Volant Charitable Trust Large Grants Programme

About this fund

In response to the current cost of living crisis, the Volant Charitable Trust is for the foreseeable future prioritising the focus of its awards on charities and organisations who are particularly addressing poverty and deprivation, helping to support vulnerable groups who are most affected, with an emphasis on women, children and young people.

Further information on the Trust is available on their website.

Purpose of this fund

Your project must meet at least one of the specific themes below and ensure you read the corresponding list after each theme as this explains the areas of support that will be considered (again, you must meet at least one). 

Please note it does not strengthen your application to meet as many of the themes and corresponding listed areas of support as possible.  Therefore, stay focused and don't dilute your request by appearing to spread yourself across multiple causes.

 Project areas of interest, in order of priority, include: 

1. Poverty and deprivation (with an emphasis on women, children and young people): 
•    Support for vulnerable families facing extreme poverty 
•    Food provision and promotion of healthy eating in areas of extreme deprivation 
•    Mental health projects for vulnerable groups living in poverty. 

2. Women: 
•    Support for isolated and lone mothers 
•    Community integration support for black and minority ethnic women and children and asylum seekers 
•    Support services for women prisoners and their families 
•    Support for victims of sexual abuse, rape, domestic violence, and those working in the sex industry 
•    Provision of antenatal and postnatal care for young mothers or those affected by postnatal depression. 

3. Children and Young people: 
•    Counselling for vulnerable children 
•    Support services and outreach projects for those who are disadvantaged or deemed to be ‘at risk’ through neglect, emotional and physical abuse, alcohol, or drug misuse. 

Additional criteria

You can apply for up to £15,000 per year, for a maximum of 3 years (maximum total grant, therefore, is £45,000).  

Please note this is a large, multi year, grants programme which is a 2 stage process and therefore not appropriate for small grant requests of £5,000 or less.  If your organisation/project meets the Volant criteria and you wish to apply for £5,000 or less then please visit the Volant Charitable Trust Small Grants Programme here for more information, and note the difference in income cap.

You can apply for core costs.

There is an income cap of £1 million as reflected in your most recent annual accounts (this an update to the criteria as of October 2023).

If you have been previously rejected there is no time limit to re-apply, provided your feedback does not prevent you due to being ineligible.

You cannot apply to both the small and large Volant grants programme at the same time.

You cannot apply for a large Volant grant, if you are a current recipient of a Volant small grant.

Who can apply?

All applicants must fit Foundation Scotland's funding criteria. Before progressing with your application please visit our Common eligibility criteria

What can’t be funded?

Requests for capital projects (i.e. building/ground works, renovations/refurbs).

Organisations with an annual income in the most recent annual accounts exceeding £1 million (this an update to the criteria as of October 2023)

At Foundation Scotland we have some standard exclusions that apply to all funds. Before progressing with your application please visit What can't be funded.

How are decisions made?

Volant Charitable Trust Trustees make the final decisions on applications presented to them twice a year in April and October.  For more information on our decision making processes, please visit how funding decisions are made.