Exemptions for Charities
Water & sewerage charges
Charities and Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) can get help with the payment of water and sewerage charges. Full details about the scheme is available from the Scottish Government website and there are certain conditions on whether charities are eligible to apply.
Scottish charity regulator OSCR has produced a briefing note which sets out the answers to some of the questions they are often asked about the Water Charges and Sewerage Exemption scheme.
Rates – some charities and small businesses may qualify for an exemption or discounted rate for business rates charges. Consult your local authority for details of how to apply.
Trellis Membership Supplier discounts – from horticulture discounts to insurance cover check out the benefits enjoyed by our members (link to page).
Below are a few examples of grant funding. This list is no substitute for a comprehensive funding search but does give an indication of the type of funding available:
Are you a horticulturalist looking for financial assistance?
The Merlin Trust
Are you between the age of 18-35 or in your first five years of a career in horticulture with a love of plants, gardens and gardening?
Do you need financial assistance to visit gardens in the UK or abroad? Or to study plants in their natural habitats anywhere in the world?
If so, then the Merlin Trust may be able to help you. Enthusiasm matters more than qualifications. Applications for grants from Britain and Ireland are invited throughout the year. Funding is also available if you are a foreign national studying in the United Kingdom.
See the Merlin Trust web pages for further information at www.merlin-trust.org.uk
The Professional Gardeners’ Trust
The Professional Gardeners’ Trust was established in 2004 to fund training and study for working gardeners in the UK and Ireland see http://pgtrust.org/
The PGT provides gardeners with the opportunity to acquire skills and gain qualifications through part-time courses and work placements. This enhances their careers and benefits the horticulture profession as a whole.
The Finnis Scott Award
The Finnis Scott Award, for information and application criteria see the Professional Gardeners Trust web pages at http://pgtrust.org
2025 Applications Open! Scotland’s Gardens Scheme Cattanach Fund
The Cattanach Bursary is for horticulturists and gardeners in Scotland to access personal and professional development. SGS recognise that it’s their skills and experience that ensure the continued care of Scotland’s fine gardens. Therefore, they offer a maximum of £1,500 (typical average grant £550) to individual applicants to pursue their learning journey - about plants, best horticultural practices and effective garden management.
Plants & Seeds
DIY stores like B&Q and garden centres may offer plants that are past their best to charity and community groups.
Woodland Trust Tree Planting Packs - a range of tree packs to suit schools, youth groups and communities. Applicants can receive practical packs and advice for ensuring a successful planting. For more information go to the Woodland Trust web pages for more details at http://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant-trees/
General Funding
Tesco Stronger Starts Funding
Need funding for a project that benefits the community? Apply online here Tesco Community Grants
Awards for All Scotland
Awards for All is a small grants scheme which makes awards to support projects with social connections and community activities at their heart that create healthier, happier lives and a flourishing society.
Gannochy Trust
Gannochy Trust through its grant making, the Trust seeks to make a positive difference for the benefit of people living in Scotland, with a preference for Perth and Kinross.
The Corra Foundation
The Corra Foundation, (formerly Lloyds TSB Foundation (Scotland)) The Corra Foundation distributes its funds to recognised charities in Scotland which are focused on improving the quality of life for people in Scotland who are disadvantaged or at risk of becoming disadvantaged. It has a particular emphasis on funding grassroots charities (with an annual income of £500,000 or less).
MacRobert Trust Grants Programme
MacRobert Trust Grants Programme makes grants to registered charities in the United Kingdom (but preference is given to registered charities in Scotland), has various application deadlines throughout the year. The MacRobert Trust makes grants in the areas of Services and Sea; Education and Training; Children and Youth; Science, Engineering and Technology; Agriculture and Horticulture; and Tarland and the Local Area.
SCDC Supporting Communities – offer extended to more groups
SCDC is offering its expanded package of community capacity building support, Supporting Communities, to even more community organisations. The free support is intended to enable community organisations at all levels and stages to improve their effectiveness and influence over the community needs and priorities that they are involved in tackling.
Please visit the Supporting Communities webpage on the SCDC website for more information.
Foundation Scotland
For a variety of local and national Scottish Charitable funding, visit the Foundation Scotland web pages.
The Robertson Trust
The Robertson Trust support for charities and community groups doing good work which fits one of their current funding strands.
Benefact Group
Benefact Group’s giving goes beyond financial donations – they offer a range of support and resources to help your charity. From raising funds and managing volunteers to measuring your impact, their support is here to help improve your organisation’s sustainability and resilience.
Retailers and Banks
Several of the larger UK supermarkets, banks and garden centres may offer funding for community projects.
ASDA
Sainsburys
Tesco
The Co-operative
Dobbies Garden Centres
Bank of Scotland
Santander
HSBC
TSB
Site Specific Funders
Biffaward is a multi-million pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through awarding grants to community and environmental projects across the UK.
Airports
Is your project local to one of Scotland's airports?
Glasgow Airport Fightpath Fund
Edinburgh Airport Community Support
Other airports may also have related funds.
Funding for areas or groups at disadvantage
- Baily Thomas Charitable Fund supports projects in the area of learning disability and to aid the care and relief of those affected by learning disability. Baily Thomas.
- John Watson’s Trust awards grants for educational purposes to children and young people under the age of 21 who have a physical or learning disability, or who are socially disadvantaged. Grants are available to individuals or organisations working with eligible children and young people. Primarily within Edinburgh and the Lothians, but grants may be awarded Scotland wide depending on each individual case see John Watson's Trust
- Gardening with Disabilities Trust offers grants to individuals in order that they may continue to garden.
- Elifar Foundation - Support for people with severe disabilities Every Life Is For A Reason (ELIFAR) Grants can be offered to children or young adults with physical or learning disabilities.
- The Archer Trust What's it for? Support for disadvantaged or marginalised people. For more information, please visit Archer Trust.
- The Woodward Trust aims to support small-scale charitable initiatives in the UK with an annual turnover of less than £250,000. For more information, please visit: Woodward Charitable Trust.