Tayside NHS Board Endowment Funds

Tayside NHS Board Endowment Funds, operating as NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation, is the official charity of NHS Tayside, established in 1975 under the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. Its core mission is to advance physical and mental health, prevent and treat illness, support research, and enhance services in the Tayside region (Dundee, Angus, and Perth & Kinross), supplementing—not replacing—statutory NHS provision. With a vision of helping locals live better for longer, it upholds rigorous ethical standards post-regulatory reforms, including separation from NHS budgets, donor respect, and exclusions for tobacco/alcohol funding, governed by trustees, committees, and specialist staff for transparency and impact.

The foundation funds enhancements to patient care environments, staff wellbeing, non-core equipment, innovative clinical projects, service improvements, mental health initiatives, public health, specialist research, and staff education/training via its dedicated Endowment Fund. Beneficiaries include NHS Tayside patients, staff, and communities, with grants for wards, pilots, preventative efforts, capital items, and festive patient programs, prioritizing demonstrable need, sustainability, added value, and local impact; unrestricted and restricted funds align with donor wishes.

Eligible applicants are UK-registered charities, CICs, social enterprises, Health & Social Care Partnerships, and NHS Tayside services delivering primarily in Tayside, with no income thresholds but requiring strong governance, insurance, and PVG checks. Typical grants range £1,000–£150,000 (most £5,000–£25,000), covering project costs, salaries (up to 2 years), and equipment. Unsolicited online applications are welcomed: rolling monthly for under £25,000; quarterly deadlines (next: 6 March 2025) for £25,000–£150,000; Board review (3x/year) for larger. Exclusions: core NHS/statutory duties; decisions emphasize non-substitution and ethical alignment.