years due to the pandemic and this is where the importance of social media comes in! We asked Amy part of Inspiring Scotland’s Communications

Successful organisations announced for Inspiring Scotland Creative Communities programme

Nearly 40 organisations around Scotland have been announced as recipients of funding from Inspiring Scotland’s new Creative Communities Programme, which will support the development of grassroots creative and cultural initiatives.

Successful Perinatal and Infant Mental Health fund organisations announced

Charities providing counselling, peer and parental support are to share funding to help improve the life chances and wellbeing of pregnant women, new mums and their families. The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health fund will provide annual funding of up to £1 million to help third sector organisations deliver vital services.

Support in the Right Direction 2024 – 27 fund open for applications

A new phase of the Support in the Right Direction (SiRD) programme was launched today (Wednesday 12 July) to fund independent support services and help people use self-directed support options to organise and manage their social care and support across Scotland. Running from April 2024 to March 2027, applications are now open until midday on

Supporting community led action in rural Scotland

Rural Community groups can now apply for funding to deliver community led solutions in their area, through a newly announced £3m funding pot delivered in partnership with the Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland. This will form the second tranche of an £11.6m funding package confirmed in this year’s Scottish budget, to continue to refine and

Supporting healthier lifestyles on Scottish islands

This fund is now closed for applications. People living on Scottish islands will soon benefit from a new fund to influence healthier lifestyles on the islands through community-led wellness initiatives. The Healthy Islands Fund will help to deliver these initiatives with £1.3 million of funding from the Scottish Government from the wider £30

Supporting Survivors of Childhood Abuse to Live Flourishing Lives

The impact of childhood sexual abuse is devastating and long lasting. Supporting adult survivors of childhood abuse to feel connected, safe and live a more fulfilling life are key aims of the Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support (SOCAS) Fund. Established in 2020 by Scottish Government, and managed by Inspiring Scotland, the fund brings together 29

Survivors of Childhood Abuse Support Fund

THIS FUND IS NOW CLOSED FOR APPLICATIONS. A Scottish Government fund to support organisations offering emotional and practical support to survivors of childhood abuse is now accepting applications. The new £10 million fund aims to help organisations improve access to services which can reduce the impact of inequalities and disadvantage experienced as a result of childhood

SVN support to develop digital communications channels

My name is Angie Alexander, and I am the Chief Operating Officer for Held in Our Hearts, an Edinburgh-based baby loss charity. We provide specialist baby loss counselling and peer support to bereaved families. Our families are the heart of everything that we do, and we offer free, personalised, long-term support including counselling, one

The Play Rangers are back: community play gets under way for summer 2019

Thousands of children will be out playing in their communities across Scotland this summer after local charities received funding to run Play Rangers in their neighbourhood. 15 charities have received money to increase outdoor play opportunities through Inspiring Scotland’s Thrive Outdoors community play programme, which is funded by Scottish Government. Thrive Outdoors supports Scotland’s children

Training to keep your board on track

Part of Inspiring Scotland’s work as a partner to third sector is supporting charities to develop strong governance, improving their resilience and better positioning the charities to drive impact. Our Specialist Volunteers team is on hand to coordinate free training sessions for charity Boards. We spoke with Elaine who heads the team to get the

TV presenter signs up to outdoor play pledge and Out to Play guide launched

Scottish wildlife filmmaker and television presenter Gordon Buchanan – best known for his close encounter with a curious polar bear on BBC’s The Polar Bear Family and Me – has added his name to a growing list of people and organisations committed to getting kids out to play. The raft of pledges will be announced

UK Recognition as Best Family Friendly Third Sector Employer

Inspiring Scotland has received further recognition for its Family Friendly practices picking up the award for the Best UK Family Friendly Third Sector Employer. The judges of the UK wide Family Friendly Working Award were impressed by Inspiring Scotland’s flexible culture and the way it uses flexibility of time to attract and retain high calibre

Vulnerable young people offered chance of unique supportive relationship

Some of Scotland’s most vulnerable young people will be given the chance to build positive, supportive relationships with caring adults thanks to a new fund from Scottish Government and Inspiring Scotland. The intandem programme will support 13 Scottish charities to mentor children aged 8-14 who live at home and are subject, through the Children’s Hearing

Why support for rural community organisations has never been more needed

Island Communities Fund Manager at Inspiring Scotland, Lucy Conway reflects on some of the unique challenges currently facing Scotland’s rural community organisations and the fundraising support being offered by Inspiring Scotland to help strengthen these vital organisations. Rural communities are incredibly diverse; no two rural communities are exactly the same and third sector organisations often

Work begins to expand outdoor nurseries in eight local authorities

Inspiring Scotland’s Thrive Outdoors team has begun work with eight local authorities to encourage and support greater use of outdoor play and learning in the early years. Inspiring Scotland was awarded funding from Scottish Government earlier in 2018 to increase the delivery of outdoor play and learning opportunities as part of the expansion of the

Young people’s talent on display at ten-year celebration event

Success of Inspiring Scotland helping 35,000 young people celebrated by Scottish Government The achievements of the young people of Scotland were celebrated as Inspiring Scotland marked 10 years of our flagship 14:19 Fund. Scottish Government, an investor in the fund throughout its 10 years, hailed the success of the partnership as the fund is on

Youth employment fund delivers record year.

Last year the 14:19 Fund helped over 5,000 young people into a positive destination of employment, education or training. This is more young people than previous years and brings the total young people who have secured a positive destination to 26,000. These results have been delivered by the portfolio of 20 Scottish charities who have

‘Our Future Leaders’ course paves the way for greater inclusion in the charity sector

The Our Future Leaders course, now in its third cohort is a unique leadership course for people with learning disabilities developed by Inspiring Scotland and the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities. Life is about choices, and this course is about helping participants develop the skills and tools to make choices that can lead

£2 million investment in the creative arts continues to positively impact Scotland’s communities

The second year of the Scottish Government’s Creative Communities programme has now launched, seeing a total of £2 million invested in creative projects across Scotland. Since the programme began in 2020, it has supported 46 community-based charities working with communities where social or geographical circumstances make engaging with culture more challenging. Film production workshops,

£600K Creative Communities cultural funding programme launches

Inspiring Scotland has launched a new programme that aims to support and empower individuals and communities to develop cultural activities. Open to applicants from July 1, the Creative Communities programme will distribute up to £600,000 to support communities to develop new initiatives involving culture and creative arts for the period October 2020-June 2021. In addition

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