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voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
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CEMVO: Ethnic Minority Development Fund
Created: 12/05/2026
News/Events Category: Funding and Finance
The Ethnic Minority Development Fund (EMDF) is available to any ethnic minority-led voluntary or community organisation in Scotland. The EMDF has been developed in partnership between CEMVO Scotland and The National Lottery Community Fund.
The EMDF offers funding for various projects that benefit ethnic minority people and communities in Scotland. If awarded, this funding is restricted and must be spent on the project that you applied for.
You should plan for your project to start on the 1st of September or later, as this is the earliest you can expect to receive the funding if successful.
In your application, you must explain how your project will meet at least one of the following outcomes:
- Bring ethnic minority people together and build strong relationships across communities
- Help more ethnic minority people to thrive by supporting them early
- Improve places and spaces that matter to ethnic minority communities
- Projects must also involve the community in the design and delivery of activities
If you currently have funding from TNLCF, you cannot apply for funding for the same project for which you already received funding from TNLCF. However, you can apply for a different project.
Who can apply?
You can apply if your organisation is a:
- Constituted voluntary or community organisations
- Constituted groups or clubs
- Not‑for‑profit companies
- Registered charities (unincorporated)
- SCIOs
- CICs operating for at least six months
- Faith‑based organisations
This fund is for ethnic minority led organisations that have had no or limited funding from the National Lottery Community Fund.
To be eligible to apply, organisations must:
- Be ethnic minority led (60% or more of their committee and leadership are from ethnic minority backgrounds)
- Have an annual income under £100,000 per year
- Not currently have long-term funding from TNLCF (by this, we mean a grant longer than 2 years)
- Have not received long-term funding from TNLCF in the last 3 years
Therefore, groups that have only received Awards for All grants or currently hold an Awards for All grant can apply to the EMDF. However, since funding is limited, we may prioritise applications from organisations that have never received funding from TNCLF before.
Maximum annual income: £100,000
How to apply
Steps:
- Start with your community idea
- Check eligibility (get in touch if you have any questions about eligibility)
- Get support from CEMVO
- Download form (standard or easy‑read)
- Complete application
- Submit via email or post
Standard and easy read applications forms can be downloaded from the Cemvo Scotland website. All completed forms should be e-mailed to: [email protected] or sent by post.
The closing date for applications is 5.00pm on Tuesday 26 May 2026.
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