Green Business Support Programme (pilot)
Overview
East Dunbartonshire Council recognises that reaching net zero and building resilience to climate change is a challenge for businesses. To help meet this, and to help address the challenge of rising energy costs, the council has introduced a new Green Business Grant and a programme of targeted Green Business Support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
Support Available
Green Business Grant
A non-repayable grant of up to £10,000 to help businesses with rising energy costs and to support progress towards net zero carbon emissions, resulting in long-term sustained reductions in energy bills.
The grant is now open for applications for businesses with a postcode registered within East Dunbartonshire. It will close to new applications on 20 December 2024 or when budget is fully allocated (whichever is earlier).
What can the grant be used for?
The grant can be used to fund support that will help a business make progress towards net zero carbon emissions and result in long-term sustained reductions in energy bills.
Exemptions
Staff time or wages, including recruitment costs, are not an eligible activity under this grant.
Grant Eligibility
Business Eligibility
There are a number of criteria which businesses must satisfy to be eligible:
- You should be a community interest company, limited company, limited liability partnership, public limited company, sole trader or legally constituted third sector organisation
- The grant is only available to small and medium-sized enterprises, as defined in section 382 (small) of the Companies Act (external link opens in new window) and section 465 (medium) of the Companies Act 2006 (external link opens in new window). This defines businesses based on turnover, balance sheet total and/or number of employees:
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Business Size |
Criteria |
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Small |
Two or more of the following:
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Medium |
Two or more of the following:
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- Businesses must have been trading for at least six months.
- Businesses must be located within the East Dunbartonshire Council area and paying non-domestic rates in East Dunbartonshire. You can check your postcode online (external link opens in new window).
- Businesses must own the premises or provide written permission from their landlord to confirm the business has explicit permission to make changes to the premises, including seeking all necessary consents – for example, planning permission or building warrant where this is necessary – from East Dunbartonshire Council to implement the works detailed in this application.
- Businesses must provide confirmation the business operates from commercial premises within the East Dunbartonshire Council area, for which there is a signed lease/rental/licence agreement in place and that it still has at least two years left to run.
- Businesses must be compliant with Minimal Financial Assistance threshold of £315,000 over the current and proceeding two financial years. The threshold will not be exceeded by the amount the business will receive if grant award is approved.
- Businesses must not be engaged in any activities such as gambling or other industries that could be deemed unethical.
The following are not eligible for funding:
- Businesses who possess undischarged bankrupts or who are subject to insolvency proceedings, or an individual who has entered into an arrangement with his/her creditors (including a trust deed)
- Businesses who are tenants of East Dunbartonshire Council or any other Arms Length External Organisations (ALEOs)
- Registered social landlords
- Property management company
- Property management agent
- Landlords
- Community groups
- Voluntary organisations.
Applications to this fund are limited to one application per business. Subsequent applications will not be considered at this time.
Eligible activity
The grant can be used to fund measures that will help a business make progress towards net zero carbon emissions and result in long-term sustained reductions in energy bills. Suggested uses include:
Improvements to building fabric and equipment such as:
- Upgrading the efficiency of heating, ventilation and air conditioning
- Renewable heat technologies, such as installing an air source heat pump, ground source heat pump or biomass boiler
- Improving insulation/draught-proofing
- Installing new doors or double/secondary glazing
- Installing renewable electricity such as solar panels or wind turbines
- Installing LED lighting
- Improving the energy efficiency of business equipment or machinery.
Supporting the switch to active travel or Electric Vehicles (EV):
- Provision of shower facilities or active travel infrastructure such as cycle racks
- Installing EV infrastructure on premises.
Waste minimisation, recovery and reprocessing:
- Projects that will result in a reduction in waste production
- The installation of equipment to assist with the recovery and reprocessing of waste streams
- Projects that close the loop on resources that would otherwise be wasted (Circular Economy)
- The grant can be used to fund the total cost of a project. For energy efficiency and renewables, the grant can be used to extend existing national Business Energy Scotland support, subject to satisfying their eligibility criteria.
On application you will need to supply evidence that the project will result in reductions in energy use and/or carbon emissions.
This could be from a Business Energy Scotland or Scottish Enterprise assessment, or from an independent consultant. In limited cases we will accept evidence of current energy use/conditions of products and the new type to be provided.
Match funding requirements
- The grant can be used to fund up to £10,000 of the total cost of the project
- Grant applications focusing on energy efficiency and renewables are encouraged to be used alongside the national Business Energy Scotland SME Loan Fund and cashback to maximise the impact. For more information, visit the Business Energy Scotland website (external link opens in new window).
The final grant will be subject to specific terms and conditions set out in the individual grant award letter.
If you're unsure whether or not your business would be eligible, you can get in touch with us by emailing email business.support@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
The programme cannot support projects that have already started. Any outstanding debts to East Dunbartonshire Council will be taken into consideration.
Application Process
- Please email business.support@eastdunbarton.gov.uk to request access to the online form.
- On the form you will need to specify the area of interest for the grant and/or business advice and support (eg energy efficiency, renewables, active travel/EV or green job creation).
- As part of the application process, you will need to supply evidence that the project will result in reductions in energy use and/or carbon emissions. This could be from a Business Energy Scotland appraisal or from evidence of current energy use/conditions of products and the new type to be provided.
Supporting evidence requirements:
Applicants will be required to submit supporting evidence as part of their application.
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Proof of trading more than six months |
For example, one of the following – valid business insurance or VAT registration number, marketing materials for business (eg business website) or a trading account with a wholesaler |
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Proof of business trading address |
A copy of a recent non-domestic rates letter, copy of a business premises lease |
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Business bank statement |
A bank statement dated within the past three months (unredacted) will be required as part of the application process. This should be from a dedicated business bank account. |
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Business accounts |
A copy of the most recent set of year-end accounts and a set of up-to-date management accounts |
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Match funding |
If match funding is being provided by another grant source, you will need to supply written confirmation that this funding has been secured (eg an award letter), before your East Dunbartonshire Green Business Support Grant funding application will be authorised |
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Quote for proposed works |
Detailed quote for each element of the works to be carried out (East Dunbartonshire Council may request additional quotes at sole discretion) |
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Environmental /Climate Plan |
Where relevant, businesses will also be required to submit evidence of how the grant will support a wider corporate environmental or climate plan, and will result in carbon reductions as well as wider social, environmental and economic benefits |
Conditions of support
Monitoring
- A condition of the grant is that applicants will be required to provide data on the impact that the grant has made on energy use and/or carbon emissions.
Other General Conditions
- Applications are recommended subject to the discretion of a Business Adviser or Business Support team member. If you are already engaged with a Business Adviser, please contact your adviser to discuss an application. If you are not currently engaged with East Dunbartonshire Council Business Support please contact the team by emailing business.support@eastdunbarton.gov.uk
- Applicants will not be able to use any supplier with which they have a personal connection to undertake the works funded by the grant.
- A business can only receive one award through the East Dunbartonshire Green Business Support Grant.
- The grant programme closes to new applications on 20 December 2024 or when budget is fully allocated (whichever is earlier).
- The final grant offer will be subject to terms and conditions set out in the individual grant award letter.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.