Business and Third Sector Grants

The Council is committed to supporting businesses, developing the local economy, regenerating town centres and encouraging private sector investment in the economy. As part of this commitment there are a range of financial investment programmes available supported by funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Place-making Grant.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. 

There are four programmes available;

The purpose of the grant is to support sustainable local business to set up, grow or diversify, contributing to creating a vibrant and strong local economy.

The grant will provide support for minor improvements and maintenance works, which will improve the external front elevation of town centre properties. 

A grant to support larger scale improvements (primarily external) to commercial buildings with energy efficiency being intrinsic to design. 

The grant is to target buildings with vacant floor-space in key town centres and other strategic locations where severe market failure is demonstrated. 

The Welsh Church Act Fund is available to Churches, Chapels, Places of Public Worship, constituted community groups and charities operating in the County Borough areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr and Bridgend.