Highland Council will this week start to roll out a new discretionary grant scheme for businesses impacted by Covid regulations since October.
The Scottish Government has made £1.5m available to the council in addition to other business grants, to enable the council to direct financial support towards specific groups or sectors where they consider this to be necessary or justified based on the distinct characteristics of their local economies, including those who may potentially be falling through gaps in current funding.
Environment and Infrastructure chairwoman councillor Trish Robertson said: “The council has fulfilled a key role in delivering, on behalf of the Scottish Government, a number of grant schemes.
“To date our team of staff have processed grants of approximately £85m to over 8,000 businesses.
“A benefit of this new discretionary grant is that it is not sector-specific but is wide ranging and therefore potentially offers support for a wide range of businesses.
“We are now finalising the guidance and preparing the online application form, with the aim to launch the grant scheme this week.”
Details of the new scheme including the deadline for all applications will be published on the council’s website and promoted on social media channels.
A small additional grant allocation has been provided to the council from the Scottish Government to provide for support for businesses in the Small Isles and Raasay who are unable to access the same grant support available to Level 4 mainland Highland businesses.
Council staff are contacting these businesses directly to advise them on the opportunity to apply for support.
