Comhairle nan Eilean Siar provides assistance and funding to new and growing businesses in the Outer Hebrides. The Outer Hebrides Young Enterprise Support Scheme (OHYESS) provides grant funding to businesses that have been trading for less than 5 years.

Funding is available for capital item purchases only. Grants of £7,500 for full-time businesses and £2,500 for part-time businesses are available, to cover up to 50% of eligible costs. Funding for up to 70% of costs will be available for projects that involve any of the following:

• applicants who are less than 30 years old
• net zero measures
• cruise market product development  
• childcare
• Uist repopulation zone

The purpose of this scheme is to ensure that good, commercially viable businesses do not fail due to a lack of finance. OHYESS is funded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and delivered by the Comhairle's Business Gateway team.

OHYESS funding is potentially available to new businesses and businesses that have been trading for less than 5 years in the Outer Hebrides region. You must operate in one of these key sectors:

• renewables and energy-related activity
• recycling
• tourism (excluding accommodation projects)
• creative and culture-based activity
• food and drink
• information technology
• life and health sciences
• research and development
• innovation
• manufacturing and processing
• childcare
• construction
• traditional industries indigenous to the Outer Hebrides

Please note that tourism accommodation developments are not eligible for support.

Applicants may be sole traders, partnerships, limited companies, co-operative groups, social enterprises or other legitimate business trading entities. 

You must be able to fund the project until the grant can be claimed. Grants will be paid out only after you submit proof of your costs. You should not spend money on a project before your application has been approved and you've received an official letter of offer.

Each application will be considered on its own merits. However, your project is unlikely to receive funding if it's based in an area that is already adequately served by similar existing businesses.

You can read the full eligibility criteria on the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar website.

There is no cost to apply, but you must be able to fund the project upfront initially. You'll only receive your grant after you submit proof of your costs. You shouldn't spend money on a project until your application has been approved and you have an official letter of offer.

The grants are only intended to cover a portion of your project costs. You must be able to cover the remainder from other sources.

Businesses and business owners in certain key sectors in the Outer Hebrides who have been trading for less than 5 years.

Each application will be considered on its own merits. The timescales involved will vary depending on your project.  

You will need to provide the following items with your application:

• a business plan
• financial projections (3 years)
• an application form
• bank statements
• other supporting information as required

Visit the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar website to submit a query to the Business Gateway team.