Business grants and funding (new)

We offer free, in‑person, one‑to‑one business support for small independent businesses and people planning to start a business. This service gives business owners direct access to tailored advice from an experienced business consultant.  The support helps businesses develop clear plans, explore opportunities, address challenges and strengthen their long‑term resilience.

Independent businesses across all sectors within the Arun district can apply for support through this scheme. The support is fully funded by Arun District Council and provided free of charge to businesses.

If you apply for the Retail Start Up or Business Start Up Grants, we may refer you to the one‑to‑one business support consultant before we can agree your grant.

Who can apply

• you must be an independent business
• all types of business sectors can apply
• you can apply if you have a physical business or an online business
• if you have a physical business, it must be located in the Arun district
• if you have a mobile or online business which you operate from home, your home must be in the Arun district.
• you can apply if you have met with the one-to-one business consultant before, but if spaces are limited, priority will be given to new applicants

How to apply

You must read the guidelines before applying for the one-to-one business support.

To apply for one-to-one Business Support, please complete the online form below, after reading the above guidelines.

Apply for one-to-one business support

What the grant is for

The aim of the Business Start Up Grant is to help people starting new businesses buy the equipment and practical items they need to launch with confidence. By supporting new businesses at an early stage, we want to strengthen the local economy and encourage long‑lasting, successful enterprises.

How much you can apply for

• you can apply for up to £2,000 through this match‑funded scheme.
• match‑funding means we will cover up to half of the costs of your project, and you must cover the remaining costs.
• the grant is only paid after the purchases have been made, and you've shown us evidence. We cannot release funding in advance.

Who can apply

• you must be a new or pre-start independent business (trading for less than 18 months)
• all types of business sectors can apply.
• you can apply if you have a physical business or an online business
• if you have a physical business, it must be located in the Arun district
• if you have a mobile or online business which you operate from home, your home must be in the Arun district
• we may refer you to the one‑to‑one business support consultant before we can agree your grant.  

Who cannot apply

• you cannot apply if you have been given a business start-up grant before. 

How to apply

You must read the guidelines before applying for the Business Start-Up Grant.

To apply for the Business Start-Up Grant, please complete the online form below, after reading the above guidelines.

Apply for a Business Start-Up Grant

What the grant is for

The aim of the General Business Grant is to help established businesses buy the equipment and practical items they need to improve how they work. This could include tools, machinery or other resources that make the business stronger, more productive or better able to grow. The scheme encourages projects that help build a stronger local economy. We especially welcome ideas that have a clear environmental benefit or help make the district more resilient and diverse.

How much you can apply for

• you can apply for up to £2,500 through this match‑funded scheme.
• match‑funding means we will cover up to half of the costs of your project, and you must cover the remaining costs.
• the grant is only paid after the work has been completed, and you've shown us evidence. We cannot release funding in advance.

Who can apply

• you must be an existing independent business (trading for more than 18 months)
• all types of business sectors can apply
• if you have a physical business, it must be located in the Arun district
• if you have a mobile or online business which you operate from home, your home must be in the Arun district.

You may only submit one application per business. 

Who cannot apply

• you cannot apply if you have been given a general business grant before.

How to apply

You must read the guidelines before applying for the General Business Grant.

To apply for the General Business Grant, please complete the online form below, after reading the above guidelines.

Apply for a General Business Grant

What the grant is for

The aim of the Town Centre Retail Start-Up Grant scheme is to help new retailers set up good‑quality premises that improve the look and feel of our town centres and improve the range and offer available. The grant supports investment in equipment and other physical items needed to open and run a retail shop.  

To support a broader and more diverse town‑centre offer, the grant is only available to certain types of retail businesses setting up in ground floor units in named streets in the district's three town centres of Arundel, Bognor Regis and Littlehampton. By focusing investment in these areas, the scheme helps strengthen the character of our towns and support local businesses by creating welcoming places for people to visit, shop and spend time.

How much you can apply for

• you can apply for up to £2,500 through this match funded scheme.
• match‑funding means we will cover up to half of the costs of your project, and you must cover the remaining costs.  
• the grant is only paid after the work has been completed, and you've shown us evidence. We cannot release funding in advance.

Who can apply

• you must be a new, independent retail business that signed its commercial lease no more than two months before submitting the grant application
• your business must be in a ground floor unit in one of the named streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton
• check the full list of streets in our guidance.
• we may refer you to the one‑to‑one business support consultant before we can agree your grant 

Who cannot apply

The following types of business, or those we consider similar, cannot apply for this grant:

• cafes
• restaurants
• bars
• beauty services
• barbers
• hairdressers
• vape shops. 

You cannot apply if you have been given a retail start-up grant before. 

You cannot apply if your business is located outside of the named streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton.

How to apply

You must read the guidelines before applying for the Retail Start-Up Grant.

To apply for the Retail Start-Up Grant, please complete the online form below, after reading the above guidelines.

Apply for a Retail Start-Up Grant

What the grant is for

The aim of the Shopfront Improvement Grant scheme is to help business property owners and their tenants invest in their buildings and improve the overall quality of the local street scene. By improving the appearance of shopfronts, we can help make our towns more appealing for people to visit, shop, invest and live in.

This grant is open to commercial property owners, or their independent business tenants with ground floor premises to improve the appearance of shopfronts within specific streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton town centres. By focusing investment in these areas, the scheme helps strengthen the character of our towns and support local businesses by creating welcoming places for people to visit, shop and spend time.

How much you can apply for

• you can apply for up to £2,000 through this match-funded scheme.
• match‑funding means we will cover up to half of the costs of your project, and you must cover the remaining costs.
• the grant is only paid after the work has been completed, and you've shown us evidence. We cannot release funding in advance.

Who can apply

• all types of business sectors can apply
• you are the owner or independent business tenant (with written permission of the owner) of a ground floor commercial property in one of the named streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton. 
• check the list of streets on our guidance page.

Who cannot apply

• You cannot apply if your business is located outside of the named streets in Arundel, Bognor Regis or Littlehampton 
• You cannot apply if you have been given a shopfront enhancement / improvement grant before.

How to apply

You must read the guidelines before applying for the Shopfront Improvement Grant.

To apply for the Shopfront Improvement Grant, please complete the online form below, after reading the above guidelines.

Apply for a Shopfront Improvement Grant

The list of external grants is always changing. Please sign up to the monthly newsletter below for the latest information.