DigitalBoost Development Grant Fund
The Scottish Government announced the details of the latest DigitalBoost Development Grant Fund at 11.00am on 24 August 2021 but due to “ exceptional demand” the fund was then paused again by 5.45pm on the same day.
The Digital Boost Fund is a £25m fund targeted at helping businesses/organisations to utilise digital technologies and enhance workforce skills.
The Fund offers small to medium-sized businesses/organisations grants, on a 50:50 investment basis, worth between £2,500 and £20,000. So, if your eligible project costs are £10,000 you could receive a grant of £5,000.
https://digitalboostdevelopmentgrant.co.uk/
To be able to apply for funding businesses/organisations need to complete and pass an Eligibility Check. Although the fund has now been paused and we do not know when it will reopen, we recommend that any interested businesses/organisations still complete this Eligibility Check.
https://digitalboostdevelopmentgrant.co.uk/eligibility
This is because businesses/organisations that pass the Eligibility Check should then be contacted with more information and will hopefully be first in the queue when and if the fund reopens again.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to claim a grant:
- Businesses/organisations must be based in and operating in Scotland
- Charities, social enterprises and third sector organisations as well as businesses can apply
- The business/organisation must have been trading for a minimum of 6 months. (Businesses must have been receiving sales income for at least 6 months)
- Applicants must be over the age of 18
- Applicants must be a UK resident with the right to work in the UK
- Businesses must meet the European definition of an SME in relation to employees, balance sheet and turnover
- All Industry sectors are eligible for consideration
What type of expenditure is likely to be considered for a grant?
Eligible expenditure is wide ranging and includes:
- Reducing (non-staff) operational costs
- Improving market share
- Enabling employment to be safeguarded or increased. This does not include equipment for employees not yet employed.
- Increasing revenues
- Increasing profit margin
- Improving cyber security
- Moving business online
- Eligible expenditure is to introduce new digital capabilities to your business:
- Enhancing digital skills of workforce
- Buying software
- Buying IT, or digital communications, hardware
- Building an online booking/ticketing system
- Building an Ecommerce website
- Developing an app
- Digital Consultancy costs
- Software or hardware rental (first year costs only)
- Building or maintaining websites that are brochures or provide information
- Ongoing annual charges for platforms, hosting or online content management (first year costs only)
Ineligible expenditure is classed as:
- Digital marketing
- Marketing: attending trade fairs, PR & marketing activity, and branding
- Initiatives to reduce employment in the business
- Statutory costs, property development, and the purchase of stock
- Software or hardware rental costs beyond the first year
- Existing and/or ongoing annual charges for platforms, hosting, or online content management
- Gaining quality accreditation
- Building improvements, groundworks, fixtures, and fittings
More information
More information about the potential grants and the application process can be found on the following page:-
https://digitalboostdevelopmentgrant.co.uk/faq
Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
The information in this blog provides only an overview of Scottish Government guidance and legislation in force at the date of publication and no action should be taken without consulting the detailed Scottish Government guidance and legislation or seeking professional advice. Therefore no responsibility for loss occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material contained in this blog can be accepted by the firm.
