To be eligible for a New Business Grant your business must be:
- based in Argyll and Bute
- full-time (operating 35+ hours per week)
- micro- or small-sized (fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees and either annual turnover not exceeding £10.2m or an annual balance sheet not exceeding £5.1m)
- ready to start actively trading (within 4 weeks of application date) or started actively trading within 3 months of application date
- capable of providing full-time employment for yourself (or at least 1 FTE member of staff ) paying the equivalent of the Real Living Wage or above What is the real Living Wage? | Living Wage Foundation (currently this equates to £24,479 per year)
- either a sole trader, partnership, or limited company. Applications from social or community enterprises are welcome provided they meet the eligibility criteria and will generate significant earned income from trading or service level agreements. Grant income or donations are not considered earned income for the purposes of this grant.
In addition, you as the applicant must be:
- aged 18 years or over
- a UK resident, or able to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK and access public funds
You are ineligible for the New Business Grant if:
- you are already running a business in Argyll and Bute
- you have debts of any kind owing to the Council. A check will be made when you submit an application form
- your new business is likely to have a significant negative impact on other Argyll and Bute based businesses
- your new business is not full time from launch (ie operates fewer than 35 hours per week)
- your new business is involved in the sex industry; politics; religion; nude or semi-nude modelling or photography; multi-level marketing/pyramid selling or any business that may bring Argyll and Bute Council into disrepute. Organisations with restricted membership are not eligible to apply.
- your new business is eligible for full funding through other public bodies.
- you are an undischarged bankrupt or have bankruptcy proceedings pending against you.
- your business (including any parent company) has received more than £315,000 in public sector subsidies over the last 3 financial years.
Please read all the information for applicants and the Terms and Conditions before contacting Business Gateway on 01546 604555 if you have any questions about applying for this funding.
