Small Grants Fund

Applications are currently closed

The open window periods for Small Grants Fund Rounds in 2025 will be noted here soon

Please note our criteria have recently changed and we now only support arts and cultural organisations that are Registered Charities (further detail below).

What does The William Syson Foundation fund?

For our Small Grants Fund, we welcome applications from arts charities working in any art form or cross-art form including but not limited to visual arts, performing arts, poetry, literature, film-making, music, photography, and digital arts. 

Who can apply?

Following overwhelming numbers of applications received in 2023, we have refined our eligibility criteria for applicants to our Small Grants Fund. 

We can only accept applications from arts charities which meet the following criteria:

• Core Objects/Purpose is to advance the arts

• must be registered as a charity in Scotland, with a bank account in the name of the charity

• based in Scotland and operating for the benefit of people in Scotland, 

• annual income of less than £500,000

• have been operating for at least 12 months and be able to supply annual audited / examined accounts

We regret that applications will be ineligible if the charity:

• has been awarded funding from us within the previous 12 months

• has applied for funding from us within the previous 12 months, whether successful or not

• is looking for help with capital development costs

• has already incurred the costs for which it is applying 

• promotes political beliefs or ideologies

• has, as a charitable purpose, the advancement of religion

• is not an arts charity, please note we do not fund non-arts organisations undertaking arts projects

• is a company limited by shares

• does not have an up-to-date Child Protection or Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Policy if involved in ‘regulated work’ or, if said policy fails to include the requirement for staff and volunteers to have membership of the PVG Scheme as managed by Disclosure Scotland

• has submitted its most recent Annual Accounts late to the OSCR and/or Companies House 

How much can you apply for?

Our Small Grants Fund will award unrestricted grants up to £4,000.

When can you apply?

Our fortnightly open periods are highlighted at the top of this page. We regret that applications received outwith these dates will not be considered or responded to.

What information do you need to send us?

• Our application form, which will be available for download when application round opens. 

• It is a requirement of The William Syson Foundation for applicants to provide a copy of their Child Protection and/or Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Policy if the charity carries out ‘regulated work’ with children, young people under 18 years and protected adults aged 16 years or over. This policy must refer to current Scottish legislation, be subject to regular review and updating and include the requirement for staff and volunteers to have membership of the PVG Scheme as managed by Disclosure Scotland. Applications will otherwise be declined at the outset. Guidance on the Protection for Vulnerable Groups scheme can be found here. The Disclosure Scotland Act 2020 is being implemented and will be in force from 2025, however it may be worth checking the key changes when reviewing your Safeguarding Policy.

• All applications must contain the charity’s most recent set of audited or independently examined accounts showing income, expenditure and funds held.

We may get back in touch to request a copy of your Reserves Policy and/or a recent Bank Statement for an account in the name of the charity (the latter is always required for successful applications).

What happens next?

Your application will be assessed. We aim to provide a response within 10 weeks from the closing date. 

What reporting and evaluation is required?

If you receive funding from us, in line with our Terms and Conditions, we expect to hear back from you 12 months later with an update on how the grant award has been utilised. This can be supplied as a report or in the form of an annual report or newsletter and need not be written specially for us.