Funders
Funding
Current Funders
First Step relies on grant funding to ensure that we continue to provide our services to the local community. Over our 30 year history we have been funded by various grant funders such as Children in Need, Volant Trust, Robertson Trust, Edinburgh and Lothian’s Health Foundation and NHS Lothian Health Improvement Fund.
Our current main funders are:
East Lothian Council (One Council Funding)
Grants issued through the One Council Partnership funding are aligned with the strategic outcomes of the Council Plan and the East Lothian Partnership’s community planning priorities. This Funding covers our Core service and Early Years provision.
Big Lottery Fund (Improving Lives Fund)
Funding through the Improving lives fund is focused on activities that help people overcome challenges and difficulties in their lives supporting them to become more resilient. These activities mean that people:
are better able to identify ways to take control over their lives and build resilience
are able to shape the activities and services they use to better meet their needs
have more access to support and opportunities to improve their lives.
This Funding covers our Family Support Service including Outreach, Respite, Groups and Counselling.
Henry Smith (Improving Lives Fund)
The Improving Lives grant programme provides grants to charitable organisations that help people when other sources of support have failed, are inappropriate, or are simply not available.
They support established organisations delivering services directly to beneficiaries. The fund services which can demonstrate a track record of success, and evidence the effectiveness of the work.
This funding covers our Family Support Service including Outreach, Respite, Groups and Counselling.
The Robertson Trust
The Robertson Trust fund and support organisations working to alleviate poverty and trauma in Scotland.
This funding covers our Family Support Service including Outreach, Groups and Counselling.
As well as our main funders, First Step applies for funding for specific projects or initiatives to meet the current needs of the local community.
Here are a few examples of funding that we have received:
Wellbeing Fund
The Wellbeing Fund was established to support organisations across the third sector that are providing important services to people who are most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This forms part of a £350 million package from the Scottish Government. First Step received £10,500 to help to support families affected by the pandemic. We used this money to fund a variety of support including homes learning packs, household consumables for families and Wellbeing packs for parents. We also worked in partnership with the Local Children’s hub and Musselburgh Resilience Hub to support them in their response to the pandemic in the wider community.
Period Poverty East Lothian Council
The East Lothian Poverty Commission, established in 2016, described poverty as “about more than a lack of money… [it’s] a human rights issue”. Since the Commission’s report was published in 2017, awareness of ‘period poverty’ has grown. First Step received £3500 funding through East Lothian Council/Scottish Government to supply woman on receipt of an application, a years’ worth of sanitary products of their choice.
Musselburgh Area Partnership & Support from the Start – Speech and Language Therapy Project- Raising Attainment in the Early Years.
First Step Community Project applied for ‘Attainment Funding’ from the Area Partnership for universal and targeted Speech and Language Therapy input for the academic year August 2017 to July 2018. We also received subsequent funding from Support from the Start to continue this input during 2018-2019. First Step entered a partnership agreement with NHS Lothian for a Speech and Language Therapist to work collaboratively with First Step staff in supporting the development of the children’s communication skills and build staff knowledge and capacity, to sustain this initiative beyond the end of the funding.
Musselburgh Area Partnership – Your Voice, Your Choice (2019)
"Your Voice Your Choice 2" was a Musselburgh Area Partnership initiative and an exciting opportunity for the community to put forward local ideas for projects which will have a positive impact in tackling poverty and reducing inequalities in our community. First Step received £4500 to run a Summer Community Café for all to enjoy that is free. The cafe provided a breakfast and warm lunch to people through the summer holidays and gave people the opportunity to socialise and eat healthily.