Green Jobs Capital Fund

This fund helps businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands to create and preserve jobs that produce goods or services that benefit the environment. This could be by conserving natural resources, or creating more environmentally friendly processes in those organisations.

For this fund, green jobs are considered (one of the following):

• jobs in businesses that provide goods or services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources - for example, any job in a renewables or low carbon technology company, including warehouse and office staff, engineers and researchers
• jobs that focus on making an organisation's production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources, either as their main focus or as part of a wider role - for example, a designated sustainability officer, or a purchasing manager who aims to source more sustainable materials and suppliers

The funding is to be used only for capital expenditure to support these jobs. This can include spending on equipment, machinery, fixtures and fittings and information technology infrastructure. 

It can also be used to improve your premises - for example, the construction, adaptation or upgrade of premises or other business infrastructure to help you expand activities that contribute to the green economy.

The funding can also be used to support research and development projects, for example to develop innovative new products and services or to make them more sustainable.

Funding may be available for the purchase of electric vehicles, but you'll need to show that you've already tried to get all forms of commercial finance before you apply to this fund.

The funding cannot be used for equipment that has already been ordered or purchased or for works that were started before you applied to the fund.

Businesses and social enterprises based in the Highlands and Islands are eligible to apply.

The fund will support organisations that wish to create or retain jobs directly related to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions. It will also support projects that will result in the creation or retention of green jobs.

The following forms of business ownership are eligible:

• unincorporated businesses, such as sole traders, partnerships and limited partnerships
• incorporated businesses such as limited companies, companies limited by guarantee, community interest companies and limited liability partnerships

Priority will be given to organisations that operate in a growth sector and plan to expand outwith local markets.

Applicants must comply with Highland and Island Enterprise’s fair work conditions for grant support. This means you'll need to:

• pay all employees aged 18 years or over the real living wage as a minimum (currently £10.90 per hour)
• have a flexible working policy in place and use zero hours contracts appropriately, if they have to be used 
• demonstrate how you support workforce development and foster employee engagement

Only capital expenditure costs can be covered by this funding.

Businesses in the following sectors are not eligible:

• retail
• business services - for example, accountants, book-keepers and solicitors
• personal services - for example, hairdressers, beauticians, alternative therapists and dog groomers

Businesses in the hospitality sector that operate from their own homes, such as B&B or Airbnb type businesses, are also not eligible to apply.

Businesses and social enterprises can apply for funding to cover between 10% and 50% of their eligible project costs.

The amount you receive will depend on factors such as the size of your organisation, where it is based and the project you're planning.

You will need to cover any remaining costs from other sources.

Businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands that wish to create or preserve jobs that will benefit the environment.

The application process has 2 stages.

The first stage is to complete the online expression of interest form on the Highlands and Islands Enterprise website. There is no deadline for this.

Your expression of interest form will be reviewed. If your application meets the basic criteria, you'll be allocated a development manager who will advise you on what you need to provide to make a stage 2 application.

If your application is unsuccessful, Highlands and Islands Enterprise will explain why and will highlight other support options where possible.

Visit the Highlands and Islands Enterprise website for more information and to complete the online expression of interest form.