The Catalyst Fund
Last Updated: 08 Jul 2026
Contents
Support provided by
Firstport
What does this involve?
The Catalyst Fund offers loans of £50,000 or more to social enterprises in Scotland. The fund is designed for organisations that need investment to grow but cannot access traditional social investment.
Repayments are based on a percentage of your trading revenue, so payments vary depending on your income.
There are four routes to Catalyst Fund support and investment:
- Access Catalyst – for entrepreneurs from ethnic minority communities
- Community Catalyst – for organisations tackling issues in their local communities
- Ventures Catalyst – for organisations developing innovative solutions to social or environmental challenges.
- Direct Catalyst – for established social enterprises seeking investment to grow.
The first step is to arrange an introductory meeting with the Firstport team who can advise which route is best for you.
Am I eligible?
To be eligible, you must:
- be a social enterprise
- be incorporated and headquartered in Scotland
- provide a direct social or environmental benefit and be able to demonstrate its impact
- be trading and able to provide evidence of income generation
- have at least 3 unrelated directors or trustees
- not carry out political campaigning or promote a religion
- have completed any requirements linked to previous Firstport funding
- have explored other sources of investment but been unable to secure funding because of the social enterprises' age, stage of development or business model
What does this cost?
The Catalyst Fund offers a flexible repayment model.
You'll begin to pay back the loan after you've started to generate revenue.
The monthly repayment amount will be based on the revenue you've earned.
Who is this for?
Social enterprises in Scotland that could have significant social impact but are unable to get social investment from other sources.
How long does this take?
Firstport will contact you within 3 days of receiving your expression of interest form.
They aim to provide you with a decision within 8 weeks of the date you submitted your application.
Important information
Firstport does not fund social enterprises whose main activities are directed at providing benefit to other organisations.
Next steps
Visit the Catalyst Fund page on the Firstport website.
Support provided by
Firstport