The Bank of Scotland Foundation’s Energise grants programme provides unrestricted funding to Scottish charities supporting vulnerable people. The programme is designed to give organisations the flexibility to respond to immediate needs, and to strengthen their long‑term sustainability. Funding can be used for core, capital, delivery, project, or general running costs, offering flexibility to respond quickly to organisational needs.

To be eligible, charities must:

place vulnerable people at the heart of their work
operate and be registered in Scotland (with an SC0 charity number)
have one year of accounts filed with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) (with no late filings)

The programme excludes charities whose sole purpose relates to animal welfare, religion, or grant‑making, as well as political organisations. Applications cannot be made by organisations with an active grant from the Foundation, or those declined within the previous 12 months.

Eligible charities with income below £50,000 can apply for up to £20,000, split over two years; charities with income of £50,000 – £150,000 can apply for up to £40,000 split over two years.

The fund opens for applications on Monday 23 March 2026, and closes on Wednesday 1 April 2026.

For further information, including how to apply, please visit the dedicated Energise programme page (linked for your convenience).