Argyll and Bute Council may be able to provide grant funding to help you attend a trade fair, undertake training or gain accreditation for your business. Grants from £125 up to £1,000 are available.

You'll need to download and submit an application form. You'll be asked for information about your business, details about your accounts and a 12-month cash flow forecast.

You'll also be asked to list the items that you need support for and to explain why you need funding.

After you apply and submit 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.

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

You claim your grant by submitting proof of expenditure (invoices and bank statements) for the approved items. You must submit all claims for approved costs within 12 weeks of your grant offer.

To apply for the Argyll and Bute Council Trade Fair, Training or Accreditation Grant, your business must:

• be based in Argyll and Bute
• be micro or small sized, with fewer than 50 employees and 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 more, or demonstrate clear potential to do so within 12 months
• be operating full-time (35 or more hours a week) or part-time (16 to 34 hours per week)

Eligible costs can include:

• trade fair stand fees
• training fees
• accreditation fees
• costs of travel to attend, including bus or train journeys, flights, ferries, vehicle hire, or taxis
• accommodation needed to attend, including breakfast and/or evening meals if booked as part of a package

The grant cannot be used for:

• statutory costs
• a wage subsidy for attending
• car mileage
• alcoholic drinks
• entertaining clients
• stock and materials
• costs incurred before your application has been approved

There is no cost to apply for the grant.

Argyll and Bute Council will cover up to 50% of your trade fair, training or accreditation costs, from a minimum of £125 to a maximum of £1,000. Your business will need to cover the rest from other sources.

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

The grant is for businesses based in Argyll and Bute.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 1 December 2024. However, the programme will close for applications sooner if funds are fully allocated.

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

You must submit all claims for approved costs within 12 weeks of your grant offer.

The deadline for applications is 5pm on 1 December 2024. The programme will close for applications sooner if funds are fully allocated.

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

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

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