The funding alerts below are updated regularly to let you know of important information about funding deadlines for community groups and charities.
If your group is awarded a grant from any of the funds highlighted in these alerts, please let us know by emailing ExternalFunding@eastayrshireleisure.com.
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Latest funding alerts
East Ayrshire Council - Anti-Poverty and Inequalities Grant
East Ayrshire Council has created an Anti-Poverty and Inequalities Grant Programme which is targeted at providing resources for innovative projects which will help to tackle poverty.
Applications are welcome from any constituted third sector partner who would like to propose new initiatives, enhance a current initiative, or add long term sustainability to a current initiative.
Projects should be connected to one or more of the strategy’s themes of:
- household poverty
- child poverty
- health and wellbeing inequalities
- building individual and community resilience
- building organisation capacity to tackle poverty
The fund is open on the East Ayrshire Council website. There is no current deadline for applications.
Apply at Engagement East Ayrshire: Anti-Poverty and Inequalities Grant
Ayrshire Climate Hub - Seed Fund
Applications are invited from community-led projects and groups that are actively working to protect and restore local nature, strengthen community resilience, and adapt to the challenges of climate change.
This round of funding is mainly aimed at supporting adaptation and biodiversity projects, but they are also continuing to fund smaller mitigation projects. For example:
- climate adaptation
- biodiversity action
- climate mitigation
For Adaptation or Biodiversity Projects a maximum of £2500 is available, and for Mitigation Projects a maximum of £1000 is available.
The fund is open on the Ayrshire Climate Hub website. The deadline for applications is 19 September 2025.
Apply at Ayrshire Climate Hub: Seed Fund
Advice Direct Scotland - Homelessness Prevention Pilot Fund
Applications are now being accepted to the Homelessness Prevention Pilot Fund. This is a new £4 million fund to support pilot projects that trial the new ‘ask and act’ approach outlined in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, currently under consideration by the Scottish Parliament.
Applications are invited from pilot consortia that bring together statutory bodies such as:
- local authorities
- health boards
- police service
- registered social landlords
- prisons in partnership with third sector organisations that have expertise in preventing homelessness
The fund is open on the Advice Direct Scotland website. The deadline for applications is 17 October 2025.
Apply at Advice Direct Scotland: Homelessness Prevention Pilot Fund
Castle Studies Trust
Grants of up to £10,000 to support the production of new and discrete pieces of research that enhance the understanding and knowledge of castles.
Grants will focus on new work on castles, such as:
- architectural and geophysical surveys
- radiocarbon dating, or
- projects that enhance the public’s understanding of castles
The fund is open on the Castle Studies Trust website. The deadline for applications 1 December 2025.
Apply at Castle Studies Trust
Corra Foundation - The Way Forward for Families Partnership
Grants of up to £250,000 over three years are available to constituted third sector organisations in Scotland that work with children, young people and families affected by drugs and alcohol for partnership projects with public sector organisations.
Funding is intended to:
- encourage partnership working between third and public sector organisations
- support and improve the wellbeing of children, young people and families impacted by alcohol and substance abuse
- develop and influence policy and practice at a local and national level
There is a two-stage application process. Due to high demand, potential applicants are advised to contact the Corra Foundation as soon as possible to arrange an initial conversation.
The fund is open on the Corra Foundation website. The deadline to arrange an initial enquiry to the Fund is 7 November 2025.
Apply at Corra Foundation: The Way Forward for Families Partnership
Electrical Safety First - Electrical Safety Fund
Electrical Safety First is offering charities, community interest companies (CICs), trusts, and registered not-for-profit organisations across the UK grants to deliver projects and activities that contribute to a reduction in electrical risks in UK homes.
Grants of up to £5,000 are available for projects that fall in one of the following categories:
- product testing and replacement events
- raising awareness activities
- home safety activities and visits
- educational events and workshops.
The fund is open on the Electrical Safety First website.The deadline for applications is 12 October 2025.
Apply at Electrical Safety First: Electrical Safety Fund
Energy Saving Trust - Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund
Grants are available to not-for-profit community transport organisations in Scotland to assist with the purchase or lease of a zero-emission vehicle for community trips.
Grants of up to £75,000 for vehicles are available, funding also covers any necessary accessibility adaptations and charging infrastructure up to a total grant award of £95,000.
The fund is open on the Energy Saving Trust website. Pre-applications are currently being accepted.
FCC Communities Foundation - FCC Scotland Action Fund
Grants of between £2,000 and £40,000 for constituted not-for-profit organisations and local authorities across Scotland to support community, environmental, and heritage projects in communities near landfill sites and transfer stations such as:
- land reclamation
- community recycling
- public amenities and parks
- biodiversity
- historic buildings
The total cost of any proposed project should not exceed £250,000. All grant recipients are required to secure a 'Contributing Third Party' (CTP) payment..
The fund is open on the FCC Communities Foundation website. The next deadline for applications is 19 November 2025
Apply at FCC Communities Foundation: FCC Scottish Action Fund
Foundation Scotland - Volant Charitable Trust Large Grants Programme
The funding is intended to support charitable projects with a strong focus on supporting women, young people and children affected by hardship or disadvantage and on tackling the issues they face in order to make a lasting difference to their lives and life chances.
Grants of up to £45,000 (£15,000 per year for up to three years) are available.
The fund is open on the Foundation Scotland website. The deadline for stage one applications is 6 October 2025.
Apply at Foundation Scotland: Volant Charitable Trust Large Grants Programme
Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation
Grants of up to £10,000 to support UK registered charities from across the UK who are serving people in the top 50% of the UK Index of Multiple Deprivation.
The funding is to help people experiencing hardship and/or underserved groups to:
- access a place to call home
- improve financial wellbeing
The fund is open on the Skipton Building Society Charitable Foundation website. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2025.
Sportscotland - Sport Facilities Fund
Grants of up to £200,000 for constituted, not-for-profit organisations to support capital projects that provide opportunities for people to get involved in and participate in sports and physical activity in Scotland.
For projects in areas of high deprivation, grants of up to £250,000 are available.
The fund is open on the Sportscotland website. The next deadline for applications is 1 April 2026.
Apply at Sportscotland: Sport Facilities Fund
Sustrans – ArtRoots Fund
Grants for Scottish community groups to make artistic or aesthetic improvements to traffic-free paths that lead to increased awareness and usage of the National Cycle Network.
Grants of £2,500 are available, although grants of £6,000 may be considered if applicants can demonstrate that the higher funding award would significantly impact the outcome and achieve a greater increase in new active travel journeys.
The fund is open on the Sustrans website. This deadline for applications is 15 October 2025.
Apply at Sustrans - ArtRoots Fund
William Syson Foundation
Unrestricted grants of up to £5,000 to arts charities registered in Scotland to deliver activities that promote the advancement of the arts, heritage, and culture.
Organisations must have an annual income of less than £500,000 and have the core purpose of providing opportunities for the practice and enjoyment of the arts.
The fund is open on the William Syson Foundation website. The deadline for applications is 12 September 2025.
Apply at William Syson Foundation
East Ayrshire Council Community Grants
To check the next deadline date for applications please contact Democratic Services at Council Headquarters on 01563 554400 for further information.
Apply for a Community Grant
Renewable Energy Funds
To check the next deadline date for applications please contact Democratic Services at Council Headquarters on 01563 554400 further information.
Apply to the Renewable Energy Fund
Tincornhill Quarry Fund – Sorn
For further information on application criteria and deadlines please email secretarytqf@gmail.com
Previous funding alerts
East Ayrshire 4 Community
You can also search for grants and check your eligibility at East Ayrshire 4 Community, which is a free service.