MacRobert Trust: Monetary Awards
Overview
The MacRobert Trust is also a proud supporter and advocate of small, independent charities. These charities are the backbone of the charitable sector and are often run by a core team of dedicated volunteers, where a smaller grant award can make a fundamental difference.
Applications for grant funding are encouraged from charities that meet their charitable themes and eligibility criteria. The themes have been carefully selected by their Board of Trustees and reflect the key areas of interest that are closely aligned to the values of the late founder, Lady Rachel MacRobert.
Themes
The MacRobert Trust has recently updated their Charitable Giving Themes.
Theme 1: Armed Forces & Good Citizenship
The advancement of overall good citizenship alongside the provision of support to members of the Armed Forces (regular/reserve, serving/retired) and the promotion of the efficiency and effectiveness of the Services themselves.
Theme 2: Education & Professional Excellence
Activity under this theme seeks to promote education but aims to focus particularly on those subject areas that meant most to Sir Alexander and Lady MacRobert and their immediate families. The Trust’s interest goes beyond pure education as it wishes to advance professional excellence and the participation in specific subjects and vocational activities.
Theme 3: Local Community & Other MacRobert Interests
The relief of need and the advancement and promotion of all charitable purposes covered by the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 whose activity and direct benefit is targeted in the North East of Scotland and those affecting Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire and the Howe of Cromar, in particular. It also seeks to support the interests of Lady MacRobert and her family where these interests are charitable.
For the most up-to-date information about what falls under each theme, please Download Themes
The Douneside stream remains open. All other applications have been paused until further notice.
Douneside Award Guidelines
Applicants must follow these guidelines when submitting an application:
Douneside awards are those that are of a total monetary value between £10,001 and £50,000 per award.
The following list of additional guidance should be reviewed by applicants before continuing:
- Do not apply for an award unless you are a registered charity in Scotland, England and Wales, or Northern Ireland.
- Their application process is now completely online and no paper copy is required.
- Please keep your application clear and concise, however you may include additional informative documentation, if this would add value to your request.
- Please review your online application carefully before submission. It may not be possible to amend the application during the process.
- Always include a covering letter to introduce your charity.
- An application can be saved in draft format and completed at a later date.
- On submission, an email acknowledgement and copy of the application will be sent to you by return.
- Given the lead time for the application, a financial update may be requested ahead of the Board meeting.
Who can apply
Awards are made to organisations registered as charities with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or with the relevant Charity Commission for charities operating in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Awards are to be for the support of activities and projects within the United Kingdom and their preference will be given to charities based in Scotland.
Levels of Awards
There are four types of monetary awards: Cromar, Alastrean, Douneside and Lady MacRobert. Each one has its own specific governance arrangements and internal processes, please follow the link in the table below for the relevant guidelines for each level.
Up to £1,000
Value between £1,000 and £10,000 – total award value
Value between £10,001 and £50,000 – total award value
Application Notes
It is important to give as much information as possible which may help your application. The type of detail they are looking for includes:
- The charity’s background, aims and objectives, current services being delivered, latest projects and achievements.
- A full and detailed description of the project requiring funding – what are your plans, who/how many are involved, where is the project base and how will it be managed?
- Which part of the project are you applying to the Trust for?
- How have you identified the need for this work?
- What differences the project will make and what are the expected outcomes. Have timelines and targets been set?
- How will you monitor and evaluate the work so you can be clear if outcomes are met and it is a success?
- Has any funding already been secured and who else do you propose to apply too?