Foundation Scotland – Investing in Enterprise Fund

Summary

The Investing in Enterprise Fund offers blended grant and loan investment to social enterprises, community organisations and charities working within the 13 eligible areas. The investment can be used for:

• Working capital
• Acquisition of assets
• Business growth
• Capital expenditure

Investments made by this fund must demonstrate that they meet our social investment charitable objectives, which are:

• To prevent and/or relieve poverty among those living in Scotland
• To advance community development, and urban and rural regeneration, in Scotland
• To advance education in Scotland

This fund was previously managed by Resilient Scotland Ltd.

Fund award sizes

Maximum: £250,000

Notes on award amounts: The fund can invest between £10,000 and £250,000 per organisation; up to 50% (£125,000) of this can be in the form of a grant and the remainder a repayable loan.

Who can apply

You must be an incorporated organisation with charitable, social or environmental objectives stated in your organisation’s governing documents with an asset lock or charitable dissolution clause. See funder website for full eligibility criteria.

When to apply

Apply at any time. The committee meets up to 5 times each calendar year and decisions on applications are generally made within a 12-week timescale.

Upcoming deadlines are:

• 24 February 2023 (for decision May 2023)
• 7 April 2023 (for decision July 2023)

Next deadline: 24 Feb 2023

How to apply

If you can answer yes to all the eligibility criteria listed on their website, then call or email Foundation Scotland to discuss your plans and request an application form.

Exclusions

Businesses that are insolvent or at the immediate risk of insolvency

• Proposals that are merely to replace existing debt finance
• Subsidiaries of public bodies
• Proposals capable of being fully funded on a commercial basis
• Organisations whose beneficiaries are outwith the 13 eligible local authority areas
• Proposals that promote religious practices or beliefs
• Schedule 3 Community Interest Companies.