VAO managed grants

With generous donations from Neo Next and Liam McArthur MSP, Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO) is pleased to offer grants of up to £500 to support charities, community groups and voluntary organisations across Orkney.

Constituted groups with charitable aims (excluding party political groups) can apply for funding towards a project or activity that benefits their local community.

Examples of what we have funded before include:

• Equipment, such as goal posts, tables for community halls, display boards or replacement outdoor lighting.
• Specialist clothing or safety gear to support volunteers, such as waterproofs, gloves or hi-vis vests
• Venue hire for workshops, exhibitions or community events

This is a competitive fund, so it is important that your application clearly explains what you want to do, who will benefit and the impact it will have in Orkney.

Applications will be assessed by a panel of VAO Directors. Their decision will be final. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate a strong local impact.

Grants must be used for projects taking place between 1 April 2026 and 31 December 2027.

Successful applicants will receive the full grant payment upfront, once:

• a signed grant award letter has been returned to VAO

Grant recipients must submit:

• a final project report, and
• copies of invoices and/or itemised receipts showing how the grant was spent

Final reports and receipts must be submitted no later than 31 January 2027

VAO may request repayment of the grant if:

• the project does not go ahead, or
• the grant is not used for the purpose agreed.

Priority will be given to organisations that have not previously received a Small Grant, although past recipients are still welcome to apply.

To be eligible groups or organisation must:

• Be a member of Voluntary Action Orkney (VAO). For more information about joining visit our 'Becoming a member' section.
• Have an annual core income of less than £50,000 - Groups with an income above £50,000 will not be considered.
• Have or be in the process of setting up its own bank account.
• Submit one application only per organisation per year
• Provide all required supporting documents by the closing date

• Maximum grant available: £500
• The total cost of your project must not exceed £5,000
• Projects must demonstrate clear local benefit in Orkney
• Funding is for one-off costs only

Where possible, purchases should be local and environmentally responsible

• The grant can be used for one-off costs, including:
• Equipment (e.g. sports, music or outdoor activity equipment)
• Group training delivered in Orkney (e.g. craft, dance or sports sessions)
• Resources to support an event (e.g. materials, display items or safety equipment)
• Venue hire in Orkney for one-off creative, fitness or community events
• Travel within Orkney only

The grant cannot be used for:

• Travel outwith Orkney
• Building maintenance and repairs
• Training for individuals
• On-going costs, such as
  • salaries
  • rents
  • other running costs

Applications must be submitted before 9:00am Monday 2 March 2026.

To apply, complete and return the application form with the required supporting documents before the deadline.

Supporting documents required

• A copy of the group or organisation’s constitution or equivalent governing document
• A copy of the most recent set of approved accounts. Group/organisations in their first year should contact us for guidance on what to provide to support their application.

Please read the full guidance before preparing and submitting your application.

• Download the application form.

We know that some groups may have limited experience of applying for funding. VAO is here to help.

If you would like to:

• discuss your project before applying, or
• get help completing the application form

Please contact the VAO Community Development Team: development@vaorkney.org.uk.

The grant fund is aimed at supporting community-based initiatives that promote and develop good mental health and wellbeing within the adult population and it is now open for applications for projects taking place between 1 March 2026 and 28 February 2028.

The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults has a total of £73,000 available for projects in Orkney, with the fund being managed on behalf of the Scottish Government by Voluntary Action Orkney in partnership with the Orkney Partnership.

The projects supported will benefit communities right across Orkney, and can offer a wide range of activities, such as fitness and gentle sports, provide equipment and enable the set-up of self-help support groups, support those with long term and life limiting illness, offer access to learning, and arts activities.

The ambition of this fund is to support initiatives which promote adult mental health and wellbeing at a small scale, grass roots, community level. For the purposes of this fund, the adult population is considered to be those 16 and over. It is accessible to all groups, no matter how small or inexperienced they are. It can support both new and existing groups or projects. Your group does not have to have mental health and wellbeing as your main focus, but your application does have to clearly benefit the mental wellbeing of people in your community.

Applications can be accepted from a range of voluntary, ‘not for profit’ organisations, associations, groups and clubs or consortiums/partnerships which have a strong community focus for their activities.

Applicants must be a member of VAO. For more information about joining visit our 'Becoming a member' section.

The successful applications will deliver against some or all of the local priorities for the fund, which were developed by a panel which included local statutory and third sector organisations and people with lived experience of mental ill health. The local priorities are:

• Reduction of Poverty
• Social Isolation and loneliness
• Prevention of Suicide
• Support for Unpaid Carers
• Support for Older People

This round covers projects taking place from 1 March 2026 to 28 February 2028. Your group or organisation does not have to be constituted in order to apply but you will need to be working towards being constituted as a part of the award.

This is the first time that the Fund has been awarded on a multi-year basis. We have flexibility to award a mixture of 1 and 2 year grants to eligible projects. The expectation is that between 60 and 80% of the total fund will be awarded to two year projects, leaving 20 to 40% available for 1 year projects in each of the next 2 years.

VAO has just over £73,000 to disburse in each of the next 2 years. The maximum you can apply for is £7,500 per year, and of that, up to £5,000 can be for small capital items.

• 1 year projects need to take place between 1 March 2026 and 28 February 2027.
• 2 year projects need to take place between 1 March 2026 and 28 February 2028.

The fund will re-open in September 2026 for 1 year projects to be held between 1 March 2027 and 28 February 2028, when we expect approximately £14,500 to £29,000 to be available, depending on the amount allocated to 2 year projects.

We ask that you read the full fund guidance before applying.

The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 12 December 2025.

To apply, complete and return the application form with the required supporting documents.

• Download the application form.

If you would like to discuss your project, want support to develop your idea or to pull your application together, contact our Community Development Team: development@vaorkney.org.uk.