Overview
Financial incentives for property owners/tenants or potential occupiers who wish to bring an empty business property back into productive use.
Support available
Extended empty property rates relief and/or grants of up to £25,000
Business Funding
The Council offers a range of grants to support businesses based in Argyll and Bute.
To register your interest in any of these grants, please complete the Business Funding Enquiry Form (BFEF).
You need only complete the form once. Your details will be passed on to the team administering each relevant grant, who will contact you to discuss making an application. This approach reduces duplication and ensures your enquiry reaches the right team quickly. Completing a Business Funding Enquiry Form does not guarantee funding, but it allows the Council to review your business needs and connect you with appropriate support. You can also submit the Business Funding Enquiry Form to be notified if relevant new grant funding becomes available. Declaring your interest will also help us to evidence demand and shape any future grant programmes.
Live funding schemes
Empty Business Property Grant – up to £25,000
Argyll and Bute Council Small Business Grants - up to £10,000
Overview
Two types of Small Business Grant will be available via the Council’s Business Gateway service:
- a Small Business Development Grant of £1,000 to £3,000 for capital or revenue costs, for full time businesses actively trading for at least 6 months
- a Small Business Capital Grant of £3,000 to £10,000 for capital expenditure only, for full time businesses actively trading for at least 12 months
The aim of these Small Business Grants is to support a range of business development objectives including improvements in productivity, competitiveness, skills, growth, sustainability, resilience, profitability, innovation or net zero transition.
Argyll and Bute Council New Business Grants - up to £1,000
A grant of up to £1,000 for new start businesses operating full time (35+ hours per week) from launch. This grant is intended to help genuinely new businesses to establish and grow in Argyll and Bute, by assisting with start-up costs.
Argyll and Bute Council Expert Help - one day of funded support
Businesses based in Argyll and Bute can access one day of fully funded expert help at no cost, to support business growth or recovery.
Fully Funded Work Placements - No-one left behind
Overview
The Employability Team are offering businesses the opportunity to provide a work placement to an unemployed resident of Argyll and Bute.
Placements are real living wage and fully funded up to 13 weeks duration and up to 30 hours per week.
The aim is to support people on their journey towards, and into work.
Employability Training Fund
Overview
Low income self-employed or low-income employees of businesses can apply for full or partial funded accredited training.
The aim is to help those earning up to £20,982 per annum to upskill/retrain to enable them to access higher paid positions or increase their business offer thus increasing their household income.
Closed funding schemes for reference
Shopfront Improvement Grant
Grants for local business owners or tenants wishing to invest in shopfronts in conservation areas or town centres.
UKSPF Small Business Development Grant
If you have been awarded this grant you can view the Small Business Development Grant Terms and Conditions.
UKSPF Business Start-up Grant
If you have been awarded this grant you can view the Business Start-Up Grant - Terms and Conditions.
UKSPF Expert help
If you have been awarded this support, you can view Expert Help - Terms and Conditions.
Community Regeneration Partnership Fund- Dunoon Town Centre Investment
Overview
Support to bring vacant or underused properties into use, enhance shopfronts in the Conservation Area, or delivery of town centre tourism or residential accommodation
Grant range
£10,000 to £50,000
Find out more about this grant.
Next Steps
- Complete the Business Funding Enquiry Form
- The Council will review your submission and share it with the appropriate teams.
- You may be contacted to discuss your project or be guided to the relevant funding programme or alternatives.
Questions?
Email us at business.funding@argyll-bute.gov.uk
Other public funding
To find out about other support from across Scotland’s public sector, visit Find business support in Scotland - Find Business Support. You can see your options for funding, advice, help and more all in a single location and sign up for email alerts on the latest updates.
