Regional Selective Assistance Funding

At this time of cashflow uncertainty, it’s worth looking at potential sources of finance both old and new.

Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) has been available for a number of years, but it’s worth familiarising ourselves with it again.

RSA funding is a discretionary grant aimed at helping projects that will create or protect jobs in Scotland. You may be eligible if:

• You’re an SME based in Scotland or your project is based in Scotland
• The project will directly create or safeguard jobs that pay the Real Living Wage within your business
• It won’t be offset by job losses elsewhere
• Should service markets wider than Scotland only or compete with companies outside Scotland
• It involves an element of capital investment
• Most of the project funding comes from the private sector, including your own cash resources
• You haven’t already committed to the project, or the project wouldn’t go ahead if you didn’t get the RSA funding
• The project will be financially viable, make commercial sense and contribute to Scotland’s economy

For large companies, there are more specific criteria.

The amount you’re eligible for depends on the size of your business and your location in Scotland. Over 90% of grant offers are made to SMEs and most offers are between £100k and £250k, but smaller or larger grants can be offered.

Some examples of grants received can be seen in the table below.

More details can be found on the Scottish Enterprise website here.

Our EQ Corporate Finance specialists can support businesses with grant applications. For more information, or advice, please email our team via corporatefinance@eqaccountants.co.uk or call one of our offices today.