Inside Grantmaking

Sufina Ahmad, Director of the John Ellerman Foundation, joins Alex Blake to talk through how the Foundation funds change, from its total assets approach through to what actually makes an application stand out. Sufina walks through the Foundation's two-stage application process in detail, including why first-stage success rates are lower but second-stage approvals run close to 90%. She talks candidly about the power dynamic between funders and applicants, why authenticity matters more than telling funders what they think they want to hear, and how rising application numbers led the Foundation to tighten its eligibility criteria rather than close its doors. The conversation also covers the Foundation's approach to responsible and social investment, and how it's redesigning its grant reporting process to get more learning back out to the sector. This episode is a useful listen for anyone applying to UK trusts and foundations, and for funders thinking about how to be clearer with applicants about what they're really looking for.

Jim McCormick, Chief Executive of the Robertson Trust, joins Alex Blake to talk through how Scotland's largest independent grantmaker actually makes decisions. Jim walks through what happens to an application from the moment it lands, who assesses it and how, and the four decision frames the Trust applies as awards get bigger. He talks candidly about the shift toward unrestricted funding, now at almost 60% of open grants, and why some charities still choose project funding even when core funding is on offer. The conversation also covers pooled funding models gaining traction across Scotland, the Trust's Funder Plus support, and what's changing as application volumes rise and AI-generated applications become more common. This episode is a useful listen for anyone applying to Scottish trusts and foundations, and for funders thinking about how to build more trust and flexibility into their own processes.

This is the trailer for Inside Grantmaking — a podcast about how philanthropy really works. Each episode, host Alex Blake speaks with foundation staff, trustees, or advisors who share how they think about their work, how funding decisions get made, and the bigger questions shaping where grantmaking is heading. The conversations are honest, practical, and respectful — because better understanding between funders and the organisations they support is good for everyone. Follow now so you don't miss the first episode.