Step Up provides 0% interest loans from £5k to £30k to fund successful growth strategies. This means concepts, products or services you have previously piloted or are currently running that helped you grow your business. Because we know that as you grow your business, you grow your impact!
Step Up is a repayable funding programme for asset-locked trading organisations in Scotland that require financial support to strengthen and sustain trading. Firstport delivers it as part of the Social Entrepreneurs Fund, funded by the Scottish Government.
It's 0% interest so you repay exactly what you borrowed - and you propose a repayment plan that works for your enterprise. In order to apply, you’ll complete an application form and send us a cashflow forecast that shows how you would like to repay the loan (within two years for £10k or less, or within five years for over £10k).
You can use £5k to £30k funding to fund successful growth strategies, i.e., repeating or scaling ideas that have previously delivered revenue growth for your business. This could include:
- purchasing more stock for popular items
- running marketing campaigns
- hiring a venue to deliver popular events or courses
- purchasing more production equipment
- purchasing more equipment to hire out to customers
- purchasing additional delivery vehicles
- hiring and/or training up additional frontline delivery staff
- additional collection infrastructure (e.g. bins for collecting donations)
Visit our webpage to find out more and apply!