Boost Fund
The Boost Fund is for small community-led organisations across Scotland supporting local people affected by poverty or disadvantage. Groups can apply if their activities will support their communities and the people who live there. Grants are flexible and groups can apply for many different costs. The work you are doing might be about providing practical help, or organising activities and gatherings, or addressing another local need.
The Boost Fund provides grants of £500-£3,000 to constituted groups and charities with an annual income of £50,000 or less. Unconstituted groups can apply for grants of between £250-£1,500. There is £1 million available to distribute through April 2027, and we anticipate making approximately 325 grants.
Please note that The Boost Fund continues to support groups working with children and families, but now also supports wider community activity. The Boost Fund will remain open for applications until all funds are spent.
This fund aims to:
- Provide an accessible funding opportunity for small community-led organisations.
- Ensure supportive community-led activities are available.
The Boost Small Grants Fund is delivered by Corra Foundation and is a partnership between STV Children’s Appeal, Comic Relief, and Corra Foundation, and is supported by players of Postcode Lottery.
For 2025/26, Foundation Scotland were also a partner for The Boost Small Grants Fund and contributed £500,000 to supporting community groups across Scotland
Who can apply?
The Boost Fund is open to various community organisations across Scotland.
Your group is…
Eligible
- A charity registered in Scotland
- A constituted voluntary or community organisations, or CICs with:
- At least three members on your Board/committee, with no person having more than 50% control of your group or the right to appoint or remove directors.
- Governing documents which state that:
- You’re not for profit or you have a clause that says income is applied to the organisation’s purposes and not distributed to members, shareholders, or owners.
- A dissolution clause/lock is in place, requiring that assets are distributed to an organisation with similar charitable aims in case of closure.
- An unconstituted group:
- By this we mean a small group of at least 3 people providing activities in the local community but without a written constitution. It is not a project of a larger organisation.
Because these groups are unlikely to have the same information available about their activities as charities and constituted groups, as part of the application process, we will want to speak with you.
- By this we mean a small group of at least 3 people providing activities in the local community but without a written constitution. It is not a project of a larger organisation.
Not Eligible
- An organisation with an income of more than £50,000 in their our financial year.
- An organisation that is not established as not for profit.
- An organisation based outside Scotland or working outside Scotland.
- An organisation applying for funding to pass on to other groups or individuals (e.g. cash/voucher schemes).
- An organisation applying on behalf of another.
- An organisation asking for funding to support faith-based work.
- A project of a larger organisation.
- An organisation that has had a Boost grant in the last 12 months.
- Individuals.
If you received a Boost grant in 2025, you can apply again if it has been longer than 12 months since you received your grant; you have completed the project you wanted to do; used all of your Boost grant; and have completed our progress report form.
What can I apply for?
This funding is to support the work and running of small groups helping communities affected by poverty or disadvantage. The application will ask you to explain what challenges, especially poverty, your community faces.
We will prioritise applications from groups that can show a need for funding. As part of the application, we will look at how much money you already have available. If you already have 12 months or more running costs, you may not receive funding from this programme.
How much can you apply for?
- Charities, CICs, and other constituted groups can apply for a minimum of £500 up to a maximum of £3,000.
- Unconstituted groups can apply for a minimum of £250 up to a maximum of £1,500.
Funding should be used within 12 months of when you receive your grant.
Please note that we cannot fund activities that have taken place before you receive a decision on your application and we would recommend that you apply in plenty of time to allow our assessment and decision making process to be completed.
What can you use the money for?
Eligible
Supporting the work and running of small groups that help communities affected by poverty or disadvantage.
We will ask you to explain how a grant will support your work with communities. For example:
- A parent and toddler group meets weekly providing support and social interaction. This group could be eligible for funding if they meet the other criteria and can tell us what challenges (such as poverty or isolation) their community faces.
- A local food pantry provides food and support to their community. This group could be eligible for funding if they meet the other criteria and can tell us why their community needs a food pantry.
- A walking group for older people could be eligible if they can tell us why this is needed in their community, and they meet the other criteria.
We understand that every group has different needs and ideas. We encourage you to think about what you need the funding for. It could be for:
- a brand-new project
- to help you continue a project
- to buy small items of equipment or supplies
- to support your running costs such as utilities or rent
Not Eligible
- Activities which do not directly help communities affected by poverty or disadvantage.
- Activities that take place outside of Scotland.
- Major capital appeals, including building projects, motor vehicles and refurbishment costs.
- Retrospective funding.
- Promotion of religion.
- Activities which are party political.
- Mainstream activities and statutory requirements, for example of hospitals and medical centres, schools, universities and colleges.
- Bursaries or scholarships.
- Contributions to funds which will be used for grant making to other organisations and/or individuals. This includes onward distribution of cash and/or vouchers to other groups and individuals.
- Sponsorship or marketing appeals.
Key principles
There are some key principles and good practice that charities and groups should follow to ensure that they are well run, money is managed properly, and people are treated fairly. These are outlined fully in our Programme Criteria document but cover areas such as:
- Knowing what your group do to keep children and vulnerable adults safe. This is often referred to as ‘safeguarding’.
- Working with openness and transparency.
- Listening to, and actively involving, the people who use your group or service.
- Keep accounting records, including recording money received and spent by your organisation and producing annual figures/accounts.
If you are an unconstituted group, we will speak to you during the assessment process to better understand your group and how it is managed. We will also ask for contact information of a referee for your group who can confirm that they know and support your activity. The referee could be someone working in a charity that knows your group, a local teacher or faith leader, a community councillor or other elected official.
Chat to us before you apply
Advice and support are available throughout the application process. Please drop us a message at communitygrants@corra.scot.
Apply now
Stage 1: Read the fund guidance
All guidance is available to download in the purple buttons opposite.
Stage 2: Complete your application online.
The online application form is available to access by clicking here.
You will be taken first to an eligibility checker, which will help you to know if your group meets the basic eligibility requirements for Boost. If you meet the requirements, you will be able to proceed with the application.
You will also be asked to send in a bank statement (no more than 6 months old) and your most recent accounts with your application form. If you are not a registered charity, you will also be asked to send your organisation’s constitution or governing document.
Unconstituted groups may not have a bank account, annual accounts, or governing documents. We understand this and will be in touch to discuss your application and how any grant awarded can reach you. You will be able to submit your application without these documents.
Stage 3: Confirmation that we’ve received your application form.
When we receive your application, you will receive an email confirming we’ve received your form. If you do not receive these, please contact us at communitygrants@corra.scot.
Decision making process
When are decisions announced?
We aim to let you know the outcome of your application within 6 weeks of receiving your form. If your application is incomplete or we need to ask for outstanding information, it may take longer than this.
Can I get feedback if my application is unsuccessful?
We provide written feedback to all applicants and are happy to discuss this further with you once you’ve received your decision.
