Guidance on how to apply
We’re delighted that you’re considering applying for funding from NHS Lothian Charity. Our charitable grants support a wide range of projects that enhance patient care, improve staff wellbeing, and advance healthcare across NHS Lothian.
Whether you’re planning a refurbishment, purchasing equipment, attending a training course, or taking forward a project that improves care, experience or wellbeing, our funding can help bring your ideas to life.
Before You Begin
Our FAQs below are a great place to start. They answer common questions about the application process, including important information about reimbursing spend and the need to have prior approval before making any personal purchases.
We’ve also created an Application Guidance Document that walks you through each section of the form to help you prepare a strong application. It includes important notes, examples, and useful tips to ensure your submission is complete and aligned with our funding criteria.
Please make sure you read the guidance before starting your application. It will help you:
• Understand what information we’re looking for.
• Avoid common mistakes that could delay your application.
• Ensure your project meets our charitable funding requirements.
Please also note that you cannot save the form as you go so you may wish to prepare your responses to the questions in a word document and cut and paste them into the form once you know you have gathered together everything you need. All of the questions are listed in the guidance document to help you plan your responses. Any with an asterisk (*) are mandatory – which means you will not be able to progress or successfully submit your form until these are completed.
If you have any questions at any stage of the application process, or would like advice, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We’re here to support you and help make your application as strong as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Read our application guidance
- Complete our online application form
- NHS Lothian Charity assesses the application for charitable purpose and available funding.
- NHS Lothian Charity assesses and scores the application for alignment with the Charity’s strategic objectives.
- Following assessment, and the Charity’s assessment panel’s approval in principle, this decision will be sense checked with the relevant service management team (and/or other relevant experts) to identify any reasons the project is not deliverable, not sustainable after charity funding or moves against the service’s strategic direction.
- Depending on the amount of money requested, there may be further approvals required by charity committees in order to comply with the Charity’s financial governance.
Guidance, support and regular feedback is provided throughout the application process and prior to the application process being started.
- You can discuss your needs with the member of your team who is able to requisition items or services in the NHS Lothian Charity PECOS. (If you are unsure who this is please contact [email protected].)
- The requisitioner will place the order in PECOS using the relevant Specific Fund code as the cost centre.
- The order request is received by the Charity who checks to ensure it meets our charitable purpose in general and, specifically, the purpose of the fund selected as the cost centre.
- If there are no issues, the order will be progressed and delivered to the requested site.
In the unlikely event that there is a query about if the order is appropriate for charitable funding or that there is insufficient money to support the request, then NHS Lothian Charity will contact the requisitioner/you to discuss.
NHS Lothian Charity remains committed to supporting staff development. To access support for yourself or a member of your team to attend a course or conference for professional development related to their current employment with NHS Lothian, follow on the steps below:
- Identify professional development need/desired learning outcomes.
- Identify the course or conference that will support professional development.
- Complete the online application form.
- Form is supported by line manager/rostering manager to confirm absence from work/relevance of course.
- NHS Lothian Charity will check for charitable purpose.
- NHS Lothian Charity will check there is sufficient relevant funding.
- The applicant will be notified if the application is being progressed or not, and why.
- If the application meets our charitable purpose and there is sufficient funding, it will be approved and progressed to the NHS Lothian Travel team for booking.
Throughout the application process, if there are any issues or concerns, then the participant will be contacted for more information.
NB: remember you might also want to consider applying for an NHS Lothian Charity funded Elsie Inglis Staff Development Award. Visit NHS Lothian’s staff intranet for more information. (You will need to be logged into the NHS Lothian network to access this page.)
We are very keen that no staff member is out of pocket and are mindful that if a purchase has been made and does not meet our charitable purpose or if there is insufficient money available to cover the expenditure, then we will not be able to reimburse the staff member. Therefore, please speak to NHS Lothian Charity in advance of making any purchases personally.
Once you have approval to go ahead with the purchase, please:
- Complete the Petty Cash form.
- Ask your line manager to sign it.
- Send the Petty Cash form and receipts for the full claim to NHS Lothian Charity.
- The Charity will check for charitable purpose and that the paperwork is completed satisfactorily.
- If all is satisfactory and the claim is approved, it will be sent to Treasury for payment.
- Payment will be made into the bank details provided.
- If the claim is not satisfactory/does not meet charitable purpose, then you will be contacted by NHS Lothian Charity and next steps discussed.
NB: NHS Lothian Charity operates in line with NHS Lothian’s Standing Financial Instructions as a result the maximum petty cash claim is £150.
We are very keen that no staff member is out of pocket and are mindful that if a purchase has been made and does not meet our charitable purpose or if there is insufficient money available to cover the expenditure, then we will not be able to reimburse the staff member. Therefore, please speak to NHS Lothian Charity in advance of making any purchases personally.
Once you have approval to go ahead with the purchase, please:
- Complete the form that is sent to you along with the spend approval.
- Ask your line manager to sign it.
- Send the form and receipts for the full claim to NHS Lothian Charity.
- The Charity will check for charitable purpose and that the paperwork is satisfactorily completed.
- If all is satisfactory and the claim is approved, it will be sent to payroll for payment.
- Payment will be made into the bank along with your salary.
Please note: If the claim is not satisfactory/does not meet charitable purpose then you will be contacted by NHS Lothian Charity and next steps discussed
Please ensure you read the Application Guidance notes before you start your application
Ready to apply?
Head to our Submit your Funding Application page to get started
