Applications now open at Find Business Support

Applications for new funding from Scottish Government now open

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has released details of the extra £100m Scottish Government funding to support the local economy in the shape of the following three funds:

  • Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund
  • Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund
  • Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund.

Applications are now open for these funds - please ensure your applications are fully completed

The Self-Employed Hardship Fund is being administered by the two local authorities via the following:

The Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund and Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund is being administered nationally in conjunction with ourselves at SOSE via the following:

Please note: From 5pm on Tuesday 5 May, the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund will pause to allow detailed assessment of initial applications. 

Not eligible? 

For those who are still not eligible for these new national funds or any of the other existing funds or grants can contact us at SOSE for further support and advice.

Professor Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of SOSE said: “As a partnership with the two Councils, and through feedback we have already received from our Board Members, businesses and communities, we know that there have been some gaps in support available and we had already taken steps to identify what we could potentially collectively do to address that. Since then, we have very much welcomed these additional funds from Scottish Government and this allows us to now re-assess where we think we are in terms of any gaps. 

“Of course, this is a hugely challenging time and we are committed to doing everything we can to provide support wherever it is needed and that this support is tailored to individual needs and circumstances. If people have already applied for all available streams of funding currently available - and are genuinely still struggling - it is important that they know they can get in touch with us at South of Scotland Enterprise, so we can talk to them.”

Team South of Scotland partners have been prioritising ensuring the resources and processes are in place to be able to process grants quickly with both D&G Council and SBC having issued over £40m of grants to businesses in the South of Scotland.

Depute Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, Rob Davidson, said: “We continue to administer business grants as quickly as possible and since the announcement of these additional grants, we have been working extremely hard to put in place what is needed to now allow us to also be able to process the Self Employed Hardship Funding. As always, our priority is to make sure we do what’s necessary to release this much-needed additional money as quickly and as effectively as we can and we continue to ask for patience and understanding during this time. We also ask people to make sure they get in touch if they don’t know where to apply for support.”

Councillor Mark Rowley, Scottish Borders Council’s Executive Member for Business and Economic Development said: “It is really important that people apply for these funds as quickly as possible now they are available. It is our aim to make sure people know what support is available and can access that support quickly and easily. We know we are quite unique in the South of Scotland in terms of our economy and rurality, therefore it’s going to be important for us to take stock of what the landscape looks like now and going forward. This new round of funding we hope will have an impact on that but this is going to be a long journey of which partnership working will be absolutely key.”

The Scottish Government Press Release can be viewed online.

Background information

The Team SOS approach builds upon the existing strengths of both Councils and the newly established SOSE with officials and Members from all three organisations meeting virtually on a regular basis to develop a shared understanding and plans that will provide the support where there are gaps from existing support available.