Business Grants & Loans
Growing your business
New Business Start Up Grant
The New Business Start Up Grant is aimed at individuals with a viable business idea who need funding support to start trading. The discretionary grant can provide assistance of up to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum contribution of £300 (unless moving into commercial premises where the grant will be up to £1,000).
The grant can be used for essential business start-up costs such as commercial rent, stock, IT equipment (including software), website development, business equipment or the adaption of business premises.
For more information about applying call or email our Business Development Team
Business Resilience Fund
This grant aims to support business change and development following the COVID 19 crisis. The recent period of lockdown has forced many businesses to rethink their model of delivery or to focus on certain elements of their business which could help to sustain or grow the business over time.
The grant can support plant, equipment and machinery expenditure (including IT), property expansion/ improvements, exhibiting at a national trade show or the costs of developing innovative products or processes. The fund can provide up to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum contribution of £10,000 from the Council.
Renfrewshire Business Training Support
The training grant can support up to a maximum of £2,000 toward the costs of staff training required as part of a specific business development project and delivered by an appropriate external training provider.
The grant is available to Renfrewshire based businesses involved in manufacturing or business to business services. Legislation compliance training, and training considered to be ‘routine’ to the business cannot be supported.
For more information about applying call or email our Business Development Team
Net Zero Business Grant
The Net Zero Business Grant provides financial assistance of up to 50% grant support (up to £10k per grant) to support local small and medium sized enterprises make changes to business premises and operations. For example, a move to low carbon heating systems, solar powered energy or other measures to reduce their carbon footprint.
Apply for a
Digital Development Grant
The Digital Development Grant provides businesses located within Renfrewshire with financial support to assist them with the development and implementation of new digital systems which aim to improve business performance and enable business growth. Grants of between £1,000 and £10,000 are available to support up to 50% of eligible expenditure.
Apply for a
Creative Business Hubs
Encouraging creative companies in Renfrewshire to co-locate and collaborate, the Creative Business Hub fund subsidises the costs of the leaseholder and other businesses locating in a hub. A Creative Hub is led by one business offering locating businesses related services such as hotdesking, studio space, workshops, mentoring, retailing and research.
The grant is available to Renfrewshire based businesses involved in manufacturing or business to business services. Legislation compliance training, and training considered to be ‘routine’ to the business cannot be supported.
For more information about applying call or email our Business Development Team
Renfrewshire
Town Centre Premises Fund
The discretionary grant aims to bring new types of businesses and services into long term vacant ground floor commercial premises in Paisley, Johnstone, Renfrew, Linwood and Erskine town centres, who can boost footfall, diversify the area, and create new jobs with contracted hours. The grant can provide up to 50% of eligible costs, up to a maximum of £25,000.
You can apply for the grant if you:
You can be an established business, have just started your business or be about to start a business.
You can’t apply if:
- you're a community group
- voluntary group or charitable organisation
- you're in debt to the Council your business is bankrupt or in liquidation
See what other funding and grants are available for charities, social enterprises, community and voluntary groups.
The following types of businesses are excluded from applying:
- multi-level marketing or pyramid selling businesses
- franchises where the franchiser has control over the business decisions
- betting shops
- beauty industry businesses, such as nail bars, aesthetics clinics, hairdressers or barbers
- amusement or gaming arcades
- tobacconists or vape shops
- most fast-food and dessert outlets
- convenience stores
- shops that offer adult or sexual content
- shops that offer adult or sexual content
- businesses or activities for political, religious or charitable purposes
What you can and cannot use the grant for:
You can use the grant for:
- improving the premises
- fixtures and fittings
- security equipment and installation
- business stationery
- advertising and marketing
- rent
- planning permission or building regulation fees
- insurance premiums
You cannot use the grant for:
- buying vehicles
- employee wages
- utility bills
How to apply
Contact our Business Development Team:
If we match you with a suitable premises and your business is eligible for the grant, you can start the formal grant application process.
You'll need to complete an application form and provide us with:
- recent annual accounts if you're an established business
- an up-to-date business plan
- at least two years' financial forecasts - such as profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow forecast
- the quotes for what you will use the grant for
When we receive all your paperwork, we’ll arrange a meeting with you to discuss your application. We’ll let you know within 2 weeks if your application was successful. If it is, we’ll make a formal grant offer to you.
The grant is discretionary, and we reserve the right to decline applications that don’t meet the grant objectives.
Our decision is final and is not subject to appeal.
Conditions of the grant
The grant is intended to support your business to trade from a new property. It is not intended to be the main source of funding for your new venture.
You should not begin your project until we have approved your grant. We can’t award the grant for works or expenses you’ve paid for before we’ve approved your grant application.
You must pay approved expenses through your business bank account and have supplier invoices to support this. You can’t claim expenses for cash payments to suppliers.
We will give you the grant when your payments for expenses and suppliers have been completed.
Retail Improvement Scheme grants for shop fronts
You can apply for a grant to repair, improve, upgrade, or restore the front of your shop, business, or commercial premises in Renfrewshire.
Find out more about the Retail Improvement Scheme grant.
Business Restart Loan
Restart Loans of between £1,000 and £5,000 are available to both new and existing businesses based in Renfrewshire which are unable to secure funding elsewhere but have a viable business capable of repaying the loan. The interest rate is 0% with repayment terms of up to 3 years.
The loan aims to support business primarily with cashflow and are provided through partnership with Right Way Credit Union.
Find Business Support in Scotland
You can find support from across the public sector in one place, whether you’re:
- a start-up or established company
- self-employed or a sole trader
- a small, medium or large enterprise
- a commercial business
- a social enterprise
You can find out about grants, funding, advice, help, events and support for businesses on the FindBusinessSupport.gov.uk website.
