The Women’s Fund for Scotland began in 2002 and for 10 years made grants to help community-based groups that help women build confidence and skills to overcome a whole range of challenges. When funding from the Scottish Government ended, the Women’s Fund underwent a period of review before re-launching in 2013. The Women’s Fund for Scotland set out to make a real local impact.
Overall, the Women’s Fund has distributed almost £3 million in grants to over 640 community groups and local charities focusing on at least one of five investment themes. The Women’s Fund supports projects that build skills and confidence; improve health and well-being; grow social networks, allow women to move on from abuse, develop leadership and innovation and in 2021 we added an investment them to combat poverty and build financial resilience.
The Women’s Fund believe that “women are stronger together” and provides grassroots funding to projects run by and for women, either as start-up funds or to help pilot new initiatives. Often the Fund is the sole supporter of these groups and/or provides seed funding enabling the group to approach other funders. We have a unique capacity to keep in touch with women’s changing needs at a grass root level.
Our mission is to invest in women’s organisations by making grants, as well as promoting awareness, influencing significant change, and creating impact for the benefit of women and girls in Scotland.
Our vision is of a Scotland where women and girls are safe, healthy, respected, and participate equally across society free from any barriers, hate, violence, or fear. A Scotland where the future for women and girls is equal, educated, and empowered.
The Fund is pro-women, unique, ambitious, and politically neutral, we open doors and help provide opportunities so that Women can realise their ambitions. It works at grass roots level, believes in peer-networking and takes a holistic approach to confidence and capacity building. We believe in meritocracy and equality.
The Women’s Fund focuses on six key investment themes:
- Building skills and confidence
- Improving health and well-being
- Growing social networks
- Moving on from abuse
- Developing leadership and innovation
- Combatting poverty and building financial resilience
