The IEE Skills Innovation Fund is designed to support local businesses, organisations, and partnerships to develop and deliver innovative skills projects that address workforce and sector-specific skills needs. Delivered collaboratively with local partners and public sector bodies, the fund will enable applicants to create practical skills solutions, strengthen talent pipelines, and help bridge identified skills gaps within the noted industries.
The fund aims to increase opportunities for employees, jobseekers and local citizens to access training, upskilling, and career development pathways, while supporting economic growth and helping businesses build a skilled and resilient workforce for the future.
Applications for our IEE Skills Innovation Fund open on Monday 3rd of August and close on Friday 14th of August.
This year's fund offers grants of up to £10,000 for companies to create, develop and implement innovative skills projects and solutions which will aim to create or positively adapt job roles, enable staff upskilling or support employee/citizen career progression. The fund will specifically target innovative skills solutions in the following sectors:
Financial assistance may be used for the following (but not limited to):
Applications are invited from micro-businesses and SMEs for those individuals who are aged 18+ years old. Applicants must adhere to the fund’s eligibility criteria and demonstrate clearly, how their application supports the core aims of the fund. Each company can only make one application to the fund and must not have received financial help from IEE over the past 12 months.
Please review the documents below before applying and send your application in before the deadline. We do encourage applications to be sent promptly due to the volume we receive.
IEE reserves the right to close the fund early if applications are oversubscribed.
If you have any queries, email the IEE team at: ieeemployerfund@capitalcitypartnership.org
This year was the first year of our revised IEE Skills Innovation fund which offered small grants of an increased amount of up to £5,000 for companies to create, development and implement new and innovate skills projects and solutions which will aim to create and retain jobs, enable staff upskilling and employee career progression.
This fund looked at supporting Business Growth for businesses in the process of developing their company who had been trading between 12-36 months. The fund could also be used for digital, Net Zero, sustainability development/help and support.
The fund supported Start Up businesses in job growth, stability or creation. Applications were open for owners 18+ years of age, who were registered with Business Gateway’s Planning to Start Portal and in the process of developing their company and should have been trading for no longer than 24 months.
The fund supported applications from Start-Up businesses. It was for individuals aged 18 years and over, established over the last 18 months. Applications from sole-traders was also welcome.
This fund supported Social Enterprises/CiCs to develop their business towards changing the world for the better. To build a fairer society and more inclusive economy.
Start up: The fund was to support applications from Start-Up businesses. Particularly for individuals 25+ who had started their company due to an indirect impact of COVID-19.
Wellbeing: The fund was to support micro businesses secure funding to develop staff wellbeing, maintain and enhance employment. And help them re-adjust to different working practices and to prevent any future absences.
The fund supported micro businesses secure funding to assist their business to trade safely under new government guidelines. To maintain employment, prevent redundancy or allow staff to work from home efficiently.
e. helix@capitalcitypartnership.org
Capital City Partnership is the anchor delivery body for Edinburgh’s employability strategy, working together to tackle inequality and poverty. Capital City Partnership is an Arm’s Length External Organisation of The City of Edinburgh Council and a not-for-profit registered charity (SCO31026).
© 2025 Capital City Partnership
