Childcare Support Fund - second application window
Funding
£250,000 – £1,000,000
Location
Scotland
Applications
Open until 2 September 2026
The Scottish Government has reopened the Childcare Support Fund for a second application window. It opens at 11am on Tuesday 18 August 2026 and closes at midnight on Tuesday 1 September 2026. The fund pays for short-term, flexible childcare through registered childcare providers. It supports low-income families in, or at risk of, poverty when childcare costs are a barrier to work, training, or learning. Grants range from £250,000 to £1,000,000. If your first application was rejected, you can still apply in this round.
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Must be a registered childcare provider
- Must support low-income families in or at risk of poverty
- Childcare must be short-term and flexible
- Applications open 18 August 2026 and close 1 September 2026
This fund is for registered childcare providers in Scotland delivering short-term, flexible childcare to low-income families. You should be supporting families who face poverty or are at risk of it, where childcare costs are a barrier to work, training, or learning. It is not for providers outside Scotland or those not registered to deliver childcare.
Regions
Awards published
28
Typical award
£36,000
Most awards
£9,750 to £40,000
Most funded region
Scotland
Recent awards include Dechomai (£36,000, 2025), Egg Scotland Ltd, trading as “egg” (£40,000, 2025) and (START) The High School of Glasgow (£9,200, 2025).
This funder has made 28 awards with a typical award of £36,000. Would you qualify?
See if you'd qualifyContains data from 360Giving publishers, used under open licence.
Full details from Scottish Government
When we opened the Childcare Support Fund for applications, we said that we would offer another opportunity to apply if possible. We are pleased to be able to reopen the fund for applications from 11am Tuesday 18 August 2026 in order to allocate the remaining funding. This application period will run for 2 weeks, closing midnight Tuesday 01 September 2026. You are still eligible to send a new application if your application was rejected for the first round of applications. This grant funds short-term, flexible childcare through registered childcare providers, to support low income families living in, or at risk of, poverty at key times when childcare costs create financial pressure or are a barrier to employment, training or learning.
The fund opens for applications at 11am on Tuesday 18 August 2026. Applications close at midnight on Tuesday 1 September 2026. Check the Scottish Government website for the application form and submission details.
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Create free accountLast updated: 19 August 2026