Falkirk

Our Planning To Start tool is a great place to begin. It takes just 10 minutes to complete and provides you with an instant toolkit with key resources & information. We'll then connect you with a member of the team at our local office for further support.

Our website offers a business plan guide and template to download when you’re ready, market reports and research, as well as handy online guides and articles, video tutorials and podcasts. Plus, we have a great range of webinars to hone your start-up skills – from writing a business plan to marketing on a budget.

With our help, you could be in business sooner than you imagined.

We know that your time is in short supply, so we offer 1:1 advice at a time and day to suit you. Together, you and your business adviser can create a strategic action plan to suit your ambitions.

Our online resources and webinars can help you learn new skills, create opportunities and gain confidence. From HR to restructuring, innovation and digital marketing - we can help. And if specialist input is required, we can connect you to other sources of support.

From digital marketing strategy to social media, e-Commerce, cyber security and more, we can help boost your digital performance.

Our DigitalBoost Health Check is a great place to start. It will help pinpoint your digital strengths, areas you could improve, and how we can help, and it only takes 5 minutes to complete.

What can this fund be used for?

• Reducing (non-staff) operational costs
• Improving market share
• Enabling employment to be safeguarded or increased
• Increasing revenues
• Increasing profit margin
• Improving cyber security
• Moving business online

Eligibility criteria

• Applicant organisations must be operating, located and trading from within Falkirk Council area
• Must be trading a minimum of 6 months. (Applicant business must have been receiving sales income for at least 6 months).
• Applicants must be a UK resident with the right to work in the UK.
• Businesses must meet the European* definition of an SME in relation to employees, balance sheet and turnover.
• All Industry sectors are eligible for consideration.

Further Eligibly criteria:

The business must have a dedicated business bank account (you will be required to provide the account details as part of the application process, and this is the account your grant will be paid into if successful).

• The business has not breached wider coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations/requirements
• The business is not connected to a tax haven, as set out in the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No. 2) Act 2020
• Business must be classified as a Small Medium Enterprise (SME) – Less than 250 employees and turnover less than £45 million
• Business must not be in any debt to the council e.g. Business rate arrears
• The business must be operating on a full-time basis
• The business must operate from commercial premises within the Falkirk Council area, for which there is a signed lease/rental /licence agreement in place
• At the time of submitting the application, the business cannot be in bankruptcy, liquidation or similar
• The business is not a community groups, not for profit organisations, voluntary or charitable organisations (except social enterprises).

Conditions:

• Businesses must clearly demonstrate how their digital investment project will improve their business performance and will safeguard or increase employment.
• Businesses must provide a business plan or strategy outlining their digital investment project, and demonstrating the commercial viability of their business
• If a full business plan is not available, a mini business plan covering the following will be sufficient:
• Executive summary: a brief overview of company proposals including digital development project and its anticipated impact
• Management and organisation: the management team and the company structure
• History, business, and products: a brief description and history of the business, a description of the principal products or services, and any proposed future developments.
• Market and competition: a description of markets to be targeted, size of market, major customers, major competitors
• 2 years financial projections – cash flow, profit and loss and balance sheet
• Business must provide up to date audited financial accounts or most recent management accounts

Whether you already employ people, or are looking to hire someone for the first time, let us help you ensure you meet legislation and have the right staff for the job. With our dedicated HR Business Adviser, helpful guides, templates and workshops, you can select the method which suits you to ensure your staff are happy and your business can be a success.

Our expertise covers all areas of employment, from recruitment, working hours, training, legislation, health and safety and payroll.

More information is available on the Scottish Government website.

Core objectives are to improve communications between businesses across the sectors, raise the profile of the business community both within and outside their areas, and to engage the business community in the economic regeneration activities taking place.

All businesses in the Falkirk area are eligible to receive regular e-zines. They will also be invited to participate proactively in key business events taking place throughout the year. You can find more business support information on the Falkirk Council website.

Use of the Support

• Marketing
• Information Technology
• Finance
• Procurement
• Leadership and Organisational Development
• Digital Media Solutions
• Environmental
• Innovation/ IP
• Internationalisation/ Exporting/ Brexit

What is Available

• Up to 3 days fully funded support
• Advice from experienced, qualified, professional experts
• Wide range of sectors and industries covered
  

Who can Apply

• Typically, businesses with fewer than 50 employees targeting increased sales approaching £200,000 or more over a 3 year period.

How to Apply

• If your business could benefit from any part of this suite of support which businesses can access completely free of charge, contact us.

Lending Clinics

An opportunity to meet and discuss your potential business lending requirements with a business lending specialist. Find out what process and information is required to progress a lending application. Hear more on The Falkirk Loan Fund and other sources of funding.

Contact us to book

Digital Clinic

Need some more advice on Digital Matters?

Topics covered are websites; digital marketing & social media; IT infrastructure and E-commerce.

Contact us to book

Legal Clinic

An opportunity to access legal advice from a local lawyer, providing expertise in many matters:

• Company Law
• Corporate Law
• Commercial Contracts
• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection

Contact us to book

Falkirk Council Procurement Clinics

Wanting to discover the best way to sell to Falkirk Council?

The Procurement and Commissioning Unit provide a support service to Falkirk Based Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who are interested in doing business with the Council and are looking for procurement guidance and advice.

Procurement clinic spaces are free and can be booked by contacting us

HR Clinic

As organisations open up again and employees return to work after furlough leave or after a long period of working from home there are likely to be some HR related issues employers will need to consider.

Some of the key areas employers are dealing with at the moment are:

• How to introduce COVID workplace testing
• The implications of gathering health data such as vaccination status
• How to deal with employees who are concerned about returning to the workplace
• Managing situations where social distancing rules are breached in the workplace
• The steps employers can take if workload is reduced or will take time to build up

This HR Clinic is open to all Falkirk based businesses and can be used for any HR related questions employers may have not just issues related to the pandemic. General HR issues which may be covered are:

• The steps an employer should take when they recruit their first employee
• The differences between employees and self-employed and the implications
• The documentation an employer should have in place with employees
• Questions in relation to sickness absence, holidays and performance management

The HR clinic will be held virtually either by phone call or video call. To arrange a time please contact us

Accountancy Clinic

Need some advice on accountancy matters?

Topics covered are bookkeeping, accountancy software packages, compliance advice, tax returns, working remotely , business advice , annual accounting and invoice processing .

Contact us to book an appointment

Operated by Women’s Enterprise Scotland, the Women's Business Centre website is free to access and offers dedicated, needs-based content on starting and growing a business, including stories, encouragement and top tips from leading business owners across Scotland.

Registration for SDP events is free for Scottish SMEs, and will connect your business with your local authority’s SDP Rep who can offer your business additional support.

Our advisers can help you look at your business challenges and then help you make the next practical steps. Along with that we can introduce you to PACE – Partnership Action for Continuing Employment.