Business Growth and Sustainability Grant

East Lothian Council recognises the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local businesses, so will provide grant funding in 2022 to 2023 to support business growth and sustainability.

The Business Growth and Sustainability Grant will offer up to £20,000 per company, with 25% match funding required. This funding will be paid retrospectively once the project is completed and the required evidence provided to the council.

The fund aims to promote local economic recovery and reduce the impact of cost of living on low-income households by supporting:

• interventions that support local economic recovery and help businesses move on from surviving the period of trading restrictions toward recovery, growth, adaptation and building resilience
• projects that can rebuild consumer confidence and stimulate demand and economic activity
• low-income households that are disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis to become more economically active

Priority will be given to applicants whose proposals will encourage employment, grow an existing East Lothian business, and/or support the sustainability of existing jobs or a business.

This fund forms part of the Scottish Government’s Local Authority COVID-19 Economic Recovery Fund (LA-CER) 2022/23. As such, this funding will only be available in the current year.

You are eligible if:

• your organisation is located in or is in the process of relocating to the East Lothian council area
• you meet all legal requirements related to the operation of your business
• East Lothian Council is satisfied with the viability of your business over the medium to long term
• you are not in debt to East Lothian Council for outstanding business rates or other charges
• you can clearly demonstrate your need for funding, the benefit to your business in terms of job creation and sustainability, and the benefit to the local economy

This grant requires 25% match funding. This can be from your own funds, prudent borrowing, or other external sources.

The grant is paid retrospectively, after the project is completed and evidence submitted. This means you will need to be able to cover the costs upfront, until you receive the grant funding.

Established businesses based in East Lothian.

Along with a fully completed application, you will need to submit:

• 2 years worth of full accounts
• the last 3 months' bank statements
• relevant quotations
• a business plan

Once your application is received, initial eligibility checks will be carried out and a member of the council's Support Grants team will be in touch to discuss your application.

Visit the East Lothian Council website for more information and to read the full guidance.