The application must be submitted by a small to medium sized company based within the Glasgow City Council boundary and registered with Companies House (the Lead Applicant).  Businesses must have a significant base within the Glasgow City Council Area. Where the company address listed on Companies House is not within the Glasgow City Boundary, alternative proof of eligibility must be provided.

The Lead Applicant can be either:

  • A Glasgow-city based solution provider (data technology company) working in partnership with a current/future customer (Challenge Partner); or
  • A Glasgow-city based company looking to work with a data technology company (Challenge Partner) to develop a new service or product.

The Challenge Partner can be based outwith the city boundary (i.e. wider Scotland or international).

In addition to the above, eligible businesses must also:

  • Provide us with information to enable us to conduct checks on whether you can receive support.
  • Commit to providing reports and attending project management meetings as set out by the GCID Project Manager.
  • Be committed to fair working practices. Fair work is work that offers individuals an effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect. It also includes paying employees at least the real living wage. You can find out more and access free resources using the Fair Work Employer Support Tool.
  • Not engage in any activities such as gambling or other industries that could be deemed unethical.
  • Not possess undischarged bankruptcies, subject to insolvency proceedings or an individual who has entered into an arrangement with his/her creditors (including a trust deed).

The aim of the project will be to work in partnership to develop a solution to a current challenge with the view to enabling the Lead Applicant to develop new products or services.

The project will have the intention to assess the technical and commercial feasibility of the proposed solution over a period of 2-3 months, with projects completing no later than the end of December 2025. A maximum grant of £20,000 is available to cover up to 100% of project costs.

It is mandatory for all Lead Applicants to submit a named Challenge Partner at the application stage, along with a short statement of support from the Challenge Partner.

Projects must have a focus on developing a solution in relation to addressing climate change challenges and/or be directly linked to the energy sector. Technology solutions developed through the project must demonstrate a clear route to market and economic impact.

According to UK subsidy control rules, you cannot receive a grant if it will cause you to exceed your minimum financial assistance (MFA) threshold of £315,000 during the current and past two financial years.  If this funding may put you over the threshold, please get in touch to discuss your options.

Following the closing date, all applications will be assessed by our expert panel, and a shortlist will be agreed upon. Shortlisted projects will be invited for a short interview to assess project suitability, with successful applicants informed following the completion of this process.

During the assessment process, several factors will be considered, including:

  • Is the main applicant a Glasgow City boundary Companies House-registered organisation?
  • How well the proposal meets the challenge call objectives.
  • The economic impact of the project on Glasgow.
  • How innovative the proposal is.
  • Robustness of the project plan and ability to deliver within timescales.
  • Experience and capability of the team.
  • Justification of the budget and value for money.
  • Commercial potential of the proposal.
  • Need for funding.

All participants must engage fully with the reporting requirements for the project as set out by the GCID Project Manager. In addition, participants will be required to collect and provide data on the outcomes and impact that the grant has had on the applicant and the client's business.

The final grant will be subject to the terms and conditions set out in the individual award letter.

Applicants are required to provide a detailed breakdown of estimated project costs at the application stage under each subheading provided. All costs included in the estimate must be your responsibility and be paid by you. Any additional costs, over and above the agreed grant funding amount, will need to be covered by the Lead Applicant. Please note that any money spent on the project before the agreed project start date will not be eligible for funding.

Eligible costs include:

  • Salary Costs: State staffing rates, the time spent by staff on the project and the total staff costs to the project. Include names of staff where known. Salary costs must be considered reasonable for the expertise needed and are limited to no more than an annual full-time equivalent salary of £60,000 per person. As part of the management of the project, you may be required to provide evidence of payment of these staff costs, and you should retain documentation to provide proof. This may be payslips, timesheets, bank statements etc. Salary costs should not include: any posts that have been specially created and are currently being part-funded with support form publicly funded job creation schemes or from any other publicly funded initiatives.
  • Consultants/ sub-contractors/Fees for trials and testing: If a proportion of the project costs is allocated for the cost of subcontractors or consultants or fees for trials and testing, you should include an explanation as to why the work cannot be carried out in-house and identify who will be undertaking the work. Confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements should be in place with all third parties working on the project. Any intellectual property resulting from the work must be owned by your business. Director’s time claimed on a consultancy or subcontract basis must not include any profit, and the eligible costs the grant will be paid on are limited to no more than an annual full-time equivalent fee of £60,000.
  • Software: If there is software involved in the project, this should be depreciated as follows:
    • Generic software (e.g. Word, CAD etc.) should be depreciated over three years.
    • For specialist software, with no value after the project, this should be depreciated over the project period.
  • Travel and subsistence: Eligible if directly related to the project. All receipts should be retained and produced on request.