Loans of up to £2,000 are available from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar through its Business Gateway service. The funding can be used to help cover general start-up costs, marketing (including trade fair attendance), e-commerce development and other business activities.

These interest-free micro loans encourage the creation and growth of small businesses in the Outer Hebrides that can contribute new jobs to the local economy. The loans can also help income-generating community enterprises develop projects that will improve their opportunities for long-term sustainability and stimulate the local economy. 

Applications will be assessed against key eligibility criteria. Your proposals must show that it will contribute to and strengthen the local economy in terms of jobs, growth and other benefits.

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar provides commercial finance to new and growing businesses in the Outer Hebrides. The purpose of the service is to ensure that good, commercially viable proposals do not fail because they lack access to finance.

All businesses in the Outer Hebrides are potentially eligible for the loan if they can demonstrate that they:

• are commercially viable
• create jobs
• generate additional demand for products and services

Priority will be given to applicants who are disadvantaged and unable to get funding elsewhere, and to projects that are expected to have the most impact in the local economy, including through job creation.

You must be able to show that you're unable to raise the total capital required from other commercial, private or public-sector sources.

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

Each application will be considered on its own merits. However, you're unlikely to receive a loan if your business is located in an area that is already adequately served by similar existing businesses.

You can only apply for one Comhairle nan Eilean Siar loan at a time, and cannot have more than 2 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar loans at any one time. You cannot receive a second loan until 12 months after the first loan was provided and at least 20% of the first loan is repaid.

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

There are no additional costs associated with this service, other than the loan repayments. The loans are interest-free and the repayment period is up to 2 years.

Businesses based in the Outer Hebrides.

Each application will be dealt with on its own merits. The timescales will vary depending on your project.

New businesses must provide a business plan and 3-year financial projections. Existing businesses should provide a proposal overview and any other information required.

You can only apply for one Comhairle nan Eilean Siar loan at a time, and cannot have more than 2 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar loans at any one time. You cannot receive a second loan until 12 months after the first loan was provided and at least 20% of the first loan is repaid.

Visit the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar website for more information.