Big impact of small grants

Small grants are improving the life chances of people in some of the world’s poorest communities, International Development Minister Alasdair Allan said today as he launched a new call for applications.

Dr Allan highlighted the impact of a Scottish Government’s grant to Cerebral Palsy Africa which is supporting children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) in Malawi to go to school. The £52,000 grant enabled teachers and lecturers at Montfort Special Needs Education Teacher Training College to adapt their curriculum to better support children with CP in the classroom over the three year grant period.

Opening the fifth year of the Scottish Government’s International Development Small Grants Programme, Dr Allan said:

“Projects like this show our commitment in helping some of the world’s most vulnerable people and enhance Scotland’s role as a good global citizen.

“Over the last four years, the programme has supported this and many other development projects in our partner countries, enabling Scottish agencies to make an impact and improve people’s lives.

"I encourage all Scottish-based organisations to consider applying to this year’s programme.”

Fiona Duncan, Chief Executive of Corra Foundation, administering the programme for the Scottish Government, said:

“Over the years, the small grants programme has shown the impact that relatively small sums of money can have on local communities. Corra Foundation is looking forward to continuing to work closely with the Scottish Government to ensure the ongoing smooth delivery of this funding.”

Jane Salmonson, Chief Executive of Scotland’s International Development Alliance, said:

“Grants available to smaller organisations make an incredible difference to hard-working groups in Scotland who deserve this extra boost for their projects, and will improve the lives and life chances of people facing hardship and lack of opportunity overseas.”

Background

• The Small Grants Programme is administered by Corra Foundation and developed in partnership with the Scotland’s International Development Alliance and Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP). It is designed to accommodate smaller funding requests: project grants up to £60,000 are available for over a three year period. A maximum of £10,000 for feasibility and capacity building grants are also available, to cover a one year period.

• 2018 applications are now open to Scottish-based international development organisations looking to expand their work with the Scottish Government’s priority countries.

• Cerebral Palsy Africa is one of the 10 organisations which received funding last year from the international development Small Grants Programme.