The Clean Heat Strategic Workforce Development Fund offers workplace innovation support to Scottish companies that are working or interested in the clean heat market.

This practical support helps businesses improve their processes by making better use of staff skills, experience and creativity to carry out everyday tasks.

The fund also provides financial support to help companies develop their:

• workforce capability and culture
• workplace practices
• leadership and management

The grants can be used to cover third party training or consultancy costs, as well as provide some support for internal training costs.

Scottish Enterprise can provide grants in amounts between £5,000 and a maximum of £50,000.

The grants are intended to cover up to 50% of your eligible project costs. For example, a project with eligible costs of £20,000 could receive £10,000 in grant support.

All projects need to be completed by the end of March 2025, with final claims submitted by the end of April 2025.

All grants will be subject to Scottish Enterprise's grant and appraisal processes.

To be eligible, your company must:

• be registered or trading in Scotland
• have between 10 and 250 employees
• be located in the area served by Scottish Enterprise, which includes Aberdeen City and Shire, the east of Scotland, Tayside and the west of Scotland
• be committed to Fair Work practices 

You should also be:

• planning to develop your workforce in order to diversify or grow in the clean heat market
• working across the clean heat value chain, which includes designing, developing, manufacturing, operating, or installing clean heat related solutions

Clean heat includes:

• energy efficiency
• clean heat equipment and delivery systems (such as heat pumps and heat networks and their components)
• supportive solutions (such as energy storage)
• enabling solutions (such as digital and smart controls)
• sources of energy (such as mine water geothermal energy and waste heat)

You'll be asked to provide information that enables Scottish Enterprise to check whether you can receive support.

For example, you'll be asked to provide details of any other funding you've received as minimal financial assistance (de minimis) during the current and past 2 financial years. This information will help Scottish Enterprise determine whether a grant can be offered to your company without it exceeding your relevant allowance threshold for this timeframe.

You'll also need to be able to show that you have a credible plan to reduce your operational greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045.

Scottish Enterprise can provide grants in amounts between £5,000 and a maximum of £50,000.

The grants are intended to cover up to 50% of eligible project costs. For example, a project with eligible costs of £20,000 could receive £10,000 in grant support. You will need to be prepared to cover any additional costs through other sources.

When you receive a grant offer, you'll agree a claim timetable with Scottish Enterprise. You'll need to pay for the cost of training upfront and then claim back the agreed amount (that is, 50%) by the date specified in your timetable.

Scottish companies that are either already active in or interested in diversifying into the clean heat market.

The deadline to apply is 16 December 2024.

Once you submit an enquiry, Scottish Enterprise will aim to respond promptly to let you know if you meet the eligibility criteria and if you'll be contacted to discuss your project further. 

All projects need to be delivered by the end of March 2025, with final claims submitted by the end of April 2025.

The deadline to apply is 16 December 2024.

There will be 3 online information sessions for those who want to learn more before they apply. These will take place on:

• Wednesday 28 August 2024, from 2pm to 3pm 
• Wednesday 18 September, from 10am to 11am
• Wednesday October 2024, from 2pm to 3pm

Workplace Innovation training can cover areas such as:

• Technical training, including training relating to:
  • the manufacturing of clean heat equipment and related components and enabling solutions (for example, thermal storage)
  • energy efficiency products
  • heat pump installations
  • the commissioning of heat networks or equipment for heat networks
• CAD design, automation, 3D printing, electrical and mechanical engineering, working with different types of materials, and data and digital
• Communication, social media, professional selling, and marketing
• Leadership workshops, customer relationship management, Lean Six Sigma, and PRINCE2 project management

Visit the Scottish Enterprise website for more information and to submit an expression of interest.