Trust reopens funding scheme to help tackle inequality and social exclusion

April 30th 2020

Shetland Charitable Trust is reopening its additional grant scheme on 1st May, inviting bids from eligible charitable organisations which had applied for funding under the expression of interest process. This funding will apply for the financial year to 31 March 2021.

Trust reopens funding scheme to help tackle inequality and social exclusion

Shetland Charitable Trust is reopening its additional grant scheme on 1 May, inviting bids from eligible charitable organisations which had applied for funding under the expression of interest process. This funding will apply for the financial year to 31 March 2021.

Revised applications are expected for the £881,000 before the new closing date of 29 May.

The trust suspended the scheme temporarily on 24 March, the day after the national lockdown was announced.

Trust chairman Dr Andrew Cooper said: “It’s an encouraging sign that we are able to reinstate the scheme. However, it is regrettable that Covid-19 restrictions mean that some of the activities proposed will not be able to take place.

“The trust looks forward to receiving updated bids and making sure this money is spent where it’s needed this year.”

The decision to suspend the previous process came during the rapid and unprecedented changes imposed to tackle the pandemic. The trust was aware that:

Social distancing and changes to normal working practices rendered some of the new proposed activities unworkable;
Some charitable organisations faced problems submitting their bids on time due to the sudden upheaval and closure of offices;

Dr Cooper said: “We felt there was no other realistic option than to pause the process during the early stages of the pandemic response. It’s unfortunate that some people mistakenly took it to mean that the trust was withholding its vital funding for local charitable organisations. That was never the case and, despite the disruption and loss of services due to Covid-19, these organisations received £3.7 million in support grants from the trust, as planned, from 1 April.”

The trust will also open the Main Grant Scheme for applications for 2021/22 and beyond in July.

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.