toggle menu
Celia Tennant - Inspiring Scotland

Senior Leadership

Chief Executive

Celia Tennant

Celia Tennant

Celia is passionate about building a better Scotland. She has been with Inspiring Scotland since launch in 2008, leading on its inaugural 14:19 employability fund as Head of Funds, before becoming Chief Executive in 2013. Inspiring Scotland pioneered venture philanthropy in Scotland and is one the largest VP organisations in the world, bringing a multi-investor, long term funding and high engagement approach to working with charities who are addressing social issues across Scotland.

Celia brings extensive experience from the private sector and is passionate about the potential of people and communities to create lasting positive change. Instrumental in Inspiring Scotland’s start-up phase, and as a social entrepreneur who makes things happen, Celia is a champion of collaborative working to tackle deep-rooted social problems.

As Chief Executive Celia has shaped Inspiring Scotland’s values and vision, and she brings the same commitment and drive to a range of Non-Executive roles. She is a Director of The Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation, a Trustee of Winning Scotland Foundation and a Trustee of Royal Albert Cycling Club SCIO. She is an Advisor to Common Purpose Scotland and sits on the Child Poverty Programme Board as well as the Governance Board of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. Celia is also proud to be a Global Celt.

Celia is also an enthusiastic advocate of the power of sport to break down barriers and inspire people. She is a British Cycling coach in track, mountain bike, road and time-trial and co-founded the Clydesdale Colts youth cycling group in Lanarkshire.

More funding to improve lives for autistic adults
14.04.2025

More funding to improve lives for autistic adults

More funding has been announced for the Scottish Government’s Autistic Adult Support Fund and is available to third sector organisations providing services to autistic adults – promoting wellbeing and helping them to understand what neurodivergence means for them. Since 2023, the Scottish Government has allocated £1.5 million to 15 organisations, including those helping autistic adults

Read More
More funding to improve lives for autistic adults
09.04.2025

More funding to improve lives for autistic adults

More funding has been announced for the Scottish Government’s Autistic Adult Support Fund and is available to third sector organisations providing services to autistic adults – promoting wellbeing and helping them to understand what neurodivergence means for them. Since 2023, the Scottish Government has allocated £1.5 million to 15 organisations, including those helping autistic adults

Read More
Insight story: Tackling the climate crisis with spreadsheets and Earth in Common
01.04.2025

Insight story: Tackling the climate crisis with spreadsheets and Earth in Common

Tackling climate change sometimes still involves spreadsheets! Our Specialist Volunteer Network (SVN) is home to a whole range of expertise and changemakers who stand ready to help Scotland’s charities. Our team are no stranger to quickly matching a charity with the right professional to get a problem solved. So recently, when Earth in Common, an

Read More