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Apply For Funding

From the everyday to the transformational, we work in partnership to support you to excel for everyone who accesses or delivers NHS Lothian services; patients, their families, staff or communities.

NHS Lothian staff can apply to the Charity for funding to help improve the care and experience of patients in hospitals and local communities, enable innovation, and support initiatives that enhance wellbeing and develop the careers of NHS Lothian staff.

We have a number of funding options available that NHS Lothian staff can apply for. You can find out more about how to apply for funding and the different funding options available by following the links below:

Funding Options

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Small Grants

Up to £5,000 available to support patient-centred projects.
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Climate Challenge Grants

Up to £5,000 available for NHS Lothian staff who want to take action to reduce climate change.
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Specific and Ward Funds

If you’re an NHS Lothian member of staff, get in touch with us to find out how we can support you and your team to drive forward a new project.
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The Elsie Inglis Staff Development Award

‘The Elsies’ is a charitable fund which seeks to support individual NHS Lothian staff to develop their potential through learning
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Staff Wellbeing Microgrants

Grants of up to £500 available to fund activities that support the health and wellbeing of staff.

Impact, Improvement and Learning

At the heart of everything we do is making a real difference for patients. We want to be able to demonstrate how the funding we provide translates to better experiences and care of patients in hospital and communities and how it aligns to our mission of having a positive impact on health in Lothian. To enable us to do this, we’ve developed an evaluation framework.

Our framework adopts an outcomes-based approach that uses indicators to measure what has changed for individuals and services. The outcomes and related indicators will vary from project to project. For example, new equipment might mean reduced waiting times, a less invasive procedure could result in quicker recovery, or a refurbished child-friendly waiting room could lead to less anxiety and a more positive experience for young patients. By measuring these changes, we can see how our funding directly impacts the lives of patients in Lothian.

Using this framework can help strengthen your funding application. So, when completing your application, remember to tell us not only what you want support for but also what difference (the outcomes) that investment will make and how you will know (indicators). Building evaluation into the project design will allow us to assess its effectiveness in achieving its stated goals. By prioritising evaluation from the outset, we can move beyond simply completing a project to demonstrating positive change and continuous learning.

NHS Lothian Charity Evaluation Framework

Consider how you could strengthen your application by incorporating elements from our Evaluation Framework into your application for funding.

Frequently asked questions

  • A Fund Steward can authorise expenditure from a fund if it is for an item or service that costs under £5,000
  • All the usual procurement and H&S policies and procedures apply
  • The item or service must meet the Fund’s purpose and the Charity’s funding rules
  • If unsure about who the Fund Steward is, a Fund’s purpose or the Charity’s rules contact: [email protected]

  • Think about what would make a difference
  • Complete a ‘Funding request – £5k and over’ form (request from [email protected])
  • Fund Steward endorses the application by signing the form
  • Service/site management endorses the application by signing the form
  • Send form to NHS Lothian Charity
  • Charity assesses and scores
  • Funding released if approved

Once the Fund Steward has authorised spend:

  • Place an order through the NHS Lothian Charity PECOS, via travel team or petty cash
  • Order checked by Charity Finance Team
  • Order approved by NHS Lothian Charity
  • Items arrive, travel booked or petty cash released
  • Project started, NHS Lothian Charity recognised for funding where possible
  • Brief evaluation required

Please note that the Charity might contact you to do a case study on the project to share with supporters.

Alternatives are available if there is no fund or insufficient money in a fund.

  • Elsie Inglis Fund – for staff development, training and learning
  • Staff Wellbeing Microgrants – for staff wellbeing activities and items
  • Small Grants – for items or activities with benefits for patients.

Contact us about your idea and we can help work out the best route to get it funded: [email protected]

Still got questions?

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