SPA's lifechanging programme nominated for national award
Scots procurement firm receives major award nod after supporting over 35,000 people
For nearly a decade, a life-changing social investment fund that has supported more than 35,000 Scots across 116 community projects is now being recognised with a nomination for a major award.
The Scottish Procurement Alliance (SPA) has been shortlisted in the Community Impact category of the Herald & GenAnalytics Scottish Impact Awards 2025.
Managed in partnership with respected housing charity Lintel Trust, SPA’s Community Benefit Fund (CBF) has to date delivered £1.1 million in funding to more than 50 local organisations and charities.
The award recognises organisations delivering real and inclusive change through their ESG commitments, with SPAs rebate and Community Benefit Fund delivering outstanding and lasting results.
Lesley Peaty, Regional Director for SPA, Scotland’s largest free-to-join procurement organisation said: “Our entire operating model is built around purpose. When organisations choose our frameworks, they’re not only streamlining procurement - they’re contributing to life-changing work across Scotland.
“What makes the CBF unique is its agility. With Lintel Trust’s expert guidance, every project we support is co-designed to reflect real, evidence-based local needs. That means the impact is immediate, visible and crucially, sustainable.
“Through our partnership with Lintel Trust, funding recipients not only receive financial backing but also tailored advice, access to one of the sector’s most robust monitoring systems and help to secure additional match funding.
“Since the fund’s creation, this approach has unlocked over £1.2 million in extra resources for communities, a clear example of how procurement, when done with purpose, can drive long-lasting social value.”
Since 2017, SPA has helped more than 140 public sector partners harness procurement spending for good.
As a not-for-profit, SPA reinvests surplus revenues directly into local communities through its CBF and rebate programme, together driving some of the most far-reaching social impact in Scotland.
Launched in 2017, the CBF gives each of SPA’s 14 founding partners the opportunity to apply for an annual £10,000 grant, supporting a wide variety of community-led projects across the country.
In 2024 alone, over £513,000 was redistributed to 36 organisations, and since the fund’s creation, the combined value of grants and rebates has exceeded £5.4 million.
Lesley added: “This nomination isn’t just about recognising SPA or Lintel Trust, it’s a testament to the hundreds of people and organisations working tirelessly to lift up their communities.
“We’re proud to play a part in that journey and will continue to champion procurement as a powerful driver for social value.
“To further enhance this, we’ve recently introduced a three-year Social Value Strategy, which requires every supplier appointed to our frameworks to deliver measurable community benefits alongside their core contracts.
“Earlier this year we also brought our rebate initiative, which returns a share of framework spend back to public sector organisations, under the same umbrella as the Community Benefit Fund.
“This means we can combine two powerful streams of investment, giving communities access to even greater levels of support, at a time where it will be greatly needed.
The Herald & GenAnalytics Scottish Impact Awards are judged by an independent panel and split by organisation size to ensure fairness. Winners will be announced at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Glasgow next month.
For more information on SPA please visit: https://www.scottishprocurement.scot/