Inside Grantmaking

Ruth Davison, Grant Manager at SASC Trust, is designing a grantmaking programme from scratch, and the first round is still in progress. SASC Trust is funded by returns from Social and Sustainable Capital's social investments, and is making its first ever grants to charities working on housing and homelessness. Ruth explains why the application form and the scoring criteria were built to mirror each other, so applicants aren't left guessing at what the funder really wants, and how sharing data with the investment side saves applicants from repeating themselves. She also talks through the trustees' debate about whether to fund research and systems change, and why they landed on prioritising flexibility instead. There are trade-offs. Being a closed funder means better odds for applicants, but it still means turning most of them down. And there are questions the board is still working through: how much to ask for, when to ask for it, and how to avoid wasting people's time. Worth a listen if you're interested in how funders make these decisions, or if you're a grantmaker thinking about the burden your own process places on charities. Key topics SASC Trust's origin and structure Application and assessment process Flexibility and simplicity in funding Use of social impact investment returns Relationship management with grantees Sector trends in grant making

Alex Jacobs, Director of the Joffe Trust, joins Alex Blake for a close look at how a small, specialist funder actually makes grantmaking decisions. Alex walks through the Trust's two-stage process, from a simple four-paragraph inquiry through to a full application, and the one question, "who do you want to do what?", that does more to separate strong proposals from weak ones than anything else they ask. He explains how the staff team assesses applications before they reach the board, why the board overturns staff recommendations roughly 10-20% of the time, and what that says about good governance. The conversation also covers the Trust's approach to grantee relationships, including a commitment to substantial feedback on every report within a month, and how the Trust uses convening to bring funders, civil society, and government into the same conversation. This episode is a useful listen for anyone wanting a practical look at how a specialist funder structures its process, assesses applications, and builds long-term relationships with the organisations it funds.

Sufina Ahmad, Director of the John Ellerman Foundation, joins Alex Blake to talk through how the Foundation funds change, from its total assets approach through to what actually makes an application stand out. Sufina walks through the Foundation's two-stage application process in detail, including why first-stage success rates are lower but second-stage approvals run close to 90%. She talks candidly about the power dynamic between funders and applicants, why authenticity matters more than telling funders what they think they want to hear, and how rising application numbers led the Foundation to tighten its eligibility criteria rather than close its doors. The conversation also covers the Foundation's approach to responsible and social investment, and how it's redesigning its grant reporting process to get more learning back out to the sector. This episode is a useful listen for anyone applying to UK trusts and foundations, and for funders thinking about how to be clearer with applicants about what they're really looking for.

Jim McCormick, Chief Executive of the Robertson Trust, joins Alex Blake to talk through how Scotland's largest independent grantmaker actually makes decisions. Jim walks through what happens to an application from the moment it lands, who assesses it and how, and the four decision frames the Trust applies as awards get bigger. He talks candidly about the shift toward unrestricted funding, now at almost 60% of open grants, and why some charities still choose project funding even when core funding is on offer. The conversation also covers pooled funding models gaining traction across Scotland, the Trust's Funder Plus support, and what's changing as application volumes rise and AI-generated applications become more common. This episode is a useful listen for anyone applying to Scottish trusts and foundations, and for funders thinking about how to build more trust and flexibility into their own processes.

This is the trailer for Inside Grantmaking — a podcast about how philanthropy really works. Each episode, host Alex Blake speaks with foundation staff, trustees, or advisors who share how they think about their work, how funding decisions get made, and the bigger questions shaping where grantmaking is heading. The conversations are honest, practical, and respectful — because better understanding between funders and the organisations they support is good for everyone. Follow now so you don't miss the first episode.