Third-party support agencies and sources of grants and funding
There are many other ways to secure funding for your business. Check out , which is a central resource with information about funding and assistance from Scottish agencies.
Alloa First
Alloa First is a business-led initiative where businesses work together with the sole objective of collectively investing in the town centre with the aim of creating a brighter future for the business environment.
Business Gateway Funding and Finance Guidance
These funding guides help you decide whether you need business funding, where to find it, how much you might need, and what it could cost you to repay.
Clacksfirst Ltd
The Business Improvement District (BID) covering 10 business parks throughout Clackmannanshire. The Clacksfirst BID works collectively with local partners to create a safer, cleaner and more attractive business working and trading environment.
Clackmannanshire and Stirling Environment Trust
Clackmannanshire and Stirling Environment Trust will consider applications across all types of projects included in the SLCF. May include land reclamation, community recycling, public amenities and parks, biodiversity and historic buildings.
Creative Scotland
Creative Scotland's Open Fund for Individuals is one of Creative Scotland’s key funding programmes, supporting the wide range of activities by creative practitioners in Scotland. You can apply for between £500 and £100,000 for activities lasting up to 24 months.
Federation of Small Businesses Scotland
Federation of Small Businesses Scotland (FSB) is the UK's largest campaigning pressure group promoting and protecting the interests of the self-employed and owners of small businesses. FSB provide a wide range of business services to members.
Falkirk Council
Falkirk Council grants and funding are available for businesses in the council area.
Innovate UK - UKRI funding
Offers funding and support across all academic disciplines and industrial areas. They help businesses grow by developing and commercialising new products, processes, and services, supported by an outstanding innovation ecosystem that is agile, inclusive, and easy to navigate.
National Lottery Funding Programmes
A range of funds are available for community-led activity, young people, people facing challenging circumstances and urban and rural communities.
National Lottery Heritage Fund
A range of funding programmes for projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK.
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS)
Supports manufacturers to help them secure a range of funding opportunities in order to solve problems and develop solutions.
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise can help your business navigate the funding landscape in Scotland. It can offer support to help your business find and access the right funding, and in some cases offer its own funding.
Regional Selective Assistance (RSA)
The Scottish Enterprise helps projects that create or protect jobs in areas of Scotland. The level of grant offered depends on the location of your project and the size of your business.
The Scottish Landfill Communities Fund (SLCF)
SLCF is a tax credit scheme linked to Scottish Landfill Tax that encourages landfill site operators to provide contributions to Approved Bodies, who can then pass the funds onto community and environmental projects.
SCVO Funding Scotland
Funding Scotland is a service provided by the?Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations?to provide access to funding opportunities in Scotland. It is free to use, providing search of over 1,300 funding opportunities including grants, loans, prizes and other support.
Stirling Council Voluntary Organisations Grants and Funding
Grant support is offered to a variety of voluntary organisations every year. This is intended to assist local initiatives, encourage environmental improvement and promote community activities.?
Zero Waste Scotland
Zero Waste Scotland is committed to supporting businesses to implement circular innovations and recognises the transformational impact that grant support can have as projects move towards commercialisation.?
Business grant and funding support for net zero targets
Emerging Energy Technologies Fund - The Hydrogen Innovation Scheme
Provides funding to develop innovative solutions for renewable hydrogen production, storage and distribution, as well as the development of test and demonstration facilities in Scotland.
Green Heat Innovation Support Programme
£17.6 million available for projects that can develop green heat solutions or have ideas to boost manufacturing and R&D in this area. The Green Heat Innovation Support Programme (GHISP) provides support through large R&D and capital grant funding, feasibility study support, and CAN DO Innovation Challenge funding.
Heat in Buildings Development Funding
This Scottish Government fund will support projects that have the potential to create low carbon heat solutions for buildings. Its support will focus on projects that are in development in order to create a pipeline for future deployment and viable business cases that support the energy sector and supply chain.
Business Energy Scotland SME Loan Scheme
Scottish Government funding for businesses in Scotland to help pay for energy efficiency projects. Loans up to £100k are available to help you pay for energy and carbon-saving upgrades in your business. You could also receive a cashback grant of up to £30k.
Business research grants and funding working with academia
IBioIC Feasibility Funding
The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC)'s Feasibility projects provide members with the opportunity to tap into the expertise of Scotland’s academics to assist with a biotech-focused proof of concept study to support a future funding application for a larger scale research work programme.
IBioIC Facilities Access Fund
The Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre (IBioIC) offers funding for collaborative biotechnology projects that link Scottish academics and industry. The funding covers access to university facilities on a fee-for-service basis at an academic rate.
UKRI - UK Research and innovation funding finder for business and academia
Offer funding and support across all academic disciplines and industrial areas from the medical and biological sciences to astronomy, physics, chemistry and engineering, social sciences, economics, environmental sciences, and the arts and humanities.
SMART:SCOTLAND Grant
This is a research and development (R&D) grant for small and medium-sized businesses that aims to support high risk, highly ambitious projects. It covers conducting feasibility studies to show how ideas could work in the real world and supports activities that have a commercial endpoint.