GrowBiz events focus on funding

Community-based enterprise support organisation GrowBiz is hosting several funding experts at its XChange networking event this month, highlighting the range of funding opportunities available to businesses and enterprises in Scotland.

The event, which is the first GrowBiz XChange meeting of 2020, takes place on Thursday, January 30, from 6pm to 8.30pm in the Birnam Arts Centre.

The panel of speakers include Caron Ironside from Perthshire Creates, Brenda Roddy, Crowdfund Scotland Coach for Perth and Kinross, Graham Glover from Perth and Kinross Council which runs the Beyond Scotland Market Development Grant, Emma Miller from the Royal Bank of Scotland and Rekha Welsh from DSL.

Perthshire Creates, which is part of Culture Perth and Kinross, coordinates the Visual Artists and Creative Makers Award (VACMA) which offer small grants to support visual artists and crafters. A new graduate/emerging artist bursary award is available this year. Caron Ironside will talk about all the available awards in more detail.

Brenda Roddy is the Crowdfund Scotland coach for rural Perthshire, which, thanks to a LEADER-funded programme, sees her provide advice and support to help people get their idea off the ground. Brenda is keen to help communities, businesses and individuals run successful projects.

Beyond Scotland Market Development is a new grant being offered by Perth and Kinross Council which is aimed at providing local micro and small businesses with funding support to explore and develop markets for their goods and services across the United Kingdom and abroad. With grants of up to £2,500, Graham Glover will talk about this and other initiatives currently available through the local authority.

Emma Miller from RBS will talk about her role as a business growth enabler and how she can help support business customers. She will discuss what the bank can offer business owners, including local events and its current initiative, Back Her Business.

DSL is a not-for-profit lender that pledges funds to ambitious smallmedium-sized businesses throughout Scotland. Rekha Welsh will highlight the services it offers such as the Scottish microfinance fund.

GrowBiz XChange events take place every month at various locations throughout Perthshire and provide an opportunity for local entrepreneurs to get together, network and exchange business cards and hear from inspirational speakers in an informal setting. There is also a chance to ask questions.

GrowBiz CEO Jackie Brierton said: “The potential for growth in rural areas is significant and something that we at GrowBiz are focussing on and which we feel deserves to be invested in.”

For more information visit www. growbiz.co.uk, follow GrowBiz Perthshire on social media or sign up to be added to the GrowBiz mailing list by emailing connect@growbiz.co.uk