Council launches COVID-19 recovery grant for new businesses
February 2, 2021
Are you thinking of starting your own business or have a business idea? Would a grant of £1,000 help you to turn that business idea into a reality? In order to provide much needed support to budding entrepreneurs, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council has launched the COVID-19 Recovery Start-Up Grant Programme.
The council recognises that new business starts are the lifeblood of a competitive economy. They offer new and diverse employment opportunities and give consumers greater choice.
This new grant programme will provide much needed support to business starts and social entrepreneurs across the council area and will allow those considering starting their own business to hit the ground running, turning their business idea into reality.
The delivery of this new grant scheme is part of the council’s wider campaign to drive COVID-19 recovery across Lisburn Castlereagh.
Participants must complete the Go For It Programme in order to submit an application for COVID-19 Recovery Start-Up Grant Programme, which provides professional business start-up mentoring and support tailored to your business idea. Please note that all measures are in place to comply with all necessary guidelines and all meetings can be conducted virtually.
The grant will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis to eligible participants who plan to start a new business within six months. The scheme will close on 24th March 2021. At this point, those who have received a letter of offer must have submitted their completed claims.
Alderman Jim Dillon MBE, Development Committee Chairman, said: “As we have entered another historic year for businesses with the extension of lockdown, I am delighted that Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is able to provide some much needed support for our budding start-up businesses.
“We recognise the importance of nurturing innovation and entrepreneurship and of encouraging those who are considering taking the next step in becoming tomorrow’s business owners. I would encourage anyone thinking of starting their own business to ‘Go For It’.”
This is the first call for applications under this programme and further calls may be announced in due course. For guidance notes and an application pack go to COVID-19 Recovery Start-up Grant Programme.
For questions relating to the Grant Programme please email emma.fearon@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk or contact the council's Business Support Helpline on 077 1526 9688. For information on the Go For It Programme call 0800 027 0639 or book online at www.goforitni.com
This project is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme.