Grants for communities 2025/26
East Lothian Council’s One Council Partnership Fund grants support community organisations in their work to help reduce inequalities and make East Lothian a better place to live.
The Council Plan 2022-27 states:
"We are living through unprecedented challenging times – the COVID-19 pandemic has had long term impacts on our economy, society, the health and wellbeing of people, contributing to increasing poverty and inequality; rising inflation and the cost of living crisis which is driving more and more people into food and fuel poverty; and the Climate Emergency, requiring systemic changes in how we all live our lives and run services in order to substantially reduce carbon emissions."
The focus of the funding awards for 2025/26 will be to support initiatives and activities which assist community-based organisations to:
- address inequalities, and the impact of poverty including health inequalities
- reduce social isolation for vulnerable children, young people and adults
- support prevention and early intervention activities across all age groups
- provide more youth work opportunities for our children and young people
- respond to the Climate Emergency
- promote volunteering
This fund is always oversubscribed, and it is unlikely organisations will be awarded the full amount applied for.
Any charitable/third sector organisation seeking funding should also contact Volunteer Centre East Lothian (VCEL) (volunteereastlothian.org.uk) for information about other funding sources. VCEL can also advise on governance and volunteer recruitment, help with monitoring how the funding is used, and have been supporting our evaluation of awards this year.
Contact Volunteer Centre East Lothian
Apply
Applications for 2025/26 are invited from Monday 4 November 2024 and will close on Monday 2 December 2024.
All your supporting documents must be returned by Monday 2 December 2024 or your application will not be considered for funding.
Applicants must demonstrate how projects seeking funding will support East Lothian Council’s overarching aim of "reducing inequalities within and across our communities" - as set out in our Council Plan. It is also important to note the current council priorities (which are identified in the application form). Applicants should also refer to the East Lothian Plan 2017-27 and must clearly demonstrate how they will evidence the local need for their request and the difference the funding will make.
This year we have moved our application form online.
To use the online fom you must create a Biseastlothian account, as this is the portal where we will host your application.
Register for a Biseastlothian account and find out more
Once you have registered and logged in - select the ‘start a new request’ button and then 'One Council Partnership Fund'.
Help with your application
We will have staff present at Volunteer Centre East Lothian’s annual conference on 14 November at the Royal Musselburgh Golf Club. If you would like a demonstration, some assistance to navigate how to register or simply tell us what you think of the new form, we would be delighted to speak to you!
Applicants should refer to the guidance note for more information.
Any enquiries can be directed to partnershipfunding@eastlothian.gov.uk
End of Project Report
It is a requirement that organisations who receive One Council Partnership Funding provide the council with an End of Project Report, detailing the evidence to show the impact of the project and the outcomes achieved. These should be sent in by the end of June, once the funding year has been completed. For organisations not in receipt of a Service Level Agreement you will be required to complete quarterly progress reports that will be requested and tracked by Volunteer Centre East Lothian.
Download the end of project report form