FAQ's
Rural Enterprise Directory Scotland (REDS)
Who is behind REDS?
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REDS was conceived and developed by GrowBiz, a charity based in Perthshire focused on supporting rural enterprise. GrowBiz works in partnership with the Scottish Government, Scotland’s enterprise agencies and business support networks, but it is an independent ‘not-for-profit’ organisation established by local people to develop local rural economies. Funding for this project has been crowdfunded and supported by corporate and public sector bodies. Business support is provided by GrowBiz and its enterprise delivery partners.
What is the REDS timeline?
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REDS was launched in 2020 as a response to the urgent economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 lockdown. GrowBiz Enterprise support is available immediately. The intention is to create a long term ongoing resource and support network for the rural economy.
Why is REDS needed?
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Rural businesses have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 crisis. While government funding packages have provided support to many, there are others that have missed out on eligibility. Government support is also time limited and many businesses will need support beyond the timeframe of the government support packages. This is the short term, urgent need.
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Rural businesses often operate in isolation and don’t always know of other businesses in their area that they can work with, resulting in money leaving the rural economy. REDS will provide a resource to enable rural businesses to find each other and work together.
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What are the eligibility criteria to be listed on the REDS Directory?
REDS aims to support rural small businesses, social enterprise and the self-employed across rural Scotland. Typically that means having fewer than 10 FTE staff, turnover below £500k, and not being based in a town/city with a population over 25,000. We can accept applications from larger rural businesses but ask for a joining donation to the REDS fund - see here for more details.
If you are based in a non-rural area but work extensively with rural organisations, you can be listed but will not be eligible for all of the benefits of being a REDS member. If you are in doubt, please contact us and our advisors will assess your eligibility.
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Does a business have to be looking for funding to join the directory?
No, we encourage all rural businesses to join the directory, to help customers and visitors find them. The more businesses and social enterprises are on the directory, the more useful a resource it will be. ​
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How much does it cost to join REDS?
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It is free for qualifying enterprises to list on REDS. We can accept applications from larger rural businesses but ask for a joining donation to the REDS fund - see here for more details.
It is possible to make a one-time or ongoing donation to help build the REDS fund, which will be used to provide support to those businesses and individuals unable to access Covid funding from other channels. We have also undertaken a Crowdfunding campaign and are actively seeking other sources to help build the REDS fund faster. Please see our pricing information for full details
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How much information will be needed to apply for the REDS directory?
The application process is simple. Just provide some basic information, including images, about yourself and your business.
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Will all information captured in directory sign up be made public?
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No, some of the information is recorded to help track the project and enable us to match up the best sources of support applicable to you and your business.
How will the directory be maintained to make sure information remains live and current?
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It is very important to us that the information in the directory remains current. If your business/information changes at any time you can let us know and the directory will be updated accordingly. We will also be putting in place a robust check process to audit the directory contents regularly to ensure they are up to date.
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The REDS Rural Scotland Gift Card
Where can people spend their REDS gift cards?
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REDS gift cards can only be spent at participating businesses in rural Scotland, online or in the physical location. There is a dedicated REDS card website, www.RuralScotlandGiftCard.scot detailing all participating businesses.
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Does my business need to be in the REDS directory to be eligible to participate?
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Yes, this is an integral part of how REDS supports the rural economy.
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What are the costs of participating in the REDS card scheme?
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If you can already accept credit/debit card payments, there are no additional costs of accepting REDS card payments.
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What are the benefits of participating in the REDS card scheme?
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Consumers given a REDS gift card will search out places they can spend it. This brings you new potential customers and helps build customer awareness of your business. Typically consumers spending REDS gift cards spend more than the value of the card, paying the balance by another means, bringing additional revenue to your business
GrowBiz Enterprise Support
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How is the enterprise support being paid for?
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The business support element is being provided free of charge and will be funded through the existing funding support provided to GrowBiz and its delivery partners.
When can I access this support?
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REDS enterprise support is available immediately. Please get in touch.
