Business grant types - April 2025 to March 2026

Find out about the types of grants available, what can be funded and what's excluded.

Before you start

All businesses will be asked to provide:

evidence of an open business bank account - most recent bank statement (or letter confirming account is opened for a new business).
a financial projection sheet indicating level of predicted sales and business costs for the next (or first for new businesses) year of trading following any application for a grant.
annual accounts for businesses trading over 12 months
evidence of appropriate insurance policies held e.g. public liability / stock / employer policies etc.
Equal Opportunities or Fair Work Practices policy if staff employed
all businesses will need to demonstrate trading through evidence such as:
- bank statements showing trading
- e-commerce website or social media presence
- copies of invoices raised or purchase orders received
new businesses would need to provide evidence of start date of their business if there is no trading evidence at time of application.
larger value grants may require further evidence at application stage

Types of grants available

Annual Turnover	Grant Amount	Conditions
New Start up business with ability to turnover a minimum of £10,000 in first year of trading	£ 1,000 This grant will be paid on approval, with applicant committing to spend funds within 3 months and provide evidence of spend through business bank account	Open to to new or prestart businesses trading for under 12 months Starting a business is a challenge and we are offering businesses the opportunity to apply for a business start-up grant to assist in purchase of equipment to start their business journey.

Annual Turnover

Grant Amount

Conditions

New Start up business with ability to turnover a minimum of £10,000 in first year of trading

£ 1,000

This grant will be paid on approval, with applicant committing to spend funds within 3 months and provide evidence of spend through business bank account

Open to to new or prestart businesses trading for under 12 months

Starting a business is a challenge and we are offering businesses the opportunity to apply for a business start-up grant to assist in purchase of equipment to start their business journey.

Annual Turnover	Grant Amount	Conditions
Minimum Turnover per annum £10,000	Up to £2,000 This grant will be paid on evidence of payments made through a business bank account.	Open to small businesses trading for 12 months or more and with a turnover from £10,000 to £100,000. Businesses should be trading for 16 plus hours per week. Businesses should be able to provide 1 quote for each purchase requested with rationale as to chosen supplier (i.e. website upgrade - use existing web provider as knows site).

Annual Turnover

Grant Amount

Conditions

Minimum Turnover per annum £10,000

Up to £2,000

This grant will be paid on evidence of payments made through a business bank account.

Open to small businesses trading for 12 months or more and with a turnover from £10,000 to £100,000.

Businesses should be trading for 16 plus hours per week.

Businesses should be able to provide 1 quote for each purchase requested with rationale as to chosen supplier (i.e. website upgrade - use existing web provider as knows site).

Annual Turnover	Grant Amount	Conditions
Businesses should be turning over £100,000 or more to be eligible for a growth grant. Value of grant offered will be dependent on current turnover and growth potential	£2,001 to £25,000 Grant payable will be 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of £25,000	Open to established businesses trading for over 12 months. Businesses must demonstrate that the grant will facilitate increased turnover in the 12 months following any grant award or sustain or grow their workforce. Larger grant requests should also demonstrate that they will be able to grow their workforce.

Annual Turnover

Grant Amount

Conditions

Businesses should be turning
over £100,000 or more to be
eligible for a growth grant.

Value of grant offered will be dependent on current turnover and growth potential

£2,001 to £25,000

Grant payable will be 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of £25,000

Open to established businesses trading for over 12 months.

Businesses must demonstrate that the grant will facilitate increased turnover in the 12 months following any grant award or sustain or grow their workforce.

Larger grant requests should also demonstrate that they will be able to grow their workforce.

Annual Turnover	Grant Amount	Conditions
At least £50,000	Grant payable will be up to a maximum of £5,000	This grant is open to established businesses trading for over 12 months and who are trading from commercial premises within East Renfrewshire and looking to improve energy efficiencies or purchase more energy efficient equipment. The Get to Zero Grant supports local businesses and provides a grant of up to £5,000. Grant funding can be used towards low energy heating and lighting systems improved Insulation roof and building, solar / ground / air source heat or solar thermal technology, waste management or recycling equipment that demonstrates a significant energy saving through its installation. Businesses will need to demonstrate either ownership of their premises or permission from a landlord to carry out changes to premises. Businesses will also need to demonstrate through an energy audit that the measures will generate savings on energy and emissions.

Annual Turnover

Grant Amount

Conditions

At least £50,000

Grant payable will be up to a
maximum of £5,000

This grant is open to established businesses
trading for over 12 months and who are
trading from commercial premises within
East Renfrewshire and looking to improve
energy efficiencies or purchase more energy
efficient equipment.

The Get to Zero Grant supports local businesses and provides a grant of up to £5,000. Grant funding can be used towards low energy heating and lighting systems improved Insulation roof and building, solar / ground / air source heat or solar
thermal technology, waste management or recycling equipment that demonstrates a significant
energy saving through its installation.

Businesses will need to demonstrate either
ownership of their premises or permission
from a landlord to carry out changes to premises.

Businesses will also need to demonstrate
through an energy audit that the measures
will generate savings on energy and emissions.

What can the grants be used for?

Funding can support the purchase of:

New equipment
IT hardware purchases (excluding tablets or mobile phones)
Tooling costs
Property extensions or improvements. Please note this applies to commercial premises only
Exhibiting at home or overseas
Marketing and e-commerce activities
Tourism and events that can demonstrate increased tourism activity
Developing new products or processes
Innovation or research
Bespoke software design to develop new systems, processes and e-commerce activity

All equipment purchases and improvements should demonstrate energy efficiencies and the ability to improve production or facilities or introduce new products or services.

Laptop purchases are capped at £400 per unit.

What's excluded from funding?

We are unable to approve any grants where the purchase or order has already been made.

In general, grant funds can't be used towards:

Equipment / software etc. already purchased. The purchase of any furniture, equipment or consumables needed to run a business
The purchase of tablets and mobile phones
Routine property maintenance
Development and marketing of information websites and brochures etc, which lack a clear focus on e-commerce development
Lead lists and databases
Social media marketing / advertising
Purchase and installation of off-the-shelf software packages (e.g. Microsoft Office software, standard Sage packages etc.)
Purchases made via hire purchase, lease or other finance agreement
Employee wages
Staff Training costs
Vehicles
General purchase of stock
Business running or monthly costs
Standard websites not offering any selling or ability to trade on line
Travel costs

More Information

If you have questions regarding this process, we are happy to discuss them.

Please contact us in the first instance at business@eastrenfewshire.gov.uk

Last modified on 16 June 2025