- Support
- Funding, Grants & Programmes
Funding, Grants & Programmes
SME Loan Scheme for Renewable or Energy Efficiency Projects
What does this involve?
The SME Loan Scheme offers small and medium-sized enterprises based in Scotland unsecured, interest-free loans of up to £100,000 for renewable or energy efficiency projects. You may be able to get up to £30,000 as cashback. This is on a first come basis. The loan funding is provided by the Scottish Government.
The funding is available to help you pay for energy and carbon-saving upgrades in your business.
This could include:
- heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades
- renewable technologies such as replacing a boiler to one with an air source heat pump
- improving insulation, draught-proofing, double or secondary glazing
- installing LED lighting
Cashback - while funds last:
Through the scheme, SMEs installing eligible equipment could receive a 75% cashback grant up to £10,000 for renewable heat measures and a 75% cashback grant for energy efficiency measures up to £20,000.
DigitalBoost Health Check
What does this involve?
Complete a quick Digital Health Check to identify your digital skills and any gaps in your digital performance. Answer 12 quick questions about your business approach to:
- information and communications technology
- e-commerce
- digital marketing strategy
- digital marketing implementation
The results of your Digital Health Check will show you how you could use technology to improve your performance, profits and people.
SME Development Grant
The SME Development Grant provides financial support to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Fife to develop and grow.
The grant opened for applications on 1 April 2023. The deadline to apply is 31 January 2026.
The fund provides small non-repayable grants to help with costs in 7 areas:
- trade development
- workforce upskilling
- the transition to net zero
- research and development (R&D) and innovation support
- agriculture business diversification
- support for studies
- digital development
Trade development
The trade development funding provides grants to help businesses with:
- the cost of exhibiting at trade shows in the UK or Europe
- the cost of participating in overseas trade missions
- other costs associated with accessing new markets, such as exporting
Workforce upskilling
The funding for workforce upskilling provides grants to help companies improve the productivity and profitability of their business by training and upskilling existing employees.
Transition to net zero
This funding helps businesses move towards achieving net zero emissions through a range of measures, including improvements to their premises, waste reduction or reuse, and the creation of green jobs.
Research and development (R&D) and innovation support
This funding is primarily for micro-SMEs that are unable to access the R&D and innovation support provided by Scottish Enterprise.
Agriculture business diversification
This funding is to help agriculture businesses to develop agritourism and food and drink-focussed proposals, as well as to help them adopt new approaches and technologies, including vertical farming.
Support for studies
This funding can help businesses that are required to undertake a study – for example, on ecological impact or noise assessment – as part of a project to develop new or existing premises.
Digital development
This funding is to help businesses cover the costs of implementing digital measures to improve their efficiency.
The SME Development Grant is delivered by Business Gateway Fife on behalf of Fife Council's Economic Development Team. It is fully funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Your application will be completed by a Business Gateway adviser, then checked, signed and submitted by you. Therefore, you must be working with Business Gateway Fife to be considered.
For further information on eligibility and how to apply click HERE
