Inverclyde

Our Planning To Start tool is a great place to begin. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and provides you with an instant toolkit with key resources & information. We'll then connect you with a member of the team at our local office for further support.

Our website offers a business plan guide and template to download when you’re ready, market reports and research, as well as handy online guides and articles, video tutorials and podcasts. Plus, we have a great range of webinars to hone your start-up skills – from writing a business plan to marketing on a budget.

With our help, you could be in business sooner than you imagined.

Whether you’re looking to take on premises or learn more about digital marketing, we can help you take the next step. Get started by taking 10 minutes to complete our Strengthen Your Business Tool and get a personalised dashboard of online resources and webinars.

We know that your time is in short supply, so we also offer one-to-one advice at a time and day to suit you. Together, you and your business adviser can create a strategic action plan to suit your ambitions.

Our online resources and webinars can help you learn new skills, create opportunities and gain confidence. From HR to restructuring, innovation and digital marketing - we can help. And if specialist input is required, we can connect you to other sources of support.

New business start-up grant

This discretionary fund can provide a grant to businesses that are starting to trade in the area. The grant can be used to cover up to a maximum of contribution of £500 towards the start-up costs of the business.

New business marketing grant

This discretionary fund can provide a marketing grant to businesses that are starting to trade in the area. The grant can be used to cover up to 100% of eligible costs (excluding VAT) of marketing activities up to a maximum contribution of £500.

Capital equipment grant

This discretionary fund provides financial assistance to help businesses meet specific business growth objectives. The fund can cover up to 100% of eligible costs of capital expenditure (excluding VAT), up to a maximum contribution of £2,000.

Business assistance grant

This discretionary fund provides financial assistance to help businesses meet specific business growth objectives. The fund can cover up to 50% of eligible costs of capital expenditure (excluding VAT), up to a maximum contribution of £5,000.

Business marketing grant

This discretionary fund can provide a marketing grant to businesses that are trading in the area. The grant can be used to cover up to 100% of eligible costs (excluding VAT) of marketing activities up to a maximum contribution of £1,500.

Grant for tourism businesses

This discretionary fund can provide a grant to businesses in the tourism sector that are trading in the area. The fund can provide up to 100% of eligible costs (excluding VAT), up to a maximum contribution of £2,000. Eligible expenditure includes the purchase of capital equipment and the costs of increased marketing activity to attract more visitors.

Business training grant

This discretionary fund can provide a training grant to businesses that are trading in the area. The grant can be used to cover up to 100% of total costs (excluding VAT) of training activities up to a maximum contribution of £1,500. Training should be aimed at management and key workers and have a notional competency threshold of around VQ Level 3. Training that is a statutory requirement or mandatory cannot be funded through this grant.

Property assistance scheme

This discretionary fund can provide support of up to 50% of total costs (excluding VAT) for signage, security and improvements to business properties. Where total project costs are in excess of £50,000, grants of up to £10,000 may be considered. Proposals must be for premises which are in company ownership or on a long (2 years minimum) lease.

Business loan scheme

Inverclyde Council offers an interest-free loan fund of up to £5,000 with repayments spread over 3 years to businesses that are trading in the area. The purpose of this discretionary fund is to encourage the creation and growth of small and medium sized businesses.

Inverclyde Council Special Intervention Loan Fund

Inverclyde Council offers interest-free loans of between £5,000 and £25,000 repayable over between 1 and 5 years to businesses that are trading in the area. There is no administration fee and no penalty for settling the loan early.

From digital marketing strategy to social media, e-Commerce, cyber security and more, we can help boost your digital performance.

Our Digital Health Check is a great place to start. It will help pinpoint your digital strengths, areas you could improve, and how we can help, and it only takes 5 minutes to complete.

Support available includes free recruitment services, recruitment incentives and access to a pool of young people learning new skills on national and local training programmes.

To find out more about the above support, visit the Inverclyde Council and Employer Plus Partnership websites or contact the local Business Gateway office by completing the Contact Form on the Contact Us page.

The Small Business Assistance Scheme offers business training support of up to 50% of total costs to a maximum of £2,000 for training for business development training which will have the potential to improve the business turnover/profitability or employment.

Operated by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the Women's Business Centre website is free to access and offers dedicated, needs-based content on starting and growing a business, including stories, encouragement and top tips from leading business owners across Scotland.

Our advisers can help you look at your business challenges and then help you make the next practical steps. Along with that we can introduce you to PACE – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.