Holly Bennett
Connor Campbell
If you’re looking for a cash boost for your business, you may have explored borrowing options, but have you considered a grant? This type of funding is designed to help businesses grow while also bringing wider benefits, such as to the local community or the environment.
Below, we take a look at what a business grant is and what is available in Scotland.
What is a business grant?
A business grant is typically a non-repayable sum of money, used to fund a business activity.
Most grants have quite specific requirements, including being used for certain purposes, which means you should carefully consider which ones you apply for.
While most grants are non-repayable, some may be partially or conditionally repayable. Make sure you understand the funding structure of the grant before applying.
Alongside funding in Scotland, there are also a range of small business grants across the UK. Similarly, there are grants available for specific groups, such as business grants for women.
National small business grants in Scotland
The following is a selection of the small business grants available across Scotland.
Culture & Business Fund Scotland
Eligible regions: Scotland
Sectors: Arts and heritage organisations
Amount: £1,000 to £3,000 (smaller fund) match funding; £3,000 to £40,000 (larger fund) match funding
Details: The Culture & Business Fund Scotland (CBFS) encourages businesses to sponsor arts and heritage projects in Scotland. The aim is to help these organisations to build new partnerships and make a positive impact on the nation’s creative industry and its people and communities. For example, if your business offers the sponsorship and the CBFS agrees to match 50% of the funding you are providing, it could help launch a project or take activities to a wider audience. Any not-for-profit arts or heritage organisation registered and based in Scotland can apply for funding for businesses to invest in. Sponsorship could benefit your business by helping to promote its name, products or services.
Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) Grants
Eligible regions: Those covered by Scottish Enterprise (Aberdeen City and Shire, the east of Scotland, Tayside and the west of Scotland)
Sectors: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large businesses
Amount: A minimum grant of £100,000 (covering up to 35% of eligible costs for SMEs and 15% for large enterprises)
Details: This grant is aimed at capital investment and job creation in the areas covered by Scottish Enterprise. Any project applying for an RSA grant must last between six and 36 months, and the amount of funding available will vary based on location and business size.
SMART: SCOTLAND
Eligible regions: Scotland
Sectors: SMEs, university spin-outs and individuals
Amount: Up to £100,000 (70% of eligible costs for a small enterprise, 60% for a medium enterprise)
Details: The SMART: SCOTLAND grant is a research and development grant designed to fund the conduction of feasibility studies for ‘high-risk, highly ambitious’ projects. If applying, your project will need to represent an advance in technological innovation for your chosen UK industry or sector.
Business grants in Eastern Scotland
Some business grants are region-specific. The below grants are for businesses based in the east of Scotland.
Nestrans Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme
Eligible regions: Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: £500 to £10,000 to cover up to 50% of costs, 50% match funding (Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme); up to £10,000 and up to 100% of costs (Community Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme)
Details: The Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme is focused on improving the development of travel plans and travel awareness, and helping businesses to implement sustainable travel initiatives. Funding could be for measures that encourage a business and its staff to travel in a greener way, such as:
- secure cycle parking facilities
- changing rooms
- improvements to pedestrian access
- employee training
The Community Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme is for community groups, registered charities or social enterprises.
Fife Business Grants
Eligible regions: Fife
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Varies
Details: Businesses in Fife may be eligible to apply for the following grants:
- SME Development Grants: Grants of up to £2,850, or 100% of project costs (whichever is lower), are available to cover six core areas. These are: trade development, workforce upskilling, transition to net zero, research and development, agriculture business diversification and support for studies.
- Trade Development Programme: The Trade Development Programme helps businesses across a range of industries to take part in and visit exhibitions, both national and international. The grant is worth up to £2,000, while the programme can offer advice and information on displaying at trade exhibitions, and cover some of the costs of visiting events.
Orkney Business Grants
Eligible regions: Orkney Islands
Sectors: SMEs, with some grants focusing on target sectors, including tourism, food and drink, low carbon and renewable energy, creative and manufacturing, knowledge and technology, service, and community-based social enterprise.
Amount: Varies
Details: Orkney offers many business grants that aim to improve the local economy and create new, sustainable jobs. These include:
- Covid-19 Business Hardship Support Grant Scheme: To help with financial pressures after a significant fall in income due to Covid-19. Grants of between £2,500 and £7,500 are available, depending on the number of employees.
- Flexible Business Development Grant: Open to SMEs with a business development project with measurable predicted outcomes. Grants of up to £5,000 for up to a maximum of 50% of eligible project costs.
- Graduate Placement Scheme: Graduate placement grant up to £15,000 of up to 50% of total wage and National Insurance costs; postgraduate placement up to a maximum of £10,000 of up to 30% of the total wage and National Insurance costs.
- Economic Development Grant Scheme: Support of up to £55,000 at a rate of up to 30% of costs, towards capital expenditure. A minimum £10,000 of eligible project cost applies, which can include the construction of new buildings or the improvement of existing buildings.
- Rural Shop Improvement Scheme: Support for improvements for shops outside the town of Kirkwall, in Orkney selling staple foods and household goods. The minimum eligible project cost is £500, with the maximum of £10,000 over a rolling three-year period.
- Tourism Grant Scheme: For tourism projects that help deliver a high level of customer service to visitors, such as through upgraded accommodation. Grants of up to 30% of eligible costs are available, with a maximum of £55,000 for upgrades.
- Small Business Training Grant: Support to upgrade skills and develop your workforce training. It’s a grant of up to 90%, up to a maximum of £1,000 (minimum £250), towards non-statutory staff training.
- Digital Development Grant: Support for local businesses to invest in IT projects, such as the purchase of software, digital skills training, or implementing an eCommerce platform. Grants are between £1,250 and £10,000, to cover a maximum of 50% of costs.
Shetland Islands Economic Development Grant Scheme
Eligible regions: Shetland Islands
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: From £1,000 to £25,000 (between 30% to 50% of project costs)
Details: Businesses in the Shetland Islands can apply for a grant worth a maximum of £25,000, for projects related to a range of outcomes, including improving product quality, productivity or service quality, introducing new business activities, or implementing a new market development.
West Lothian Business Grants
Eligible regions: West Lothian
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Varies
Details: West Lothian offers a number of business grants for SMEs in the region, including:
- Low Carbon/Energy Efficiency Grant: Businesses that want to overcome barriers related to becoming low carbon or energy efficient can apply for a grant of up to £10,000.
- Growth Assistance Project: Businesses with project costs totalling at least £100,000 can apply for the Growth Assistance Project. A typical grant is worth £45,000.
- Training Grant: Businesses seeking to train their workforce can apply for a grant worth between £10,000 and £15,000.
- Economic Recovery Fund: Local businesses looking to invest in skills training, retraining of new staff, market development, job creation or social inclusion can apply to the Economic Recovery Fund. The average grant is worth £20,000.
- Digital Development Grant: VAT registered businesses can apply for a grant worth £7,500 against a digital development project totalling £15,000. Businesses that are not registered for VAT can receive up to £1,000 for a project totalling £2,000.
- Project Grant: Businesses can receive a grant worth £7,500 against eligible capital expenditure of £15,000.
Business grants in Western Scotland
Below are some of the business grants available in the west of Scotland:
East Ayrshire Business Grants
Eligible regions: East Ayrshire
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Varies
Details: Businesses in East Ayrshire can apply for a range of grants, including:
- Net Zero Support Grant: Businesses aiming to reduce their carbon emissions can apply for a grant covering 50% of approved project costs, up to a maximum of £3,000.
- Community Wealth Building: Projects that promote economic recovery, inclusivity and equality, or tackle the climate crisis or other issues in Ayrshire, can apply for grants between £1,000 and £5,000. This is to cover 50% of eligible project costs.
- Business Growth Grant: Eligible businesses looking to implement growth plans can apply for a grant worth between £300 and £3,000, to cover 40% of project costs.
- Energy Audit Voucher Scheme: Grants of up to £2,500 are available to help businesses tackle rising energy costs and the climate crisis.
- Mini Capex Grant Support Fund: Grants of up to £1,000, to cover 50% of project costs, are available for businesses seeking to implement measures to reduce their energy costs.
East Renfrewshire Business Grants
Eligible regions: East Renfrewshire
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Varies
Details: East Renfrewshire Council offers a number of business grants. These include:
- SBA Growth Grant Funds: Businesses operating out of commercial premises can apply for match-funded grants based on annual turnover and trading history. These grants start at £1,000, and go up to £50,000.
- Tourism Grant: Businesses focused on increasing visitor numbers and tourism revenue in East Renfrewshire can apply for a grant worth up to £5,000.
- Get to Zero – Green Jobs Training: Businesses trading for longer than 12 months, with annual turnover of at least £50,000, can apply for a match-funded training grant. The maximum grant available is £1,000, capped at £500 per employee.
- SBA Get to Zero Grant: For help with reducing your carbon footprint and improving energy efficiency, businesses based in commercial premises can apply for a grant worth up to £5,000.
- Micro Grant Funds: Small businesses with an annual turnover between £10,000 and £50,000 a year, which trade for at least 20 hours a week, can apply for a series of micro grants. This includes up to £500 for purchasing equipment, up to £500 for eCommerce activities, and up to £250 for health and wellbeing policies.
Inverclyde Business Grants
Eligible regions: Inverclyde
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Varies
Details: Some of the small business grants in the Inverclyde region include:
- Marketing Grant: Up to £500 to cover up to 50% of costs to help businesses complete a marketing project, with eligible activities including market research, promotional material, website development and email campaigns.
- Marketing Grant for Tourism Businesses: This covers 50% of total marketing costs, up to £1,000, for tourism businesses in the Inverclyde area.
- Property Assistance Scheme: Up to £10,000 to cover 50% of costs related to projects involving commercial premises, including general improvements, signage, and security measures, when the total project costs exceed £50,000.
- Business Assistance Grant: Up to 50% of eligible capital expenditure costs, designed to help businesses meet specific growth objectives, with a maximum grant of £5,000.
- Business Training Grant: Up to 50% of total costs, with a maximum contribution of £2,000, to cover training activities for management and key workers.
- Grant for Tourism Businesses: A grant worth up to £5,000, to cover a maximum of 50% of capital expenditure costs related to tourism businesses in the area.
Renfrewshire Business Grants
Eligible regions: Renfrewshire
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Varies
Details: Renfrewshire Council has a variety of business grants for local organisations. These include:
- Net Zero Grant: Businesses looking to make changes to their premises and operations in order to cut their carbon footprint can apply for a grant covering up to 50% of project costs, to a maximum of £10,000.
- Business Resilience Grant: Businesses, including self-employed people, can apply for a grant worth between £1,000 and £10,000, covering up to 50% of project costs related to growth.
- Training Grant: Manufacturing and business-to-business (B2B) organisations can apply for a training grant worth £2,000.
West Dunbartonshire Business Grants
Eligible regions: West Dunbartonshire
Sectors: Business-to-business (B2B) SMEs and start -ups
Amount: Varies
Details: There are a variety of grants available for the businesses of West Dunbartonshire including:
- Shopfront Improvement Grant: Retail businesses that want to make external improvements to their high street property can apply for a grant of up to £10,000, worth 80% of project costs.
- Recovery & Growth Grant: Businesses looking to implement growth or recovery projects that will safeguard or create jobs can apply for a grant worth a maximum of £10,000, covering 50% of eligible costs.
- Enhancing Tourism Events & Attractions Grant: Businesses looking to create new events or visitor attractions, or enhance existing activities, can apply for a grant worth up to £10,000.
- Social Enterprise Growth Grant: Social enterprises in West Dunbartonshire can apply for a grant worth up to 50% or their project costs, to a maximum of £2,000.
Start up business grants in Scotland
While some of the grants mentioned above may be available to start ups, the following are exclusively for new and early-stage businesses in Scotland:
East Ayrshire Council Business Start Up Grant
Eligible regions: East Ayrshire
Sectors: Start ups and new businesses
Amount: From £500 to £1,000 (up to 50% of total costs)
Details: New businesses in East Ayrshire can apply for a business grant worth up to 50% of their project costs in order to meet their specific needs and initial ambitions.
Fife Start-Up Grant
Eligible regions: Fife
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: £500
Details: Start ups in Fife can apply for a grant worth £500 to help towards trading costs, such as buying equipment, stock and certification.
Inverclyde New Business Start Up Grant
Eligible regions: Inverclyde
Sectors: Start ups and new businesses
Amount: Varies
Details: New businesses in Inverclyde can apply for a grant worth up to 50% of total costs (excluding VAT) to a maximum of £500. This is to cover capital expenditure relating to starting to trade in the area.
Orkney New Business Start Up Grant
Eligible regions: Orkney Islands
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: £500 to £1,500
Details: Aims to drive up the competitiveness, growth and survival rates of start ups that create local employment opportunities, support communities in fragile rural areas and contribute to the local economy.
Renfrewshire Council New Business Start-Up Grant
Eligible regions: Renfrewshire
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: from £300 to £1,000 (up to 50% of costs)
Details: New businesses working with Renfrewshire Council’s Business Gateway adviseors who have attended at least three start up workshops can apply for a grant worth between £300 and £1,000.
Shetland Business Start Up Grant
Eligible regions: Shetland Islands
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: £500 to £4,000; Young Persons Grant supplement of £1,000; Net Zero Grant supplement of £1,000
Details: Start ups on the Shetland Islands can apply for a grant worth between £500 and £4,000. Young people under 30 with at least a 50% share in the business can apply for an additional £1,000. Similarly, start ups dealing with renewable energy are eligible for a further £1,000.
West Dunbartonshire Business Start Up Grant
Eligible regions: West Dunbartonshire
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: £500
Details: Individuals over the age of 18 can apply for a business grant worth £500 to cover start up costs. A business plan and proof of trading must be submitted when applying for the grant.
West Dunbartonshire Early Stage Growth Grant
Eligible regions: West Dunbartonshire
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: up to £1,500 (50% of project costs)
Details: New businesses facing higher start up costs due to operating from commercial premises, or hiring full time employees, can apply for an extra Early Stage Growth Grant worth up to £1,500 to cover 50% of project costs.
West Lothian High Growth Start-up Grant
Eligible regions: West Lothian
Sectors: Start ups (first 18 months of trading)
Amount: up to £4,000
Details: New businesses that are VAT registered with a turnover greater than £60,000 can apply for a grant worth £4,000. This can be used to bring products to market, attend trade events and build business capacity.
What other business funding is available?
If grants are out of your reach, or you want a different type of funding to help your business – whether that means getting high-value equipment, improving cash flow or paying for growth projects – there are other options that might be available to you. These include:
- business loans
- start up loans
- invoice finance
- asset finance
- peer-to-peer loans
- merchant cash advance
- angel investment
- crowdfunding for business
These are just some of the grant options available to small businesses based or operating in Scotland. To help refine your search, you can find signposts to a wide range of funding and support specific to your business through the Scottish government website.
Image source: Getty Images
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