How we are Funded

To run our core service supporting families in Edinburgh as well as supporting the wider Edinburgh autism community through our social and information services, costs around £215,000 per year. Fundraising is vital to Tailor Ed Foundation so that we may continue providing the very best services for autistic children, their families, friends and carers.

How Do We Raise Funds

Grants from Charitable Trusts/Grant Making Bodies

We’re incredibly grateful to be receiving support from numerous funders, including statutory bodies, trusts and foundations.

Currently we are funded by:

  • The City Of Edinburgh Council,
  • Scottish Government,
  • Shared Care Scotland’s Better Breaks fund,
  • The R S MacDonald Trust,
  • BBC Children in Need,
  • The Robertson Trust,
  • One City Trust,
  • Scottish Children’s Lottery Chance to Study
  • Charles Sharland Trust
  • amongst others.

These grants often are for specific projects and can be multi-year funding.

Donations and Fundraising

Since we began we’ve been amazed by the financial support we’ve received from the families we provide our services to and their friends. We could not achieve all that we do without the thoughtfulness and generosity of our supporters for which we are immensely grateful. This support comes in a variety of guises. Some make donations via direct debit, standing orders or cheques or some use the dedicated sites available for fundraising for us. We have some families who donate £100 per month and some who donate £5 whenever they can.

Many families have also taken part in sponsored events including runs and marathons as well as more creative events such as a sponsored tattoo! Fundraising events have also been organised in aid of Tailor Ed including a ladies lunch and a fashion show.

We are both grateful and really touched that so many of the families we support take the time and effort to support us in return. If you would like to organise a challenge event or to take part please contact us at fundraising@tailoredfoundation.co.uk

Corporate Giving

We are always on the lookout for innovative ways we can create links with local businesses. This can be as:

A Charity of the Year, employee fundraising – did you realise that if an employee raises funds for us, then it is very likely with a gentle, polite request your employer will match your efforts,

Payroll giving – this is a relatively new way to give a regular donation to a charity direct from your pay.  Payroll Giving donations are deducted before tax so for every £1.00 that you give it will only cost you 80p, and if you’re a higher rate tax payer it will only cost you 60p.

Payroll Giving (also known as Give As You Earn or workplace giving) is a valuable, long term source of revenue, providing regular income to help charities budget and plan ahead more effectively.

Sponsorship – this is a popular type of fundraising support often associated with larger events eg T in the Park, Virgin Money Fireworks Concert and my current favourite: The Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Challenge Cup. However there are always opportunities for businesses to sponsor events and projects that charities such as Tailor Ed run.

Your Community

Other fun ways individuals, families, work colleagues, businesses can support Tailor Ed Foundation is to take part in the 100’s of community events that take place throughout the year. This could be a hairy haggis team taking part in a fun run, organising a tombola at a local gala day etc etc.

Fundraising doesn’t need to be led by adults. Recently a very popular way in which young people can get involved in fundraising is through their schools. Many High Schools now take part in the Youth Philanthropy Initiative: YPI is a youth-led programme, whereby student teams choose the charities they care most about. Young people will establish contact, therefore charities cannot ‘sign up’ to be a YPI charity.

If your son or daughter, neice or nephew tells you about this exciting and challenging school based opportunity why not suggest they choose Tailor Ed Foundation? We would be delighted to support young people through a YPI project.

If any of these fundraising ideas have caught your attention but you are not sure how to proceed please get in touch with Stuart McCallum, our Fundraising Manager, fundraising@tailoredfoundation.co.uk 0131 624 8970 who would be delighted to have a chat with you.

Training Course Income

We provide training for a range of professionals from nursery staff to teachers, after school child care staff and leisure centre staff. Our training programme is dependent on the availability of Project Workers. Details of the training we provide can be found here and we can also design bespoke training packages around your needs.