OIC offers three new COVID support grants

Three grants from Orkney Islands Council to help businesses affected by the COVID-19 crisis are now open for applications.

The first of these is a Business Support Top-up grant – a one-off additional payment worth 10 per cent of the funding businesses have been granted through a range of Scottish Government schemes.

For those that have not benefited from other schemes, applications can also be made for a COVID-19 Protective Equipment Grant from OIC.

This is a one-off grant of up to £500 for local businesses that serve the public, for the purchase of safety screens or other personal safety equipment. It is available for businesses that haven’t qualified for the 10 per cent top-up grant.

In addition, a new COVID-19 Recovery Development Grant is now open for applications.

This is a 50 per cent grant of up to £10,000 to help local businesses invest in new measures to address the existing and ongoing impact of the coronavirus pandemic – developments, for example, which increase efficiency, enhance access to new markets and improve competitiveness, leading to future and sustainable business growth.

Councillor Graham Sinclair, chairman of OIC’s development and infrastructure committee, said: “The funding the Council has put in place over recent months follows detailed and ongoing discussion with our business community and reflects the feedback we’ve received on how we can help address the many challenges they face.

“I hope this additional support will be welcomed by local businesses and I would encourage them to check out the information we’re providing online for each of these schemes.”

You can find further information about the council’s business support schemes on www.orkney.gov.uk/CV-Biz