About the fund
The Equality & Human Rights fund’s vision is for a Scotland which is inclusive, free from discrimination, and where the human rights of everyone are respected, protected, and fulfilled.
It aims to embed and mainstream equality and human rights within policy and practice in Scotland in line with the ambitions of relevant Scottish Government strategies and the National Performance Framework.
The Equality and Human Rights Fund will distribute £8m annually for three years from October 2021 to September 2024 and support a portfolio of 48 organisations that deliver work focused on tackling inequality and discrimination, furthering equality, and advancing the realisation of human rights in Scotland. Read more about the work carried out in the latest progress report.
Managed by Inspiring Scotland, the programme is an evolution of previous Scottish Government funding streams including the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund (PECF) and Scottish Government funding for national partners. The final Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund Final Report Jan-Sep 2021 is now available.
Funded organisations
48 organisations are funded aligning to six Scottish Government policy areas within the Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate, including Age, Disability, Gender, LGBTI, Race and Human Rights.
Intersectionality is an important priority for the Fund, and many groups have demonstrated how they support and champion the rights of people facing disadvantage due to multiple and interconnected inequalities.
Find a full list of all organisations funded here.
Our Team
Allison Mathews
Programme Manager - Equality and Human Rights Fund
Allison leads the Equality and Human Rights team. She brings over 25 years of experience of the community and voluntary sector, and has worked within a variety of settings, both at a strategic and operational level. She joins Inspiring Scotland after thirteen years with the National Lottery Community Fund, where she managed funding programmes, led....
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Gemma Craigie-Sharland
Performance & Impact Advisor - Equality and Human Rights
Passionate about volunteering and the difference it can make, Gemma began her career as a biochemist, eventually making a career change into community development as a result of her extensive volunteering experience. Since then, she has worked in youth work, international development, and with health charities, joining the team managing the Scottish Government’s Promoting Equality....
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Holly Byron-Staples
Performance & Impact Advisor - Equality and Human Rights
Holly has a background in third sector organisational development and is a passionate advocate for the positive outcomes that can be achieved when communities have the resources they need to act on their priorities. The complex meeting point between policy and people’s lives is something in which Holly is particularly interested. With specialist knowledge and experience....
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Louise Heathcote
Performance & Impact Advisor - Equality and Human Rights
With an extensive background in finance and credit control at organisations such as Scottish and Newcastle, Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, and City of Edinburgh Council, Louise has worked as a compliance officer with teams administering the Scottish Government’s Equalities and Human Rights funding streams since 2015. Closely involved with the implementation of customer relationship management....
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Nadia Aslam
Performance & Impact Advisor - Equality and Human Rights
Passionate about bringing real change to communities in Scotland, Nadia believes in equal opportunities for all and is a firm believer in the power of collaboration to achieve lasting impact. Nadia has extensive experience of financial services and managing investments products and has a varied background in voluntary sector working with international, national, and regional....
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News
01.12.2023
Specialist Volunteer Network at the Gathering
Earlier this month saw 3,000 people from the third sector attend SCVO’s the Gathering, the largest free voluntary sector event in the UK. Our team were more than attendees, taking part in a collaborative funders session and our Specialist Volunteer Network (SVN) hosted a panel discussion alongside Pilotlight on opportunities for charities to access professional
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27.09.2023
Equality & Human Rights Fund launch new Progress Report
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Ms Shirley-Anne Sommerville visited Boots and Beards one of the 48 charities funded by the Equality & Human Rights Fund. Boots and Beards use the outdoors to support health, fitness and personal development activities for the South Asian Community in Scotland. During the visit the Cabinet Secretary met with participants
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04.08.2023
Mentoring with Morgan Stanley thanks to Inspiring Scotland’s Specialist Volunteer Network
Late last year we announced the launch of an exciting Specialist Volunteering Network (SVN) mentorship programme with Morgan Stanley Glasgow’s Women in Tech (WiT) working group. Six months, 12 matches, and nearly 60 mentoring hours later, we came together again at Morgan Stanley’s Waterloo St office to celebrate the graduation of cohort one’s mentees. The
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