Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government appreciates the contribution volunteers make to society. Volunteering at creative and cultural events offers unique opportunities to gain new skills, get experience and to be part of something special. While there are currently no plans to increase the provision of microgrants to support and promote volunteering via Creative Scotland, direct funding to national and local intermediaries supports the national and local volunteering infrastructure. For example, Creative Lives, a Creative Scotland Regularly Funded Organisation, supports volunteer-led and community-focused activity through microgrant schemes. They have worked closely with Creative Scotland to develop Cash for Culture, a fundraising guide for voluntary arts and community-led creative groups seeking funding for activity.

We provide Volunteer Scotland with a core grant of £832,000 (2023-24) and Third Sector Interfaces receive £8,481,200. In addition, the Volunteering Support Fund (£3.3m over 2021-24 period) delivered by Impact Funding Partners on behalf of the Scottish Government, is helping people overcome barriers to volunteering. The funding is for local community grass-roots organisations to support and promote volunteering among a variety of groups who experience disadvantage or barriers to volunteering.