News, opportunities and helpful tools
Stay up to date with the latest news affecting rural business owners including, funding opportunities and helpful tips from the GrowBiz team.
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Regional EDGE
Innovative, high growth start-ups from across Perth and Kinross, Dundee and Angus, North East, and the Highlands and Islands are in with the chance of winning up to £50,000 in prizes. Apply by 2pm on 20th January here.
Moray Pathways Community Space Fund
Organisations in Moray working with the local community can apply for up to £16,00 to deliver employability services within their community space and improve digital connectivity and accessibility. Find out more here.
Fife SME Development Grant
Financial support via small non-repayable grants to help small and medium-sized enterprises in Fife to develop and grow. The deadline to apply to this fund is 31 January 2025. Find out more here.
HIE Young Business Capital Grant Fund
For young businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands area, who have been trading for less than five years. Find out more here.
Techscaler Startup Next Steps
Start-up founders and senior team members can take this free practical course to help them scale a live product. The deadline to apply is 16 December. Find out more here.
Outer Hebrides Digital Support Scheme (OHDSS)
This scheme aims to help small businesses in the Outer Hebrides develop and implement new digital systems by means of funding, mentoring and other support. Find out more here.
Village Halls Week
Scottish Rural Action (SRA) has announced the return of Village Halls Week from March 17-23, 2025, in partnership with Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). Register your interest by 10 December here.
Powering Futures – The Tayside Circular Economy Challenge
The Challenge aims to support young people (aged 16-24) in businesses and organisations as they develop circular solutions to challenges. Find out more here.
Cycling Tourism Facilities Fund
Tourism businesses, communities, and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands Enterprise region can apply for funding of up to £25,000 to develop and enhance the cycling tourism facilities in the area. Find out more here.
Innovation Argyll and Bute Fund
Grants of up to £10,000 towards innovation and R&D projects for small or medium sized businesses and social enterprises in the area. Find out more here.
Lantra Scotland ALBAS
Employers, colleges and schools can now nominate candidates for the 2025 Lantra Scotland ALBAS. Deadline for entries is Monday 2 December. Find out more and nominate here.
GrowBiz Team Members Travel to Zamora for RURACTIVE project
On 16 September, team members Graeme and Becca travelled to Zamora in the Northwest of Spain, a city and municipality close to the Portuguese border, to attend a 3-day Knowledge Transfer Workshop and Peer-to-Peer Exchange with the Dynamos and Technical Partners involved in the RURACTIVE project.
Renfrewshire Council Business Training Support Grant
Up to £2,000 is available to businesses in Renfrewshire involved in manufacturing or business-to-business services, to help cover employer and employee training that's required as part of a specific business development project. Find out more here.
Visual Artist and Craft Maker Awards
In 2024/25, VACMA is offering fixed bursaries of £500 and £1000, with the next deadline at 5pm, 4 February 2025 (not all partners offer a scheme with this deadline). Find out more here.
HIE Green Grant Fund
The Green Grant Fund from HIE is for businesses and social enterprises in the Highland Council area. The funding is a non-repayable grant of up to £250,000, which will cover between 10% and 40% of the total cost of a project that reduces the applicant’s carbon emissions. Find out more here.
Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards
The Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards celebrates collaborations between business, third sector, and public sector organisations and academia. The deadline to apply is 5pm, Thursday 12th December. Find out more here.
Advanced Innovation Vouchers
Advanced Innovation Vouchers are open to small and medium sized Scottish enterprises for research and development collaborations. Find out more here.
Shetland Islands Council Economic Development Grant Scheme
Businesses and third sector organisations based in Shetland can get help with costs related to supporting local communities and promoting innovation, sustainability, diversity and growth. Find out more here.
Research and Development Grants
Businesses in areas of Scotland covered by Scottish Enterprise may be eligible for funding towards researching and developing a new product, process or service, or significantly improving an existing one. Find out more here.
Women in Forestry Practical Training Fund
Women in Scotland who wish to pursue or progress their career within the forestry sector can get funded training courses. Find out more here.