Social Enterprise Net Zero Transition Fund

The Social Enterprise Net Zero Fund (NZTF) is designed to support social sector organisations (SSOs) and the wider third sector to make the transition to carbon net zero.

The fund will support projects that reduce your organisation's carbon footprint, including activities that:

• reduce energy consumption
• improve energy efficiency
• develop or help move to renewable energy sources
• help transition to sustainable transport options
• scale local food production and supply
• minimise or re-purpose food waste
• develop circular economy products, services, processes and practices

Please note this is not an exhaustive list.

The fund provides loans from £10,000 up to £1,500,000. A small grant of up to £20,000 may also be available for SSOs which have a particular circular economy focus or propose specific projects with a focus on re-use, repair and leasing/sharing models.

To be eligible for a loan, social sector organisations (SSOs) must:

• have enough trading income to make loan repayments
• be based and operating in Scotland, or if not, the activity funded by NZTF must deliver most of its impact in Scotland
• show evidence of their ambition to transition to a net zero model and/or be looking to establish or grow circular economy practices

To be eligible for a small grant, SSOs must aim to establish or grow circular economy practices in re-use/repair/sharing activities. Examples include:

• a project which delivers new or additional re-use or repair activities with positive carbon benefits - which means the project must result in a carbon saving or add value to a ‘waste’ product or material
• strategic projects which address significant challenges and create transformational behaviour change, and which are likely to require significant financing and partnerships
• business growth and development of established reuse/repair/sharing activities (where projected sales and future income can be forecast)
• replication of existing working models of circular economy practices

To be eligible for a grant, organisations must also meet UK subsidy control criteria. Please be aware that the fund will be provided through Special Drawing Rights, which allow a maximum of £322,000 for a single business in a 3-year period, including any de minimis support received in the past 3 years.

The minimum loan amount is £10,000 and the maximum is £1,500,000, with a fixed interest rate of 3%. No security or fees are required.

Organisations based and operating in Scotland, or which are seeking to fund an activity which will deliver most of its impact in Scotland.

Visit the Social Investment Scotland website for more information and to apply.