SWEF Start-up Grants
Funding
Contact funder
Deadline
Check with the funder
Location
Scotland
Applications
Rolling applications
Overview
SWEF Start-Up grants give up to £500 to help new businesses get started. You can apply if you are setting up a business or your business earns less than £500 per month. The money can pay for equipment, materials, stock, website creation, product development, or training. This is for people in the early stages of starting their business. The grant helps cover essential start-up costs. Applications appear to be accepted on a rolling basis. You must be based in Scotland to apply.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- Business must earn less than £500 per month
- Must be in early stages of business setup
This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.
This grant is for individuals starting a new business in Scotland. You can apply if your business is very new or currently earns less than £500 per month. It is designed for people in the early stages of setting up their business.
Regions
Foundation Scotland distributes funds on behalf of other funders and donors. These figures cover awards across all funds they administer.
Awards published
8,598
Typical award
£1,500
Most awards
£500 to £5,000
Most funded region
Scotland
3,547 awards in 2025, up from 2,326 the year before.
Recent awards include Time To Heal (£5,000, 2025), Glenrothes & District Foodbank Community Project (£4,700, 2025) and Heathhall Community Council (£4,000, 2025).
Contains data from 360Giving publishers, used under open licence.
Full details from Foundation Scotland
SWEF Start-Up grants are for individuals who are in the early stages of setting up their business, or whose business is currently earning less than £500 per month. This grant provides up to £500 to help get things off the ground. The funding can support essential start-up costs such as equipment, materials, stock, website creation, product development, or training.
Loading your grant tools...
Get notified about grants like this
Create a free account to receive alerts when new funding opens.
Create free accountLast updated: 31 August 2026