Firstport

Firstport is the first port of call for social entrepreneurs in Scotland. A charity and social enterprise, Firstport helps budding social entrepreneurs turn their ideas into sustainable and impactful businesses. It offers grant funding and business advice to social entrepreneurs to test and launch their ideas, as well as investment readiness support and social investment products to help social enterprises grow and scale their impact.

Locations

Scotland wide

Business stage

Idea development/ Pre-start-up, Start-up/ looking to trade, Sustainability, Growing

Sectors

Support

Learning and training, Start up

Programmes

Start It

Location: Scotland wide

Up to £5,000 of start-up funding for individuals with a business idea that addresses a social, environmental, and/or community issue

Build It

Location: Scotland wide

Grants of up to £40,000 for early-stage social enterprises seeking funding for salary costs.

Community Enterprise Fund

Location: Scotland wide

For Constituted third sector or community groups looking to start a social enterprise or begin trading.

Social Innovation Challenge

Location: Scotland wide

The Social Innovation Challenge funds and supports innovators to kick-start solutions that tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

LaunchMe

Location: Scotland wide

LaunchMe is Scotland’s social enterprise accelerator. It is a business support and investment readiness programme that helps ambitious social enterprises to scale and make a greater impact.

Step Up

Location: Scotland wide

Step Up offers 0% interest loans from £5k to £30k to help social enterprises unlock and sustain growth for any stage of your enterprise.

The Catalyst Fund

Location: Scotland wide

Catalyst offers a new kind of loan with flexible repayments. If you’ve been unable to secure other social investment, we might be able to help.