Council Announces Extra Digital Funding To Support Highland Businesses

3rd April 2024

Following the success of its Business Digital Grant scheme launched last year, The Highland Council is delighted to announce further funding. This is to help Highland companies access digital support alongside other business growth support.

Chair of the Council's Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans said: "We have had a great response with our UKSPF supported Digital Grants programme so I'm delighted that we have reallocated some of the UKSPF grant to bolster our Business Growth grant programme and continue our Start-up grant scheme."

In 2023 the Business Digital Grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund helped 160 local businesses with financial support totalling £570,000.

Cllr Gowans added: "This investment helped businesses with their digital transformation, allowing them to better adapt to the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape and enhancing their competitiveness, improve customer experience, and upskilling employees providing growth opportunities."

One of the businesses to benefit was the Inverness Coffee Roasting Co. Manager Kevin Donnachie said: "We used the grant to invest in new hardware which will improve efficiency and accuracy in despatching coffee ordered from our new Shopify website. It also allows the progression and development of other areas of the business and has opened the space for a new job opportunity. The application process was simple, efficient and quick. It was also important to us that we purchased the hardware from a local supplier keeping the expenditure in the Highlands."

This support to help with digital transformation will now be included within the Council's successful Growth Business Grant. Growth grants are valuable to help businesses accelerate their growth plans, unlock new opportunities, achieve sustainable growth, drive innovation, and contribute to economic prosperity in the Highlands.

Over 250 businesses have accessed the start-up and growth grant funding totalling half a million pounds from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This financial boost has allowed them to innovate, increase productivity, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth in their communities.

Cllr Gowans is encouraging businesses not to miss out on this opportunity of support. He said: "We expect the demand for grant support to remain high, so I recommend businesses to contact our Business Gateway Highland team who provide specialist start-up and growth advisory support and full details on grant and loan support.

Funding available
Capital grants up to £10,000 may be available.
Loan finance under a fast-track system from the Highland Loan fund.
If project costs are higher and you would need to identify additional support, there are potential solutions to help make your growth plans achievable. This equates to potentially accessing of over 50% of costs for a growth project in the Highlands.

Find out if your business is eligible here