Aberdeenshire Council is hoping to support more than 800 small businesses across the region following the setup of a discretionary fund that includes a grant of up to £2,000.
The new initiative has been setup to provide additional support for businesses which have not received any financial assistance during the pandemic.
Grants will be distributed by local authorities and enables individual councils to direct additional financial support to specific groups, sectors or businesses.
To date, Aberdeenshire Council has paid out 600 grants with a value of £1.2million through the Strategic Framework Business Support Fund and subsequent top-up grants, with further applications still being processed.
Businesses required by law to close due to Level 4 restrictions can apply to the fund with Scottish Government further announcing a one-off top-up grant to eligible applicants.
It is anticipated that up to 4,000 business across Aberdeenshire could be eligible.
The first batch of these payments has been made today, but it is likely that some payments may be slightly delayed as processing continues.
Regular payment runs are being scheduled to ensure the funding reaches businesses as quickly as possible.
Belinda Miller, head of economic development and protective services, said: “These funds are a vital source of financial support for North-east businesses, many of which continue to face massive challenges on a day-to-day basis.
“We don’t want any firms to miss out on any financial support that is available to them, and we encourage businesses to visit our website and look at the criteria to see if they qualify for either of these grants.
“Please be assured that we have a dedicated team of staff working to process applications as quickly as possible and we would ask for your understanding if there is a small delay in receiving your grant.”
Find more information about the application process on the Aberdeenshire Council website.