2023
In 2023, Scottish Grantmakers celebrated 30 years of supporting individual grant making trusts, foundations, and other organisations. Offering member networking events, collaborative sessions with partner organisations, and educational gatherings, SGM has reached hundreds of leaders in Scotland’s third-sector. Growing significantly from their original 12 grantmakers in 1993, SGM is now made up of 49 full members, 2 affiliates and 7 associates, all active grantmakers in Scotland. 2023 also marked SGM’s second full year as a registered charity in Scotland.
Great to see the different funder communities coming together, created a real sense of a conversation that was worth taking time to be part of.
- Funders Networking event
As SGM has grown its membership, the reach of our organisation has also grown. Whether it be through the collaborative events hosted in conjunction with other leaders in the third sector, trainings and resources shared, or member-based events which encouraged open communication and collaboration, SGM has become a better force in the Scottish communities we serve.
SGM has continued to provide members in with up-to-date research and sector focused news, and events in Scotland, expanding the collection of resources and increasing the membership base by welcoming 6 new full members - The Essentia Foundation SCIO, The Hymans Robertson Foundation, Future Woodlands Scotland, Fife Health Charity, Alexander Moncur Trust, and The Royal Society for the Support of Women in Scotland – and 1 new associate member – Turn2Us Edinburgh Trust, bettering networking opportunities for grantmakers in Scotland. The 12 monthly newsletters paired up with 2 special interest newsletters to keep you informed on membership events. And of course, to ensure SGM members have access to post event resources, 5 blog posts summarising and sharing on themes and funding tips were published on the SGM website for everyone to access.
For the second year in a row, SGM hosted their annual conference in person, bringing together 58 delegates at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. This year, SGM hosted 5 conference speakers who lead a full day of learning around key developments and the role of funders in the third sector. There was engaging and varied discourse across the day with presentations from John Loughton BEM, Lucinda Godfrey of SCVO, Julie Hutchison of LGT Wealth Management, Dr Lukas Bunse of the Scottish Wellbeing Economy Alliance and Kate Stephens of Smart Works who took a step further to involve attendees in Smart Works charitable efforts by hosting a clothing drive at the event, recycling interview approved clothes to women preparing for job interviews.
SGM’s ‘marketplace’ introduced attendees to exhibitors, IVAR, ACF, Aspen People, Bruce Tait Associates, Brevio, LGT Wealth Management and Smart Works, who support independent funders in Scotland.
2023 was a great year for collaborative events with other leading membership bodies in the third-sector. To start off the year, SGM and Charity Finance Group presented on the popular topic ‘Effective and modern reserves management’ where three panellists presented on current theory and practice around reserves management.
In March, a members’ only session in Edinburgh hosted a discussions on 'Alternative approaches to grant administration’. Led by two leaders in the third sector, Marcelle Speller OBE, philanthropist, founder and chairman of Brevio, and Lynn Hendry of the Hunter Foundation, focused on topics concerning innovation in grant making, engaging the hybrid attendees and addressing the diverse needs of Scottish grant makers.
In March, the SGM hosted the Chairs’ Reception in Glasgow on 25 May 2023 with guest speaker, Fiona Duncan, Chair of The Promise Scotland, which brought chairs of many of our charities together to discuss the importance of, and opportunities for, grantmakers within the wider third sector.
This collaboration was followed in November by the ‘Funder conversation and reflections on the shape of the sector’ with SFF, SCVO, and SGM. Seven experienced and diverse panellists joined together at the EICC to discuss topics covering collaboration and partnership with charities, being environmentally driven, practical and purposeful governance across Scotland, and EDI responsibility for funders.
The reach and scope of the events brought to our members this year were only possible due to the hard work of our members who volunteered to lead impactful learning activities, our sponsors who allowed us to focus on the work we care so much about, and our community partners who offered us the space and time to offer these events. Thank you very much to IVAR, Charity Finance Group, SCVO, Scottish Funders Forum and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
We are proud to work in partnership with:
With special thanks to:
