CMHW Fund: FAQs 2027/28

Who can apply?

Any charity or not-for-profit organisation working in Edinburgh with an annual turnover of no more than £2million can apply.

This includes:

We are a small community group and don’t have a bank account or a constitution. Can we still apply?

Yes – please get in touch with us to discuss your project before applying to discuss what support EVOC can provide: [email protected]
If you don’t have a bank account, you might consider working with a ‘host’ organisation that can hold the funds on your behalf, but please get in touch to discuss this with us: [email protected]

We are a registered company/CIC. Can we apply for funding?

You may only apply if your company has a governance document which clearly states you have an asset lock in place.
If your company is ‘for profit’, you are not eligible for funding.

We are a national organisation. Can we apply?

Yes – if your annual turnover is less than £2million.
Your project should be solely focused on delivery in the Edinburgh area.
Please note, you will be required to evidence your locality focus, along with clear evidence of need built from engagement within the communities you plan to serve.

What size grant can I apply for?

How long should our project run for?

Can we submit more than one application?

Can we be a partner on one project and submit our own application?

No – you can only receive one grant award.
However, you can hold your own grant and be a referral partner on a partnership project. Please note that you cannot hold your own grant and be a financial partner in another project.

Can we apply for funding for a new project if we currently receive funding for an existing project?

Can we apply for funding for counselling*?

No – the Scottish Government has stated that projects should be focused on early intervention and prevention activities rather than the delivery of therapies like counselling.
* If counselling is only a small aspect of a larger project and you can demonstrate that counselling is not available for your group elsewhere, your application may be considered.

Can we apply for funding solely for food provision?

No – while we recognise that the cost-of-living crisis is negatively impacting people’s ability to afford food and essentials, food banks and pantries do not fit with the criteria of this fund.

We would like to run a community café – can this be considered?

Yes – but only if it is part of a wider project to support people’s mental health and wellbeing, rather than purely focusing on food provision.

Can we work with people under 16?

We’d like to run a citywide project – will this be considered?

Yes – but you must be able to demonstrate the need for working across all localities, and how you will support people to access your activities

We would like to apply for funding towards a national project. Can we apply?

No – we will only accept applications for activities solely delivered to residents of Edinburgh.

Can we apply for a grant to support a joint or partnership project with another organisation?

Yes – we strongly encourage partnership working, so we would happily accept a partnership project application.

How do we apply for a partnership project?

One organisation should apply as the lead partner and will receive the grant payment.
If you are applying as part of a partnership, the maximum grant amount still applies – up to £5,000.
We would expect any grant award to be divided fairly between partners.
Before any grant payment can be made, there must be a memorandum of understanding in place detailing the distribution of funding between the partner organisations.

When will we know the outcome of our application?