Cost of Living grants programme

Cost of Living grants programme

13 February 2023

Scouts Scotland have been made aware of a Cost of Living Grant Programme, which may be of assistance to our Scout Groups and Districts (on behalf of Explorer Scouts and Scout Network), so long as: -

The Charity has an annual turnover of less than £500,000

The Charity has been in operation for at least two years

At least 70% of the charity’s beneficiaries are aged 8 – 25

About the Cost of Living Grant Programme: 

The UK Youth fund in partnership with Pears Foundation - UK Youth

The cost-of-living crisis is having a profound and devastating effect on young people and the youth organisations they depend on as they struggle to keep up with the rising cost of inflation. Already youth organisations are having to cut back on delivery or staff costs and in some cases, are closing their doors. This will result in a vital part of the youth ecosystem falling apart, unable to provide critical support to young people and impacting the key stages of young people’s lives.

This new fund is a three-year unrestricted grant programme aimed at mitigating the devastating impact the cost of living crisis is having on the youth sector. The fund is administered by UK Youth in partnership with Pears Foundation. It will provide targeted funding to youth organisations delivering high quality youth work to ensure doors stay open and bills get paid. This will help to ensure young people continue to be supported at this most difficult of times by the youth organisations and youth workers on whom they’ve come to depend.

The fund is open to youth organisations based and delivering high quality youthwork in the UK, with an annual turnover of £500,000 or less. The grant programme will offer 3-year unrestricted grants, of approximately 10% of current turnover of applicant organisations to reflect the current rate of inflation. However, applicants will have an opportunity to explain why they might need funding above and beyond this.

More information can be found here.

It is also well worthwhile reading the programme’s Frequently Asked Questions document.