Marine Fund Scotland 2023 to 2024: guidance

What types of projects can apply to the Marine Fund Scotland 2023- 24?

The Marine Fund Scotland is a relatively small fund and where possible we will seek to use it strategically to deliver wider benefits. Applications for projects that demonstrate wider collective benefit (e.g. positive outcomes for communities) over and above, or at least in addition to, benefits for an individual organisation, business or person, will be scored more highly. More detail about the approach to scoring applications is set out in the 'How will applications to the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 be assessed?' section of these General Guidance notes.

There is no comprehensive list of projects, sectors or groups that can apply to the Marine Fund Scotland. This is to ensure as much flexibility as possible to encourage and support innovative ideas.

However, to be eligible to apply, a project must:

• be within the scope of Scottish Ministers' grant funding powers under the Fisheries Act 2020, which are being relied upon (as set out in the 'What legislative powers are being used to deliver funding through the Marine Fund Scotland?' section of these General Guidance notes), in that the project falls within the specific purposes for which Scottish Ministers can offer funding and that the project is in relation to Scotland, the Scottish zone or Scottish fishing boats.
• meet the other eligibility criteria for the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 (as set out in the 'Eligibility criteria for the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24' section of these General Guidance notes).
• clearly deliver benefits that are in line with the desired outcomes of the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 (as set out in the 'Outcomes for the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24' section of these General Guidance notes).

We encourage applications for funding support for investments that have clear added value, in particular by addressing market failures or sub-optimal investment situations.

Some examples of the types of projects that may apply to the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 are at Annex A.

There are also some types of projects that Marine Fund Scotland funding cannot be applied for. These categories are listed in Annex B.

As in the Marine Fund Scotland 2021-22 and 2022-23, the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 will accept applications from new entrants seeking to purchase a first fishing vessel or a first share in a vessel ('young fishers'). These applications must meet additional eligibility criteria as well as the general eligibility criteria. More information is set out in the 'Young Fishers' section of these General Guidance notes.

The Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 is a competitive grant funding scheme. There is no automatic entitlement to any funds and so there is no guarantee that your project will be offered funding, even if it is eligible to apply. Only those projects which are eligible and most clearly deliver on the outcomes for the Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 will be supported.

In addition, where an offer of grant funding is made under the Marine Fund Scotland, this may not be for the full amount of funding applied for.

The Scottish Ministers set the criteria and outcomes for the Marine Fund Scotland. The assessment of applications against those criteria and outcomes, and the decision-making on whether to offer funding on the basis of the assessment, is done by officials from the Scottish Government's Marine Scotland Directorate. Any offer of grant funding from the Marine Fund Scotland is made by the Scottish Ministers through issuing a grant offer letter.

Timescales

The Marine Fund Scotland 2023-24 is for projects starting and delivering in the 2023-24 financial year. At the time of publishing these General Guidance notes (April 2023), funding is only available for expenditure up to 31 March 2024. This means any purchases or work carried out on your project must have been completed and fully paid for by 31 March 2024.