Extra cash on offer to large community organisations

July 11th 2025

Shetland Charitable Trust is looking for interest in £100,000 which is available for extra grants next year under its Large Grant Scheme.

A massive £9.96 million has already been allocated to more than two dozen local organisations to provide services to improve life in Shetland during 2026/27.

SCT is streamlining how to apply for these latest grants due to the limited extra funding available. From Friday 11^th July, organisations will be able to complete an expression of interest form to sketch out their project idea and how it fits with trust aims. They can apply for a grant to run for up to four years. The closing date is Friday 22^nd August.

From that initial information, some groups whose projects have the best potential will be invited to submit a more detailed application.

SCT hopes the process will save time and avoid unnecessary work for groups.

When allocated, the extra spending will take SCT’s spend on the Large Grant Scheme to £10,063,500 next year.

Full details and forms will be available from Friday on the Apply for Funding section of the SCT website, by email from mail@shetlandcharitabletrust.co.uk or telephone 01595 744 994.

Testimonials

The funding COPE Ltd receives from the Shetland Charitable Trust supports us in many ways. It allows us to develop and maintain a strong foundation to our core business and assists us to provide on-going employment skill development opportunities to people with disabilities living within Shetland. COPE Ltd highly values the support provided to our organisation by The Shetland Charitable Trust.

“The substantial grant made to us by Shetland Charitable Trust every year allows us to provide first-class facilities and dedicated staff to underpin sporting success among people of all ages and abilities in the islands.”

Having this core funding from the Charitable Trust means that we can use that money where we need it at any given time. It's multi-year funding which really takes the pressure off. To have the funding to keep going is really important as it is improving the lives of disabled folk in Shetland.

The funding that we get from the Charitable Trust pays for part of staff support and matching with other funders. Without local funders we wouldn't have national funders, and without either of those funders, we wouldn't be able to do this, so funding from the Shetland Charitable Trust is incredibly important.

The funding Shetland Arts gets from Shetland Charitable Trust is about making sure the organisation can thrive, access other funds, and deliver on behalf of the community of Shetland. Our funding from the Shetland Charitable Trust really helps us with our conversations with national funders because it shows that we're working on behalf of what the local objectives and priorities are.

The Access to Leisure scheme was introduced to allow folk to be able to get access to classes and activities for a lower cost. I feel that the SRT play a critical role in every community across Shetland and that's all down to the funding of the Shetland Charitable Trust that we're able to maintain that.

Unpaid carers do an amazing job looking after people 24/7 in their own homes, keeping them living at home safely, and they really need help to do that. Thanks to the funding from Shetland Charitable Trust, we've been able to employ a deputy manager, recruit more care attendants, and provide overnights. We're also really grateful for the funding because it means that everybody can get the service for free.