Cost-of-Living Support for Vulnerable Families and Communities Across Scotland

Voluntary and community organisations in Scotland can apply for funding to support vulnerable individuals, families, and people who face severe challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis.

The National Lottery Community Fund is offering grants of between £10,001 and £75,000 for voluntary and community organisations to support individuals, families, and communities across Scotland that are experiencing hardship due to the cost-of-living crisis.

The Cost-of-Living Support Scotland Fund aims to prevent and reduce the impact of financial security by enabling groups to deliver activities that help people to:

  • Have more resilience and are more able to identify ways to deal with the impact of the increased cost of living in their lives.
  • Shape activities in their community that address the increased cost of living.
  • Have more access to support and services that will help them deal with the increased cost of living.

Groups must demonstrate that their proposed activities are:

  • People-led: Meaningfully involving the people the organisation is working with within the development, design, and delivery of activities.
  • Strength-based: Making the most of, and building on, the skills and experiences of people and assets within communities.
  • Connected: Having a good understanding of what others are doing locally, developing good working relationships, and complementing and adding value to other relevant activities in the area.

Preference will be given to smaller groups who are working with those most vulnerable and disproportionately affected by the cost-of-living crisis.

Groups can use funding to improve or adapt existing services, or to develop new activities. Activities that take (or include) a preventative approach will also be considered, as well as innovative responses that may not have been seen previously.

Funding can be used for costs associated with project delivery, such as staff salaries, training, volunteer expenses, equipment, premise, evaluation, and overhead costs.

Applications can be submitted at any time.

(This report was the subject of a GRANTfinder Newsflash.)