Argyll and Bute Council may be able to provide grant funding to help you develop your business.

Grants from £1,000 up to £5,000 are available for full-time businesses (operating more than 35 hours per week), to cover up to 50% of your approved costs.

Part-time businesses (operating 16 to 34 hours per week) can apply for a grant of between £1,000 and £2,500, to cover up to 50% of your approved costs.

You will need to download and fill out an application form. You'll be asked to provide information about your business and a 12-month cash flow forecast. You'll also need to identify the items that you require grant support for and explain why you need a grant.

After you submit your completed application form and any supporting documents, you must meet by phone or video with a business adviser from Argyll and Bute Council's Business Gateway to discuss your application.

This support is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

To apply, your business must:

• be based in Argyll and Bute
• be micro or small sized - that is, with fewer than 50 employees and either a turnover of less than €10 million or a balance sheet total of less than €10 million
• have been actively trading for at least 6 months before you apply
• be paying you or a member of staff the current real Living Wage or above, or demonstrate clear potential to do so within 12 months
• be operating full-time (35 or more hours per week) or part-time (16 to 34 hours per week)

Revenue and capital costs may be eligible for funding on a discretionary basis. These include:

• machinery
• tools and equipment
• refurbishment of premises
• renting or equipping new premises
• marketing
• website development
• feasibility studies
• professional services or consultancy related to business growth or new product development

The grant cannot be used for:

• wage subsidy
• statutory costs
• debt repayment
• working capital, including the purchase of stock or materials
• routine maintenance
• the purchase of an existing business
• property or land purchase or development
• costs incurred before your application is approved

There is no cost to apply for the grant.

Grants from £1,000 up to £5,000 are available, depending on the size of your business, to cover up to 50% of your approved costs. You will need to provide match funding to cover the rest of the costs.

You will need to cover the full costs upfront, then claim your grant by submitting proof of expenditure for the approved items (invoices and bank statements). You must submit all claims within 12 weeks of your grant offer.

Businesses in Argyll and Bute.

You should receive a decision on your application within 10 working days of meeting with an adviser.

The deadline to apply is 5pm on 1 December 2024. The programme will close earlier if all funds are allocated.

The grant is awarded at Argyll and Bute Council’s discretion.

If your application is approved, you'll receive an offer letter that confirms the items that can be supported by the grant and the maximum value of the grant available to you.

Visit the Argyll and Bute Council website for more information and to download an application form.