About us
The Volant Trust was established to work to alleviate social deprivation, with a particular emphasis on supporting women, children and young people at risk
Our criteria
Our criteria for funding
The Volant Trust is a grant-making trust, which primarily helps fund charitable organisations and projects based in Scotland working to alleviate social deprivation, particularly concerned with women, children and young people.
Open Grants programme
If you are interested in applying to our Open Grants Programme, find out whether your project fits with our criteria by visiting What we Fund.
Other Funding
Our main area of support is through our Open Grants Programme. However, you can read about other work that we support below.
Other funding
The Volant Charitable Trust is committed to other work that includes international projects, the support of single parents through Gingerbread and more recently, charities assisting vulnerable groups impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living.
You can read more about our support for these below.
UK & International Covid-19 response fund
Since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, The Volant Trust has donated in excess of £12 million to 135 charities and organisations in the UK and internationally to help vulnerable groups particularly impacted by Covid-19.
Whilst applications to this fund are now closed, awards continue to be made at the sole discretion of the Trustees to charities helping to alleviate social deprivation and assisting vulnerable groups affected by the cost of living, particularly women and children.
Multiple Sclerosis
Research into the causes, treatment and possible cures of multiple sclerosis. All of the Volant Trust’s support in this area is through the Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic at the University of Edinburgh, named after J.K. Rowling’s mother, who died in 1990 from complications related to MS.
More than 20 million people worldwide are diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease each year. At present, all of these disorders are progressive and incurable. There is a need for research that will lead to new therapies.
Due to this support, the Trust no longer accepts applications to do with multiple sclerosis.
International Support
The Trustees have chosen to fund major disaster appeals as the focus of the Trust’s international work and awards for these are made from time to time at the sole discretion of the Trustees. The Volant Trust does not invite applications towards this programme.
Gingerbread
Since 2000, The Volant Charitable Trust has supported Gingerbread, which campaigns on behalf of single parents, as well as providing expert advice and practical support.
What we fund
Who we provide funding for
If you wish to apply for funding, please see What we Fund for information.