Fairer funding for charities

A new Fairer Funding pilot to deliver on the Scottish Government's top priority of eradicating child poverty will provide additional multi-year funding in the form of 45 grants to organisations across Scotland.

The funding, subject to budget approval, will support projects in areas including health, education, poverty and culture and have a total value of £61.7 million in 2025-26 and £63.2 million in 2026- 27.

Speaking on her visit today to the Gathering, the largest third sector event in the UK, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said:

“I know many charities, faced with rising costs and falling donations, need more security and stability to enable them to plan and develop. Child poverty, in particular, requires longer-term interventions to help achieve the solutions we want to see. For that, the third sector needs financial stability and certainty. That’s why I have prioritised delivering on our commitment to provide more multi-year funding where we can to support the vital work of the third sector in Scotland, as part of our fairer funding approach.

“The pilot is the first step in mainstreaming multi-year funding agreements more widely across the third sector. It will give organisations the ability to plan for the future and make the most of their resources. The pilot’s focus on grants connected to tackling child poverty and the delivery of frontline services to our communities will maximise the impact of longer term funding and support the delivery of our number one priority, eradicating child poverty.”  

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Chief Executive Anna Fowlie said:

“The voluntary sector has a crucial role to play in delivering essential services across Scotland that people and communities rely on. Multi-year funding models are vital, providing security to voluntary organisations and, crucially, allowing them to get on and deliver for people and communities.

 “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to piloting multi-year funding for a range of voluntary organisations across Scotland – a first step, we hope, towards rolling out Fair Funding principles to voluntary sector funding.”

Background

Organisations to receive multi-year funding for 2025/26 and 2026/27

Social Justice

Scottish Refugee Council

Scottish Empty Homes Partnership

Homeless Network Scotland

Housing Options Scotland

Poverty Alliance

CentreStage - Social Innovation Partnership

COVEY - Social Innovation Partnership

Flexibility Works - Social Innovation Partnership

Heavy Sound - Social Innovation Partnership

MsMissMrs - Social Innovation Partnership

Street Soccer - Social Innovation Partnership

WorkingRite - Social Innovation Partnership

MCR Pathways

Economy and Gaelic

Scottish Mountain Rescue

Constitution, External Affairs and Culture

Youth Music Initiative

Sistema Scotland

Health and Social Care

Cruse Scotland Bereavement Helpline

Penumbra Self-harm support pilots

BASICS Funding PHEC BASICS Scotland

The Listening Service Samaritans

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults

Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund Management

Autism Advice Line Scottish Autism

Young Scot Carer support funding

Active Play Development Programme Inspiring Scotland

Active Play Development Programme Actify

Community Food Networks Edinburgh Community Food

Community Food Networks Lanarkshire Community Food and Health Partnership

Community Food Networks Community Food Initiative North East

Community Food Networks Glasgow Community Food Network

Drugs Policy: Core Funding Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

Drugs Policy: Family Recovery Initiative Fund Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD Hub Scotland Service 

Finance and Local Government

Planning Aid Scotland

Education and Skills

Dyslexia Scotland

Children's Advocacy for Children's Hearings

Who Cares Scotland

Inspiring Scotland

Children in Scotland Enquire National Advice and Information Service on Additional Support for Learning

Scottish Book Trust Bookbug

Access to Childcare Fund

Scottish Association of Minority Ethnic Educators

Justice and Home Affairs

Victim Centred Approach Fund

Apex Scotland

Medics Against Violence

These pilots are in addition to the multi-year funding announced last week by Creative Scotland, which has been funded as part of a record £34 million uplift for culture in the draft 2025-26 Scottish Budget.