Designing a grantmaking programme from scratch, with Ruth Davison of SASC Trust

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