Foundation dished out a total of £1,661,157

A grant-giving body had its busiest ever year – awarding cash to 121 Scottish charities.

Bank of Scotland Foundation, an independent charity supporting people and their local communities across the country, dished out a total of £1,661,157.

Awards were made through the foundation’s Small, Medium and Large Grants Programmes, however its Mental Health Fund - an additional programme launched in May - meant more charities than ever received funding last year.

In the second half of 2018 alone, 79 Scottish charities shared £801,227 of Small and Medium and Mental Health grants.

As many charities are simply unable to operate without staff or premises and the foundation is one of the few funders to cover core costs, it’s unsurprising that the majority of grants contributed towards salaries and running costs.

Philip Grant, chair of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, said: “This has been a very busy year for the Bank of Scotland Foundation team and for our Mental Health Fund in particular; it’s a poignant indication that so many people across Scotland are affected by mental health issues and are in need of help.

“Looking ahead, 2019 is going to be a significant year for the foundation as we look to develop how we support charities and their communities. We are really excited to have recently launched our new website which we hope makes it easier for charities to apply to our grant programmes, and showcases some of the work being carried out across Scotland by charities we have funded.

“The foundation is proud to be able to help charities reach those in real need of support and looks forward to funding many more in 2019.”