Vale Business Start-Up and Early Growth Bursary

The grant will be open for applications between the 7 July and 31 October 2026 OR until funding is allocated. 

Bursaries of up to £7,500 may be awarded, representing upto 80% of the cost of the total project for anyone committed to the creation of a full-time venture, the remaining 20% of the project cost will be funded by the applicant. 

Applicants will need to submit a business plan, 2-year cash flow forecast and application form which will then be assessed by a panel for approval. 

When you apply for a bursary, we are able to offer extensive help and support including: 

• Identify training needs and signpost to help needed

• Mentoring on an individual basis to support you to create your application with confidence

• Instil the disciplines required in business such as goal setting, time management, and how to ensure the growth of your business

• Identifying strengths and weaknesses and how to overcome them

• Work with partners such as Business Wales, Business in Focus, and King's Trust to ensure all round support for beneficiaries.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much is the bursary grant?
  You can apply for a maximum of £7,500.
• What counts as match funding? How do I evidence this? 
  Match funding could be from a current bank account or savings, a bank loan, or a credit card clearly showing an available limit.  Evidence could be a current bank or credit card statement with appropriate cleared funds.
• How much match funding do I need? 

  You are required to have a total of 20% of your project costs as match funding. Please see working examples below:

   

  Example 1: Total Project Cost: £4,500 attracts a bursary award of £3,600 with the remaining £900 to be met by the applicant

  Example 2: Total Project Cost £9,375 attracts a maximum bursary award of £7,500 with the remaining £1,875 to be met by the applicant

• Do I need to live in the Vale of Glamorgan to make an application? 
  Yes, you must have permanent residency in the Vale of Glamorgan, part of the due diligence will be confirming you are listed on the Electoral Register
• When is the grant closing to applications? 

  The grant will be awarded on a first come first served basis.  

  The grant will close when funds have been fully allocated OR on 31 October 2026, which ever falls first.  

   

   

   

  Claims must  be submitted within 4 months of the offer letter or by the 19th February 2027 the latest (whichever is the earliest date).

• I have already bough some items for my new business, can the grant fund these? 
  No, all proposed purchases have to be approved by the Panel and you must return a signed copy of your funding letter before you can make any purchases. 
• I have a good business idea but I don't have the funds to pay for everything in advance if my application is succesful, does this mean I can't apply?  
  We appreciate that not everyone will be able to pay for everything in advance and claim retrospectively.  In these circumstances, we may be able to offer staged advanced payments, please speak to the Senior Regeneration Officer,.
• I have not completed a Business Plan or Financial Forecast before, can you help?  
  As part of your grant application journey, you will be asked to register with Business Wales, following registration a dedicated Business Wales Adviser will then be allocated to  help you understand and complete any supporting documents for your application.
• How many quotes do I need?  
  The amount of quotes required will depend on the cost of your item/service.   Please refer to the table in  the guidance notes.
• Who makes the decision on my application? 
  The final decision on each application is made by the Bursary Panel, they are made up of a number of representatives from the Public and Private Sector. 

• How soon will I hear if my application is successful?
  The Panel will make a decision on your application within 48 hours, a Senior Regeneration  Officer will contact you by telephone or email with their decision.  If successful, this will be followed up with a funding letter; if you are unsuccessful, you will be provided with constructive and practical development support to help you in the future.
• Once I have completed my purchases how do I claim my grant award? 
  You will need to complete the claim sections on your Procurement Plan and return this to us with a copy of all relevant invoices and evidence of payment (e.g. bank statement).  Once this has been checked and approved, we will instruct our Finance Section to issue your payment.
• What happens if the original quotes come in higher or lower when invoiced? 
  We would encourage you to get in touch as soon as possible if anything changes.  We understand that costs can change, if it is a small change in cost it may be allowed, if it is a bigger change it may need to be approved by the Panel. 
• When will I receive my grant payment?  
  The grant payment will be made to your nominated account within 28 days of your claim being approved.

Successful Applications

• Find out a little more about some of the amazing businesses our bursary has been able to support, all are based locally and may have something to offer you:
  • The Milkshed, Penarth offers unique and flexible workspaces near to Penarth Town centre for freelancers, small businesses and creatives.
  • Botham Williams Estate Agents is a 21st Century Estate Agency who are customer focused, independently minded and competitively priced.
  • Gaffah is a streaming platform for indie, student and art films.  The collection of films come from all around the world and give viewers a taste of something they will not get from mainstream outlets. 
    
  • The Head Space, Dinas Powys is a hair and beauty salon dedicated to creating the best you. 
  • Red Ruin Entertainment - film making and video editing service
  • Lynne Jones Theraputic Mentoring - theraputic mentoring
  • Coastal Plumbing and Heating South Wales Ltd - Plumbing and heating service 
  • Humata Yoga - Yoga classes, promoting mental, emotional and physical health
  • Kid and Clover - sustaineable, pasture fed kid meat
  • AJ Grigoriou Plumbing and Heating - plumbing and heating services
  • Soul and Soma - Pilates and Yoga Studio
  • Dirwest - non-alcoholic drinks made in the Vale of Glamorgan 
  • Mapstones Dog Grooming - dog grooming service
  • Day Visual Planner App - designed to bring structure to daily life for neurodiverse ind

Other considerations and support

For further information please contact the Economic Development team: 

• vsubursary@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

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