From Friday, 26 February, businesses in Ealing can submit an application for up to £25,000 of funding from one of three business grants.
These include:
- the aviation sector grant
- the cultural sector grant
- the COVID hardship grant
The grants are part of the government’s additional restrictions grant scheme, a discretionary fund awarded to the council to help local businesses who are not eligible for other forms of financial support and have fixed ongoing costs such as rent or mortgage payments, loans or lease agreements for capital equipment or rental of workspaces.
Ealing Council has been allocated almost £10million by the government for the scheme.
The aviation sector grant is open to businesses across all sectors, including home-based businesses, self-employed, freelancers and businesses who supply Heathrow Airport or service the multiple sectors linked to the airport and rely upon the aviation economy across the borough.
The cultural sector grant is aimed at cultural organisations and individual creatives who work in the creative and digital industries, the arts and businesses who contribute to the borough’s cultural economy.
Businesses who previously received grant funding are invited to apply for these grants. However, in the event of an oversubscription of applications to the aviation grant priority will be given to businesses that have not previously received grant funding. Whilst priority for the cultural sector grant will be given to applicants who already benefit Ealing’s rich cultural diversity, those who will use the grant as match funding for other grant applications, or who will contribute to Ealing’s economic recovery and renewal plans.
Applicants for the aviation sector and cultural sector grant schemes should familiarise themselves with the council’s draft ‘Greenprint’ plan to help with the borough’s economic recovery and renewal.
The third business grant available is the COVID hardship grant. This is for businesses who have suffered financial hardship as a result of the COVID pandemic. To qualify businesses must have been trading since 5 November 2020 and are not entitled to the recent local restriction grants or 2nd / 3rd national lockdown grants. Businesses operating from a home address, sole traders, freelancers and the self-employed are not eligible for this funding.
Businesses can only apply for one grant category.
Businesses are encouraged to visit the council’s website to review the application criteria for each grant and if eligible submit an application as soon as possible. The deadline for applications is 11:59 Friday, 19 March.
