Fund announced in Chancellor's budget is now open for applications
Community organisations and charities in Scotland are now able to apply for cash from the UK government’s £12 million Tampon Tax Fund.
The Women’s Fund for Scotland (WFS) is administering a £600,000 grant, as announced in George Osborne's recent budget, aimed at those looking to empower women and girls.
The Tampon Tax is made up of government income from the 5% VAT charged on women’s sanitary products. It was introduced after women’s groups campaigned for the abolition of VAT on sanitary products on the basis that they are an essential not a luxury item.
Groups should be working to help women and girls build skills and confidence, improve their health and wellbeing, be helping them to build social networks or move on from violence.
This is a huge opportunity for us to extend our reach and fund even more community groups working with women and girls across Scotland
The funding boost will allow the WFS to extend its grant making.
While retaining its existing small grants programme, which distributes grants of £500 to £2000, the WFS is introducing a multi-year large grants programme – up to £30,000 over three years.
It has also removed the cap of £250,000 on annual turnover to allow charities and community groups of any size to apply.
Shona Blakeley development manager, WFS added: “This is a huge opportunity for us to extend our reach and fund even more community groups working with women and girls across Scotland.
“We hope the significant increase in funding will lead to a growth in the number and range of applications.
“We are keen to identify community based groups who haven’t applied before as well as continuing to support organisations we know are having a major impact in addressing the many challenges facing women today.
“By removing the £250,000 income cap we also hope to attract more applications from larger organisations doing amazing work within their communities.”
A total of 18 charities are to benefit from the Tampon Tax Fund including Breast Cancer Care, Girlguiding and Muslim Women’s Network UK.
The government also committed £3m to Comic Relief to disburse to grassroots women’s groups to drive awareness of women’s issues and £2.2m to the Rosa Fund for Women’s UK-wide small grants fund.
Applications should be made via the Foundation Scotland website no later than 28 June 2016.
