Business loans, grants and funding - Scotland

About this grant

Business loans, grants and funding - Scotland Finder to help businesses based in Scotland find funding from private and public organisations.

Eligibility requirements

All of the following criteria must be met:

• Must have a business plan
• Must be able to show how you'll repay your loan
• Business must be at least 2 years old
• Minimum turnover of £250,000
• Must be profitable, or expect to make a profit in the next 12 months
• Must have headquarters in Scotland, be operating in Scotland, or looking to locate to Scotland
• Must have tried to get other funding but were unsuccessful
• Must show how the funding will have an equal level of economic impact in Scotland
• Must show that you use fair work practices (such as the living wage)
• Must not use zero hours contracts
• You must be a homeowner
• Property must be located in Scotland
• NOT eligible if you're a private landlord (use Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan instead)
• NOT eligible if you're a business (use SME Loan Scheme instead)
• NOT eligible if you're a property developer
• For businesses only (not homeowners or property developers)
• Available for businesses needing funding

What the funding covers

• A single gateway to grants, loans, funding, advice, consultancy, training, networking opportunities, webinars, and business support services available across Scotland.
• Access to support from more than 100 Scottish public sector organisations.
• Support for businesses of all sizes, including start-ups, sole traders, SMEs, large enterprises, and social enterprises.
• Funding and finance opportunities, including grants and loans.
• Business advice and consultancy services to support growth and development.
• Training programmes, workshops, events, and webinars.
• Networking and collaboration opportunities.
• Sector-specific and business-stage-specific support.
• A searchable platform that helps businesses find relevant support based on their needs.
• Regularly updated information as new support programmes become available.

How to apply

1. 1This page is a search tool - you need to search for funding first, then apply directly to each specific funder
2. 2Go to FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot to search for business funding, grants and loans available in Scotland
3. 3For Scottish Loan Scheme (£250,000 to £2 million, up to £5 million in some cases): apply through Scottish Enterprise website
4. 4To apply for Scottish Loan Scheme you must: have a business plan, show how you'll repay, be at least 2 years old, have minimum turnover of £250,000, be profitable or expect profit in next 12 months, have headquarters/operate in Scotland, have tried other funding unsuccessfully, show economic impact in Scotland, use fair work practices
5. 5Highlands and Islands: Contact Highlands and Islands Enterprise for same funding available through Scottish Enterprise
6. 6Flexible Workforce Development Fund or apprentice funding: Apply through Skills Development Scotland
7. 7For new product/service/business ideas: Contact Interface for funding
8. 8Water Environment Fund: Apply through Scottish Environment Protection Agency
9. 9Circular Economy Business Support Service funding: Contact Zero Waste Scotland
10. 10Business energy loan for resource-saving projects: Apply through Business Energy Scotland
11. 11Cairngorms National Park public development projects: Apply to Cairngorms Trust
12. 12Cairngorms National Park land management staff training: Apply to Cairngorms National Park Authority
13. 13Creative business/creative industries funding: Apply through Creative Scotland
14. 14Check each fund's specific 'How to Apply' section as some have their own website, others accept applications via email/post

Application tips