Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
Could Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity fund your project? Check fit free. Draft if yes — or shortlist better matches.
- Typical grants
- £2,000 – £20,000
- Where they fund
- NHS Lothian
- Applications
- Accepted
- How to apply
- Online form
- Decisions
- Rolling (no fixed deadline)
Works for Registered charities, CIOs, CICs and community groups.
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echcharity.orgAbout Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity (ECHC) exists to ensure that every child and young person in hospital receives 'more than medicine.' Founded by supporters of Edinburgh's Sick Kids hospital, the charity partners with the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People to transform the hospital experience – bringing compassion, dignity, fun, and family support alongside clinical care. ECHC funds projects that improve mental health, emotional wellbeing, and family resilience. This includes arts and play therapy, youth work, specialist equipment, bereavement support, and adaptations to hospital spaces. All work must directly benefit children, young people, and their families within NHS Lothian, where ECHC enhances NHS provision but never replaces statutory funding. Distinctively, ECHC fills the psychosocial gaps that statutory services cannot cover.
What Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity funds
ECHC funds projects that improve mental health, emotional wellbeing, and family resilience for children and young people in hospital. This includes arts and play therapy, youth work, specialist equipment, bereavement support, and adaptations to hospital spaces. The charity is particularly interested in applications that remove the financial barriers and hidden costs of hospital visits that families face. All work must directly benefit children, young people, and their families within NHS Lothian. ECHC enhances NHS provision but does not replace statutory funding.
Who can apply
Registered charities and community groups can apply for grants from ECHC. The charity prioritises organisations working within NHS Lothian that directly benefit children, young people, and their families. There is no religious restriction on applicants. ECHC welcomes unsolicited applications and does not require match funding.
What Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity doesn't fund
ECHC does not fund permanent staffing or core NHS delivery, general administration or back-office costs, projects without direct benefit to children or families, applications outside NHS Lothian, or work that does not meet ECHC's five aims. The charity enhances NHS provision but does not replace statutory funding.
How they like to fund
ECHC offers grants for equipment, training, research, project delivery, and salaries. The charity does not require match funding and welcomes unsolicited applications. Funding is provided to enhance NHS provision, not replace statutory funding.
How much does Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity give?
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity runs 3 grant programmes. Every figure below is sourced from their published guidance.
Last verified 8 August 2026 · 54 sourced facts
- Next deadline 31 October 2026
- 2 rounds a year
- Online portal
- Decisions in ~4 weeks
- Online portal
- Next deadline 31 October 2026
- 2 rounds a year
- Decisions in ~6 weeks
Those are the published figures. What your charity could realistically get — and whether you'd clear their rules on income, location and legal structure — is what the free fit check answers.
What Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity funds — and what they won't
In 2026, we are particularly interested in receiving grant applications that will remove the financial barriers and hidden costs of hospital visits that families face.
The full exclusions list (6)
- Permanent staffing or core NHS delivery
- General administration or back-office costs
- Projects without direct benefit to children or families
- Applications outside NHS Lothian
- Work that does not meet ECHC's five aims
- ECHC enhances NHS provision but does not replace statutory funding
Good to know
How to apply to Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity takes applications via online form.
- Published programme route: online portal.
- Decisions are typically rolling (no fixed deadline).
- Check whether your charity is in scope before you spend time on a full bid.
What Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity's application asks
We hold the 14 questions from Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity's application form, word for word — so you know exactly what you're signing up to answer.
“4. Project Title Please give your project a title which summarises what you’re seeking funds for eg; Therapeutic Play and Art Resources/Paediatric Orthopaedic Training Course/Development of a Physiotherapy Service for Patients with Haemophilia”
“5. Project Dates Please provide us with a realistic timescale of when you would like this project to start and finish.”
12 more questions from their form, plus answers drafted from your charity's real data if you decide to apply.
How it works
- 1Describe your project. Once — used for this funder and others.
- 2See if this could be a fit. Honest check on cause, place, size, and rules.
- 3Draft if yes. From your real data — or move on if not.
See if Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity could be a fit. Draft if yes.
Frequently asked questions
How much funding does Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity provide?
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity runs 3 grant programmes — Capital/Medical Grants: £5,000 – £50,000 · Small Grants: Up to £5,000 · Strategic Grants: £5,000 – £50,000.
Where does Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity fund charities?
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity funds charities operating in NHS Lothian.
Does Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity accept unsolicited applications?
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity accepts unsolicited applications from eligible organisations. Current programme status is on this page — do not assume a round is open.
What does Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity not fund?
Their published exclusions include: Permanent staffing or core NHS delivery; General administration or back-office costs; Projects without direct benefit to children or families; Applications outside NHS Lothian; Work that does not meet ECHC's five aims. The full exclusions list is further up this page.
How do I apply for funding from Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity?
Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity takes applications via online form. Published programme route: online portal.
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Could Edinburgh Children's Hospital Charity be a fit?
Check free. Draft if yes, or shortlist better matches.