Welcome to the
East Lothian
Educational Trust
We provide grants to individuals, groups and clubs for studies or projects of an educational, arts or sporting nature. The Trust’s aim is to make education and training accessible for residents of the old county of East Lothian where there are financial barriers or other hardships.
Education
The Trust can provide grants for:
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School trips: to support the costs of school camps and trips, often a key milestone in a young person’s school life.
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Further education: to help cover some of the costs of academic studies at college and university such as course fees, travel and books for undergraduate and postgraduate study or research work.
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Vocational training: to help cover costs incurred for training courses and apprenticeships, such as course fees, travel and materials.
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Projects: to help fund specific educational projects or equipment for schools, either directly with the school or with parents’ groups and local organisations working with the school
Arts
The Trust can provide grants in the following three areas of the arts:
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Visual: for visual arts projects that establish or maintain a collection of works of art to circulate among educational establishments, or to support art exhibitions and lectures. Individual grants can be requested by any person showing exceptional promise in visual arts and requires tuition.
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Music: to establish and equip choirs and orchestras, or for musical performances, lectures, concerts or workshops. Individual grants can be requested by any person showing exceptional promise in vocal or instrumental music and requires tuition.
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Drama: to establish and equip dramatic groups, or to maintain a library of plays suitable for performance, or for dramatic arts performances, lectures, concerts or workshops. Individual grants can be requested by any person showing exceptional promise in dramatic art and requires tuition.
Sport
The Trust can provide grants for:
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Facilities: to help maintain playing fields, swimming pools or sporting facilities to the benefit of the public or to help with the provision of recreational facilities and activities to clubs, societies and organisations with the aim to improve conditions of life for those participating.
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Travel and equipment: to assist with travelling costs of school teams and inter-school sports meets and to provide sports apparatus, clothing, coaching and classes.
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Individual grants: to support those showing exceptional sporting talent or skills with training, clothing, equipment or travel costs.
Who can apply for a grant?
School pupils
The Trust welcomes applications from parent/carers of school pupils where funding is needed to help support the cost of a school trip. You must be residents of the "old" county of East Lothian, and attending one of the state primary or secondary schools in the area. This is the county boundary as it existed in 1957. Unfortunately, this excludes residents from the current East Lothian areas of Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig.
Often the school will have signposted you to this funding.
The application should set out the school trip and cost. Awards may be subject to some means testing and you will be asked to provide certain information about household income.
Individuals
The Trust welcomes applications from individuals who are residents of the "old" county of East Lothian. This is the county boundary as it existed in 1957. Unfortunately, this excludes residents from the current East Lothian areas of Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig.
Applications must fit within the scope of education, arts or sports as noted.
The application should set out the cost of what you are applying for, subject to a maximum of £1,000. Awards may be subject to some means testing and you will be asked to provide certain information about household income.
Clubs and organisations
The Trust welcomes applications from local clubs and organisations who are based in and/or serve residents of the "old" county of East Lothian. This is the county boundary as it existed in 1957. Unfortunately, this excludes residents from the current East Lothian areas of Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig.
The club or organisation must be established for not-for-profit reasons.
Applications must fit within the scope of education, arts or sports as noted and should explain how the project will benefit those subject to or at risk of financial, or other hardship.
The application should set out the cost of what you are applying for, subject to a maximum of £2,000. We may request certain information about the organisation such as its constitution and annual accounts.
How to apply
Please apply by completing the online application form. This will take you through a series of questions and ask you to enter certain information that we require to make award decisions. In some cases, you may be asked to submit additional documents.
The application should be completed in one attempt (there are no save and return options).
Before starting the application, please have details about the funding you want to apply for, and household income details to hand.
See our FAQs page for additional information and where to request further help.
When to apply
You can apply at any time during the year, and Governors assess the applications at quarterly meetings – in February, May, August and November.
The next date for applications is 10 November 2025
