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Last update 20/07/2025

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2025 Grants & Loans for Start‑ups & Small Businesses in Carmarthenshire, UK

Introduction

Carmarthenshire County Council offers a suite of grants and government-backed loans to help startups and small businesses establish themselves, grow, and contribute to the local economy in 2025. Here’s a breakdown of the available financial support.

Available Grants

🔹 Business Start‑Up Grant

Purpose: Supports new (pre‑start) businesses creating jobs.
Amount: Up to £10,000, based on creating at least one full-time equivalent (FTE) job at £1,000–£5,000 per job (Carmarthenshire County Council, Startup Grant).
Open: 3 March–30 September 2025, or until funds are used (Carmarthenshire County Council).
Eligibility: Pre-start businesses in key growth sectors (e.g. IT, advanced materials), operating in Carmarthenshire (Carmarthenshire County Council).

🔹 Business Growth Grant (Carmarthenshire Enterprise Fund – CEF)

Purpose: Supports development or improvement of premises that create jobs.
Amount: Up to £30,000 per job, or 50% of project cost (max £240,000) (Carmarthenshire County Council).
Status: Currently fully allocated; new applications may be wait-listed (Carmarthenshire County Council).

🔹 Carmarthenshire Rural Enterprise Fund (CREF)

Purpose: Aids development of rural business premises with job creation impact.
Amount: £20,000 per job or 45% (small), 35% (medium), 25% (large businesses); max ≈£100,000 (llandovery.wales).
Availability: Contact Council economic team for guidance (Popup Wales).

🔹 Town Centre Loans Fund

Purpose: Interest-free loans to refurbish town centre buildings.
Amount: £25,000–£1,000,000 over 5 years (max 75% LTV) (Popup Wales).

🔹 Transforming Towns & Ten Towns Initiatives

Purpose: Brings vacant/derelict buildings back into use in towns like Carmarthen, Ammanford, Llanelli, etc.
Amount: 70% funding up to £250,000 for small projects, 45% for larger ones (Popup Wales).
Status: Previous round closed Feb 2025; check council for future rounds.

🔹 Vacant Property Fund

Purpose: Revives empty commercial properties.
Availability: Managed under town centre and rural enterprise programmes.

Government‑Backed Loans

🔹 Start‑Up Loans Wales

Amount: £500–£25,000 personal loan
Extras: Includes 12 months of mentoring support.

🔹 Development Bank of Wales

Offering: Loans and equity investments from £1,000 up to several million.

Key Resources

Business Wales – National support, mentoring, funding guidance
Carmarthenshire Council Business Support – Local funding pages and forms
Antur Cymru / PopUp Wales – Local delivery partner for early-stage support (Popup Wales, Startup Grant)

Council Contact Information

📞 01267 234567
✉️ direct@carmarthenshire.gov.uk
🌐 Funding links via the Carmarthenshire Council website.

Advice on Applying

Engage early with Council economic team, Business Wales, or Antur Cymru.
Confirm funding round openings and deadlines (e.g. Business Start‑Up Grant closes 30 Sept).
Prepare a solid application: business plan, cost quotes, job creation details, and match funding.
Understand funding rules: retrospective payment, VAT, procurement, clawback periods.
Submit before deadlines or while funds last.

Additional Insights

The CEF programme prioritises job creation and key growth sectors (Startup Grant).
Town Centre loans are interest-free and encourage reuse of vacant buildings (Popup Wales).
The Rural Enterprise Fund supports rural premises development with tiered funding (Startup Grant).
Transforming and Ten Towns initiatives improve townscape and provide funding for under-used spaces (Popup Wales).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

🔹 How much can I get with the Business Start‑Up Grant?
Up to £10,000, based on £1k–£5k per full-time job created (Carmarthenshire County Council).

▫️ When does the Start‑Up Grant close?
Applications accepted from 3 March until 30 September 2025, or until funds run out (Carmarthenshire County Council, Carmarthenshire County Council).

🔹 What’s the max award for Business Growth (CEF)?
Up to £240,000, at £30k per job or 50% of project cost (Carmarthenshire County Council).

▫️ Is the CEF scheme open?
Currently fully allocated; new applications go to a waiting list (Carmarthenshire County Council).

🔹 How much funding from the Rural Enterprise Fund?
£20k per job or tiered funding (45% small, 35% medium, 25% large); max ~£100k (llandovery.wales).

▫️ What loans are available for town centre renovations?
Interest-free loans between £25k–£1m over 5 years (up to 75% of project) (Popup Wales).

🔹 Can startups access national loan schemes?
Yes—the Start‑Up Loans Wales and Development Bank of Wales offer finance from £500 up to multiple millions.

▫️ Who can help with applications?
Contact Antur Cymru, Business Wales, or the Council’s Business Support team for guidance.

🔹 Can I apply for multiple funds?
Yes, but ensure each part of your project is uniquely funded and eligible.

Value AD

2025

100% FREE

BUSINESS TOOl

What is Value Ad?

Value Ad is an innovative policy designed to foster a mutually beneficial relationship between two key groups: new businesses and service providers. This policy helps startups save significantly on essential services while enabling service providers to gain valuable traction and growth opportunities.

How is it a Win-Win Deal?

For New Businesses:

Cost Savings: Startups can save 50% to 80% on essential services such as website development and marketing. This means they don’t need to invest heavily upfront, making it easier to launch and grow their business.

Alternative Investment: The money saved through these discounts can be reinvested into other critical areas of the business, acting as an alternative investment that fuels further growth and development.

For Service Providers:

Initial Customer Base: Service providers, often tech startups themselves, can attract a significant number of initial customers by offering their services at a discounted rate. This helps them build traction and demonstrate value, which is crucial for attracting venture capital (VC) funding and other opportunities.

Marketing Efficiency: By providing affordable services, service providers do not need to spend heavily on marketing to acquire new customers. The discounted services themselves become a powerful marketing tool, bringing in customers who can spread the word and enhance the provider’s reputation.

Growth and Expansion: Attracting more customers through Value Ad helps service providers expand their client base and build long-term relationships, which can lead to increased revenue and business growth.

Alternative Investment for New Businesses:

For new businesses, the significant cost savings achieved through the Value Ad policy effectively serve as an alternative investment. Instead of spending large amounts on website development and marketing, they can leverage the affordable services provided by service providers. The saved funds can be redirected into other strategic areas of the business, enhancing overall growth and sustainability.

Benefits for Service Providers:

Service providers benefit from the Value Ad policy by gaining access to a ready pool of new customers who are drawn by the discounted rates. This initial customer base is crucial for:

Building Traction: Demonstrating product or service viability to potential investors.

Securing Funding: Enhanced customer traction and a growing user base can make the service provider more attractive to venture capitalists and other funding sources.

Market Penetration: Establishing a presence in the market quickly and efficiently without heavy marketing expenditures.

In Summary:

Value Ad is a strategic policy designed to create a win-win scenario for both new businesses and service providers. By offering significant discounts on essential services, startups can save and reinvest those savings, while service providers gain crucial initial customers and market traction. This mutually beneficial arrangement supports the growth and success of both groups, making Value Ad a powerful tool for business development and investment.

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