Catholic National Endowment Trust

The Catholic National Endowment Trust, operating as the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland, is a registered Scottish charity established in 1942 to advance the Roman Catholic religion, facilitate religious education, and support charitable activities rooted in Catholic principles across Scotland. As the legal and financial backbone of the Scottish Catholic hierarchy, it pools resources for governance, advocacy, and church-led initiatives, embodying values from Catholic social teaching such as human dignity, solidarity, and the common good. Its distinctive approach emphasizes strategic stewardship by the bishops, enabling national coordination, unified public engagement, and long-term resilience for Catholic mission.

The Trust funds a broad spectrum of faith-aligned projects, including religious education and catechesis for clergy, youth, and laity; parish and diocesan support; capital works like church repairs; staff and leadership development; events, publications, and assemblies; Catholic social action on justice, peace, and poverty; ecumenical dialogue; and advocacy via the Catholic Parliamentary Office. Beneficiaries are primarily Catholic parishes, dioceses, schools, religious orders, and affiliated bodies serving vulnerable communities in all eight Scottish dioceses, with grants flowing to umbrella structures like the Scottish Catholic Education Service rather than independent charities.

Eligibility is strictly invite-only for organisations formally linked to the Scottish Catholic Church, excluding external or unaffiliated entities and activities contrary to Catholic ethos; there are no income thresholds but a preference for established medium-to-large institutions operating exclusively in Scotland. Funding decisions occur ad hoc via the Bishops’ Conference, with no public deadlines, applications, or portals—typical grants range from several thousand to tens of thousands of pounds for multi-year strategic priorities like safeguarding, communications, and national initiatives. This closed, discernment-based model sets it apart as the premier enabler of scaled Catholic collaboration in Scotland.