Encouraging and Supporting Grassroots Activity Fund

The 'Encouraging and Supporting Grassroots Activity (ESGA) Fund' was designed for smaller, grassroots organisations looking to provide community-led support for people affected by dementia.

In 2022 a funding pot of £145,921 via our Scottish Government investment was available to groups and organisations across Scotland, with fourteen projects announced as the successful recipients. Our 2023 round of funding was delivered as part of About Dementia’s Legacy partner commitments to the now-closed Life Changes Trust. This provided a funding pot of £170,000 with twelve projects announced as the recipients. It is hoped the fund will address gaps in support for people living with dementia and unpaid carers, break down barriers such as transport issues, and empower people to live well within their communities.

Applications for our latest round of ESGA Funding are now closed. Updates on future funding will be announced on our website.

Our 2025 fund will provide £310,000 in funding available to groups across Scotland. Eligible projects will run for a 12-month period starting by 1st April 2025, with individual awards ranging from £5,000 to £20,000. This funding is provided by the Scottish Government.

This year, About Dementia is particularly focused on encouraging projects in rural communities to apply. These areas are often among the most isolated and face significant challenges in accessing dementia-related services and support. By encouraging applications from these communities, the ESGA fund aims to address the unique barriers faced by people living with dementia and their unpaid carers in rural settings.

As well as rural and remote communities, the fund is open to applications from all groups across Scotland who are running activities that benefit people affected by dementia and keep them connected to their communities.