Business Grants and Loans

Community First has announced the establishment of a Business Grants & Loans Fund (BGLF). This is designed to help independently owned businesses or community enterprises, including shops, in rural areas of Wiltshire. The scheme operates as a combination of a grant and a loan where the grant element may be up to 40% of the total awarded. The loan element is repayable over a period of one to three years at a rate of 1% above bank rate.

The objective is to help small businesses in rural areas particularly where there is a benefit to the community in terms of employment, expansion or development of local facilities, or provision of new services.

Community First provides support for the scheme through their Business and Village Shops Advisers who will help to establish if potential applicants are eligible.

Initial enquiries and a request for an application pack should be made to Alison Crawford at Community First on 01380 722475 or acrawford@communityfirst.org.uk