The Foundation supports a broad range of organisations and activities that share a commitment to making a positive impact to the lives of the communities in which they work, and that are driven by a desire to achieve excellence. They make grants across the UK to organisations in the following categories: Arts; Education; Youth; Health; Community; Museums and Heritage; Environment; Religion and Welfare.

The Foundation supports a wide range of charities both in the UK and abroad. Areas of particular interest to the Trustees include: promotion of the evangelical Christian faith; education, with a particular interest in the promotion of science and engineering, and youth development; medical research, with a particular emphasis on dementia and stroke; social/medical welfare projects, particularly those benefitting elderly and disabled people; preservation of cultural/environmental heritage and improving access to the arts for young people and the disabled (projects of national importance only); overseas development projects.

The Scottish Government recognises the role that science festivals play in making science accessible to a wide audience and strengthening young people's science learning. Funding from the Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser is currently supporting a number of science festivals. It currently supports 15 independent Science Festivals across the country who have all agreed to meet conditions of grant.

The fund supports the town and citizens of Arbroath by improving the amenities of the Town or assisting in the furtherance of the social and cultural activities of its citizens. In practice it gives primarily to local youth, sport, recreation, arts and musical groups. The Trustees also have regard to the Local Corner of the Arbroath Public Library with particular reference to the preparation and keeping of genealogical and family records appertaining to Citizens of the town of Arbroath and to any museum which may be formed in conjunction with the buildings of the said Library.

Principally for organisations based in Arbroath, It makes grants, donations or gifts to organisations who work towards the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of education, health, citizenship or community development, the arts, heritage, culture, science, public participation in sport or animal welfare.

The Trust achieves its objects by making grants to individuals, organisations and institutions carrying out projects of significance to horticulture, gardening or botany with a strong horticultural element. The following is a non-exhaustive list of typical projects: gardeners’ training schemes run by appropriate organisations; restoring gardens of historic interest; developing new gardens for public access and enjoyment; exhibitions, book publications, research and educational programmes relating to horticulture; expeditions to collect and protect plants of scientific and horticultural value; and study-visits by horticulturists or botanists with strong horticultural links.

The AEB Charitable Trust presently makes grant to charities in support of the following: The promotion of interests of wildlife, ecology and nature; The advancement of health, in particular, research into and treatment of Alzheimer's and the care of the confused elderly; The support of museums and galleries, music and the arts in Scotland; assistance to the infirm, the emergency services, disabled and retired members of the Armed Forces. The Trust favours organisations in the Lothians and Borders areas.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (formerly PPARC and CCLRC), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Institute of Physics run a small grants scheme designed specifically for schools and colleges. The scheme provides schools with grants of up to £600 for projects or events linked to the teaching or promotion of physics or engineering. Grants can be used to support a range of projects. Projects linked to astronomy, space and particle physics are particularly encouraged, as are those relating to engineering in areas such as energy, transport, information and communications, design and production and the built environment.

The purpose of a Standard Innovation Voucher is to encourage new first time partnerships between a company and a university or further education college. The vouchers cover the academic project costs and are paid directly to the university or college. The company contributes an equal value in cash or in kind (such as staff time, materials or equipment) or a combination of both. All SMEs, social enterprises and third sector organisations with main company operations in Scotland can apply for a voucher if they are partnering with a Scottish University or Further Education College. Projects must be innovative (a novel/pioneering idea) and lead to new products, services or processes that will benefit the company, the academic institution and the Scottish economy.

Grants are given to instutions to provide tangible benefits to such beneficiary groups as the trustees deem appropriate. The Trust's purposes are: the prevention or relief of poverty; the advancement of religion; the advancement of health; the advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science; the relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantage and any other purpose that may reasonably be regarded as analogous to any of the preceding purposes.