Scarborough: Business start-up grants

Start-up grants are targeted at new start-ups and businesses less than 18 months old with no more than 10 employees. The maximum amount of grant assistance is up to £1,000 to any one concern in any one financial year.

Applications can be made for assistance towards the cost of necessary equipment and machinery (excluding vehicles and consumables e.g. stationery), the extension, adaptation or improvement of facilities within the premises and marketing, where it forms part of a promotional programme which is likely to lead to new jobs.

Priorities and objectives

• New jobs created
• Increased educational attainment
• Enhance cultural provision
• Diversify the economic base of the area
• Enhance the tourism sector to increase visitor expenditure
• Target action within economically and socially disadvantaged areas
• Reduction in welfare dependency
• Enhance environment
• Improve connectivity/create technologically smart towns
• Improve skills and educational attainment

Eligibility requirements

• Business within Scarborough, Whitby and Filey area
• You may only apply for assistance under either the business start-up or business expansion scheme
• Any grant awarded will be for 50% of expenditure within the limits of the grant amount. For example, if you are awarded a grant of £500, you would need to spend £1000 to claim back the £500 grant
• Grants are claimed back retrospectively by submitting receipts or invoices and copies of bank statements detailing the eligible expenditure
• Applicants with outstanding liabilities to North Yorkshire Council cannot be considered for a business grant
• Grants are awarded at the absolute discretion of the business development grant panel