Powys Capital Business Grant

As part of our ongoing commitment to supporting economic development and businesses throughout these challenging times, Powys County council are delivering Powys Capital Business Grant which is funded by the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund.

Grants are available between £5,000 and £25,000.

The grant offer is:

• Capital Investment to support the purchase of equipment that boosts productivity or enables the creation of new products or services.
• Capital investment to help businesses adopt greener technologies, such as replacing existing lighting or heating systems with more sustainable alternatives.

This capital grant is to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems and support businesses at all stages of their development to sustain, grow and innovate, including through local networks.

It aims to help local enterprises and inward investors enhance productivity, develop new products or services, and build long-term sustainability.

Please note that this is a two-stage application process with important deadlines. 

• Expression of Interest (EOI) - must be submitted by midnight on 15 September.  (If your EOI is successful, you'll be invited to complete the second stage Full Application)
• Full Application - must be submitted by midnight on 3 October.

How much funding is available?

Grants are available between £5,000 and £25,000. Each grant award will be based on 50% of eligible costs. 

Match funding must be cash (rather than 'in kind') and from private sector sources.

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

Where an application is approved the business must fund 100% of expenditure before receiving the agreed grant as a reimbursement.

Applying is a competitive process, and value for money/impact will be a key factor when projects are appraised and selected.

The Grant is open to Micro businesses and Small-Medium Enterprises. The grant is only available for application to existing businesses that have been trading for six months or more within the eligible sectors that are in or planning to locate within Powys. 

If applying for capital investment to help adopt greener technologies, an energy assessment, audit or plan must have been completed for the business within the last two years. A copy of this will be required at full application.

Eligible Sectors:

• Advanced Materials and Manufacturing
• Construction
• Creative Industries
• Energy and Environment
• Finance and Professional Services
• Information Technology and Telecoms
• Life Sciences
• Food & Drink
• Tourism
• Retail
• Care

Applications will however be considered on a case-by-case basis subject to their potential contribution and value to the local economy

The following sectors are ineligible for support: -

• primary agriculture production
• forestry
• aquaculture
• Statutory services e.g. Primary health and education

Applicants must demonstrate their growth plans (and provide evidence where applicable) within the application process. Business growth is defined as a business seeking to increase turnover, create jobs or safeguarding staff who may be at risk. Priority will be given to early-stage businesses and businesses with the ambition and characteristic to scale-up.

All expenditure associated with the grant must be delivered and defrayed (paid) by the 18^th of January 2026. No extensions will be given. The proposed business and associated jobs must be created within 6 months of the final payment of grant.

Failure to achieve the committed outputs could result in the claw back of grant funds.

Upon giving reasonable notice, Powys County Council reserves the right to monitor and maintain evidence at 6 months,1, 3 and 5 years from the receipt of a grant application.

It is highly advised that applicants obtain business support, and complete the application form in consultation with either one of the business support providers listed below, or with another recognised consultant:

• Antur Cymru - business@anturcymru.org.uk
• Business Wales - trading@businesswales.org
• Business Wales (specifically for assistance with energy efficiency solutions) - Gareth.Davies@BusinessWales.org
• Cwmpas (specifically for Social Enterprises) - nick.wilson@cwmpas.coop


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The grant will apply to capital expenditure within an approved project and can include:

Capital expenditure:

• Purchase of new or second hand equipment, e.g. plant, machinery, specialist equipment, etc. Please note plant could include items such as forklift trucks, telehandlers, excavators, etc. General vehicles such as vans and cars are not eligible.**see note below re: purchase of second hand items
• Purchase and installation of equipment to create or enhance outdoor trading space, e.g., shelters, gazebos, etc. Please note you will need to provide evidence of the relevant permissions if appropriate, i.e., planning permission, licences, etc.
• Purchase of energy efficient equipment e.g LED lighting, solar photovoltaic panels, battery storage system, air source heat pumps etc.

Second hand equipment

The purchase costs of second-hand equipment are eligible for grant under the following conditions: -

• The seller of the equipment shall provide a declaration stating its origin, and confirm that at no point during the previous seven years has it been purchased with the aid of national or European grants;
• The price of the equipment shall not exceed its market value and shall be less than the cost of similar new equipment, and
• The equipment shall have the technical characteristics necessary for the operation and comply with applicable norms and standards, e.g., Health and Safety

Ineligible expenditure includes: -

• General revenue expenditure such as, staff costs or any other taxes, hire purchase/lease purchases,
• Premises improvement / minor building works
• Repair, maintenance, and decoration costs,
• Replacement fixtures and fittings, furniture, and general office equipment etc.
• Contingency fees and costs which were committed or spent before the offer and acceptance of the grant.
• General Vehicles such as cars and vans
• Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure
• Working capital costs such as stock, rent, rates, administration.
• Membership & affiliation to governing bodies
• Costs of work being carried out as a legal statutory requirement, inc. planning permission.
• Feasibility studies
• If the business is VAT registered, then VAT will be ineligible. VAT will be payable in cases of non-VAT registered companies.
• No expenditure should be incurred before grant approval as the grants cannot be awarded retrospectively.
• Cash purchases will not be considered for grant payment.
• Items purchased through lease purchase, hire purchase, extended credit agreements/finance leases will not be considered for grant funding.
• Professional fees associated with general business consultants including business plans/ BID writing and any fees associated in completing an application for grants purposes

Initially an applicant is required to submit an expression of interest. The expression of interest will then be assessed for eligibility purposes and if approved you will be invited to submit a full application.

Each applicant will then need to complete and return the following:

• Completed Application Form
• At least 2 full years historical accounts and recent management accounts, if available. If a business has not been trading for 2 years, management accounts and or income & expenditure summary must be provided from the trading start date up to application date
• 2 years projected forecasts (cash flow and/or profit and loss)
• Written Quotations
• Welsh Language Standards- please see further guidance in section 9
• Environmental / Sustainability Policy - Applicants will need to outline the ways in which the business is committed to reducing its impact on the environment.

The Local Authority has committed to become net zero carbon by 2030 and is keen to promote sustainable business practices through its funding programmes.

As part of the application, you will be asked how your business demonstrates a commitment to sustainable development and sign up to the Welsh Government Green Growth Pledge. https://businesswales.gov.wales/green-growth-pledge-0

It should be noted that the Powys Capital Business Grant is a discretionary grant and is subject to approval by Powys County Council. Each application will be assessed to consider applications meet the standard by the given deadline.

All completed applications will be considered on first come first served basis until the total fund is fully allocated.

Each application will be assessed against the outputs and outcomes of the grant project, i.e. 

• value for money / grant per job created ratio and private sector investment levered by the grant as well as the viability of the business plan to support the start-up and sustainable growth plans.
• Jobs created
• Jobs safeguarded
• Number of enterprises adopting new or improved products or services
• Number of enterprises adopting new to the firm technologies or processes
• Number of enterprises with improved productivity
• Number of low or zero carbon energy infrastructure installed
• Amount of carbon dioxide or equivalent reductions

Output and Outcome Evidence Requirements

At the end of the grant period, you will be required to provide evidence of the outputs and outcomes outlined within your application:

• Job Created - A contract or letter from the director stating that a new job has been created for a period of one year or more as a result of the grant funding. This must include the contracted hours per week.
• Jobs Safeguarded - A letter from the director stating the job was forecasted to be lost within 6 months of application. This must include the contracted hours per week.
• Number of enterprises adopting new or improved products or services - A signed declaration confirming the new product or service you stated to achieve within your application.
• Number of enterprises adopting new to the firm technologies or processes - A signed declaration confirming the new to the firm technologies or processes you stated to achieve within your application.
• Number of enterprises with improved productivity - A signed declaration stating the Powys Business Capital Grant funding improved your productivity.
• Number of low or zero carbon energy infrastructure installed - A signed declaration stating the number of low or zero carbon energy infrastructure installed and photographic evidence.
• Amount of carbon dioxide or equivalent reductions - A signed declaration of the estimated carbon dioxide equivalent reductions (over a calendar year) following the installation stated within your application.

Purchasing goods, services or works

When procuring works, goods and services, applicants are expected to conduct the process in a manner which ensures openness, value for money and fairness and must follow the procurement procedures as they are outlined in this section.

Think Powys First

We encourage you to explore the marketplace to establish if there are any businesses within Powys that can provide the goods / service that you are seeking to purchase and include them in your invites to quote.  Powys County Council and businesses operating within the County have a big role to play in the economic recovery of Powys and local supply development is fundamental.

Procurement Thresholds

The precise procedures to be followed will depend upon the size of the order or contract to be let. Powys County Council (PCC) operates a graduated set of procedures which recognises the need to lighten administrative requirements for contracts involving smaller amounts.

Up to £5,000 it is necessary only to demonstrate that value for money is being achieved following the principles contained in these procedure rules and in the Guidance for Officers document.

From £5,000 to £49,999 the spirit of these procedure rules should be followed and wherever practicable, a minimum of 3 written competitive quotes must be obtained from firms, who, preferably are registered on a national procurement website (currently Sell 2 Wales). Alternatively the requirement may be openly advertised on a national procurement website (currently Sell 2 Wales). Such quotations must be retained for a period of not less than two years from the date of the Contract award.

£50,000 or above must be tendered, and advertised on a national procurement website (currently Sell 2 Wales). Where the European Union threshold has been exceeded the procurement must be tendered and advertised in the official journal of the European Union. The relevant Strategic Director / Director / Head of Service shall ensure that the Commercial Services team are consulted before the advert is placed.

Where the competitive dialogue procedure is adopted a minimum of three tenders must be invited.

The Welsh Language Standards Compliance Notice places a statutory requirement on Powys County Council to ensure that all grants it awards has a positive effect on opportunities for persons to use Welsh, and the Welsh language is not treated less favourably than English.

Applicants will be expected to set out their commitments to the Welsh language in their answer to the questions on the application form and, once agreed with the grant officer, they will be included as terms and conditions for the successful applicant.

This scheme is covered by the current UK Government Subsidy Control Act (2022).

The total amount of Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) received over a rolling period of three fiscal years should not exceed £315,000 per business*.

If you have received any other financial assistance in the past 3 financial years please describe the support in the box below. It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor the level of MFA received; you will be asked to declare that this has not been exceeded in the event of an offer being made. [* The MFA financial threshold applies at company group level.]

All bids must also consider how they will deliver in line with subsidy control as per UK Government

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/subsidy-control-regime

Where applicants do not adequately demonstrate that the proposed project is compliant under the UK Subsidy Control Regime it may be considered ineligible, and your application could be rejected.

It should be noted that the Powys Capital Business Grant is a discretionary grant and is subject to approval by Powys County Council.

The grant may be recovered should the business cease to trade, relocate or the items purchased as part of the grant are sold on within 5 years of award.

Limited Companies must use the business bank account to purchase all the items associated to the grant. It is encouraged for Sole Traders and partnerships that all goods purchased in relation to the grant are purchased using the business bank account.

It is important to note that grants are paid retrospectively, so applicants must have the means to purchase the item(s) in full up front, and then claim the grant value from Powys County Council.

Should the application be successful, the grant money is paid direct into the bank account of the applicant business. This is based on receipt or evidence of purchase and defrayment i.e. original or on-line printed bank statements and original invoices to confirm expenditure.

Any deviations to the application in terms of suppliers and expenditure must be requested to the grant team prior to purchase. Failure to seek approval may result in the grant not being paid for those items.

Photographic evidence of all items associated to the grant will be required to support the claim. In some instances, a site visit will be required.

The applicant must accept the terms and conditions of the grant by completing the Notification of Approval and Terms & Conditions within 10 days from receipt. All expenditure associated to the grant must be completed 18 January 2026. No extension will be given for the submission of the claim

The job(s) created and/or safeguarded associated to the projects must be achieved / sustained within 6 months of the final payment.  Monitoring of the business and jobs created and/or safeguarded will take place and evidence will be required. Failure to achieve the committed outputs could result in the claw back of grant funds.

For all grant purposes monitoring of the claim and evidence will take place with prior notice at 6 months, 1, 3 and 5 years from the date of award of the grant.

Should the project not proceed within the period stipulated in the offer of grant, the offer of grant will automatically lapse. Any variation to the Terms & Conditions set out in the Approval Letter must be requested and agreed.

Cash purchases will not be considered for grant payment. 

Items purchased with credit cards are eligible, but applicants will need to evidence the transaction on their credit card bill. ** Limited companies must use the business credit cards to purchase items associated to the grant rather than personal cards of the director(s).

Grants will not be offered or paid if the business or applicant is in arrears with any payment to any of the participating local authorities operating the scheme.

Funding shall be withheld and/or, insofar as payment has been made, the grant recipient shall repay funding either in whole or in part, including if:

1.  there has been an overpayment of funding;
2.  during its economic life, the project undergoes substantial change defined as being used for purposes other than those specified in the application, or, having a change of owner without notifying Powys County Council.

The economic life is the period up to 5 years from date of the final payment of grant and repayment of funding will be required as follows:

• Within 1 year        Funding to be repaid in full
• Within 2 years      80% of funding to be repaid
• Within 3 years      60% of funding to be repaid
• Within 4 years      40% of funding to be repaid
• Within 5 years      20% of funding to be repaid
• After 5 years        No funding to be repaid

The above are minimum repayment requirements

The grant must be repaid in full on demand if: -

• the applicant is found to have made any misrepresentation in connection with the application.
• the applicant has breached the provision of condition above.
• the assets and property (if applicable) are not fully re-instated within 12 months of any occurrence giving rise to loss of or damage to the property.

Before we ask you to make a full application, you will need to submit an expression of interest which outlines your business proposal and costs.

Expression of Interest (EOI) - must be submitted by midnight on 15 September.     

You will need the following information:

• Your details
• Business details and description of its main activity
• Indicative project costs
• Details of any additional funding / finance

You can find the form in the link below

Expression of Interest Form Capital Business Grant Expression of Interest Form

Need help? 

Contact our Economic Development team at economicdevelopment@powys.gov.uk