If you are thinking of starting or currently run a tourism related business in Denbighshire we have put together a pack which contains useful information which will help you to understand what we do as a department and how we can help you. The pack will also signpost you to other industry experts within Wales and also at a local level.
To follow is some information regarding grants however to obtain your free business pack  with the full information please contact us on the e-mail address on the left.

Introduction to Denbighshire County Council Grants  (Under Objective 1 Funding)
‘Improve Your Market Penetration’   and    ‘Become a More Successful Entrepreneur’
Why not improve your business’s prospects with a Denbighshire County Council Business Support Grant
Whether you have an established business, or you are thinking of starting a new business, we have a
range of business support grants designed to fit with a variety of funding requirements and start-up
situations. However, before applying please check the criteria details on page 4, in order to confirm
that your business sector is eligible for grant funding.There are specific grants that may fit with your own particular business requirements:-
· Business Development Grants
· Marketing Grants

Marketing Grants
‘Marketing your business is the powerful key in Creating a Successful Business’
To succeed you have to market your products or services with innovative and compelling marketing strategies. The Marketing Grant is a grant available to businesses in Denbighshire to encourage new or original marketing strategies and pay towards a proportion of the costs involved. It is important that these initiatives focus on systematically marketing your products or services. It’s important to recognise the need to present the full sales story, rather than assume that customers already know all about your products.If you are keen to produce fresh and innovative marketing literature, attend trade shows or exhibitions, create a new Web-site, or put information about your business on the Internet, the Marketing Grant is designed to give some financial assistance towards the costs involved. The grant is available to assist a company to undertake a marketing initiative where there hasn’t been one, or to add value to an existing marketing strategy. It will enable an enterprise to access new markets through, for example, the World Wide Web, or to increase their presence or impact.
What Projects are eligible?
· Company video production and Product photography
· Web-site design and associated costs
· New brochures, folders and marketing literature
· Trade Shows and Exhibition costs (within the UK)
Although comprehensive, this list is by no means exhaustive and support and advice is available from the Economic Regeneration Unit.
Ineligible expenditure
The grant cannot be used for the following items:
· Letter Headings, Compliment Slips, Invoices, Business Cards
· General advertising – Newspapers, Television or radio
How much is the Grant?
The grant is normally 50% of the total costs, up to a maximum of £3,000, based on a maximum expenditure of £6,000. In order to qualify an applicant must be a business employing less than 25 employees, and be able to demonstrate that the marketing initiative is new and will assist in increased turnover and business growth.
Minimum Expenditure
The minimum expenditure accepted on a Marketing Grant application is £1,500.
Proof of Payment
Before payment of the grant can be made you will need to offer proof (normally receipted invoices from your suppliers) that each element of your project has been paid in full.
Recognition of European Funding
Should the grant be part of Objective 1 funding this has to be recognised and in this respect the European logo needs to be clearly shown on all marketing materials (leaflets, folders, brochures etc.).

Business Development Grants
‘For Modernisation ,Growth and Expansion’
The Business Development Grant provides financial assistance to private industry. It is designed to assist you in growing your business successfully by the purchase/development/improvement of buildings, as well as the purchase of capital equipment such as new manufacturing plant, office equipment or CAD/CAM systems. Both manufacturing and service sectors are eligible to apply.
Increased Employment
The main objective of the Business Development Grant is to benefit local firms, and by so doing, benefit the local employment market and also provide amenities and environmental improvements. Assessment will therefore take into account employment levels, business space created and multiplier effects, as well as the extent of private sector investment, and the overall impact all this will have on the company’s future prospects.
Level of Grant
The level of grant assistance will be up to 47.5% up to a maximum grant of £7,125 based on an expenditure of £15,000. It should be noted however that where the project qualifies for an Assembly Investment Grant (AIG) the level of grant could be considerably more, especially on projects where the expenditure is below £100,000
Business Review
Before your Business Development Grant can proceed we will put you in touch with an Adviser who will carry out a comprehensive Business Review. This review has the overall aim of targeting SME’s capable of growth, identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and in the light of that analysis, assisting them to access the specialist advice needed to improve their performance.
Quotations
An applicant is expected to make every effort to obtain at least three competitive quotations for any building work involved, or any equipment or plant to be installed. Successful applicants will receive payment of the grant based on market value, as deemed appropriate by the Council.
Approval and Payment of the Grant
No work or purchase of equipment can be made until a ‘Letter of Offer’ has been received, and an agreed copy signed and returned to the County Council’s Business Support Office. Payment of the grant will be subject to the applicant having complied with all terms and conditions of the grant, and having completed the work, and/or installed the capital equipment – to the approval of the Officers of the County Council. Proof of payment will be required from the supplier of the goods or services.
Minimum Expenditure
The minimum expenditure accepted on a Business Development Grant is £4,000.

Denbighshire Enterprise Grant
‘Are you setting up a New Business?’
‘Do you wish to become Self-Employed?’
‘Have you got an Entrepreneurial idea?’
Then the Denbighshire Enterprise Grant may well be a small, but important way of financing part of
your initial start up costs. The grant is aimed specifically at new ‘embryo’ businesses, which may lack initial working capital or overdraft facilities. The grant has been set at £500 and is paid in one instalment of £500 (after the business has commenced trading) three months after the business has started trading. Attendance at the Denbighshire Enterprise ‘Business Course’ is an obligatory part of the Enterprise Grant process, as is an agreement to a monitoring call prior to the payment. In certain circumstances where a project meets the Objective 1 criteria The award is designed to develop the Supporting Businesses in Denbighshire package of assistance currently available, and applicants are advised to look at all other avenues of funding support.
For more information on the Denbighshire Enterprise Grant, contact:-
Denbighshire Enterprise Agency,
Clwydfro,
Lon Parcwr,
Ruthin,
Denbighshire,
LL15 1NJ,
Tel: 01824 705782
Overall Eligibility
The following types of projects are normally eligible for Business Support Grants:
· Research and Development
· Light Industry
· Manufacturing
· General commercial activities
· Service Industries (such as laundries)
Note: Where an application is being made under European Union Objective1 funding, rather than Denbighshire County Council support, certain criteria has to be followed which means that certain sectors are ineligible. A list of these ineligible sectors can be supplied on application.

Agency Grants
There are a number of grant sources available to businesses within the tourism industry from various different agencies. Below you will find contact details of other potential funding sources, many of whom will have a number of initiatives with different criteria, levels of grant and timescales.
ARTS COUNCIL OF WALES
The Arts Council for Wales is an Assembly sponsored body, and following its recent restructure, the ACW has undergone a number of significant changes. One of the most important changes is a redevelopment of the Arts Council of Wales' schemes, which are opportunities through which the arts in Wales can apply for funding from ACW.
There are a number of schemes for arts related projects, and each scheme has a certain amount of money allocated to it annually. The money comes from two sources:
- Funds from the Welsh Assembly Government
- Lottery funds, from the sale of Lottery tickets across the UK
The Arts Council distributes these funds on behalf of the Welsh Assembly and Department of Culture, Media and Sport respectively. To find out if you are eligible for funding, contact:-
North Wales Office,
Arts Council of Wales,
36 Prince's Drive,
Colwyn Bay
LL29 8LA
Tel: 01492 533440
CADW
Cadw is a Welsh word which means 'to keep'. Cadw's mission is to protect, conserve, and to promote an appreciation of the built heritage of Wales. The organisation is the historic environment Directorate Welsh Assembly Government, and was created in 1984. Cadw carries out the complete range of responsibilities for the conservation, presentation and promotion of the built heritage of Wales on behalf of the Assembly. Cadw defines built heritage as the physical remains of people's activities within the Welsh landscape. The remains include an immense variety of sites, monuments, architectural ruins and historic buildings. To find out if you are eligible for funding, contact:-
Cadw,
Plas Carew,
Unit 5/7 Cefn Coed,
Parc Nantgarw,
Nantgarw,
Cardiff,
CF15 7QQ
Tel: 01443 336000
website: www.cadw.wales.gov.uk
CADWYN CLWYD-RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Cadwyn Clwyd is a rural development agency providing financial assistance and support to communities and groups in rural Denbighshire and Flintshire through EU and domestic funded programmes. Cadwyn works directly with communities and groups to foster innovation and diversification for the benefit of the local economy. Cadwyn Clwyd may support projects, which are new or innovative, are grass-root led and can demonstrate that they could be sustainable after Cadwyn Clwyd support. Contact:-
Cadwyn Clwyd,
Llys Clwyd,
Lon Parcwr Industrial Estate,
Ruthin,
Denbighshire,
LL15 1NJ 
Tel: 01824 705802
Email – admin@cadwynclwyd.co.uk
COUNTRYSIDE COUNCIL FOR WALES
The Countryside Council for Wales champions the environment and landscapes of Wales and its coastal waters as sources of natural and cultural riches, as a foundation for economic and social activity, and as a place for leisure and learning opportunities. We aim to make the environment a valued part of everyone’s life in Wales. From time to time CCW has grant resources available to assist organisations to deliver this work on the ground, with communities and other organisations. Contact:-
CCW Grants Unit,
Maes y Ffynnon,
Ffordd Penrhos,
Bangor,
Gwynedd
LL57 2DN
Tel: 08451 306229
DENBIGHSHIRE ENTERPRISE AGENCY
The Enterprise Agency offers a free and independent advice service to help new businesses or expansion of an existing business. The team can offer training courses, help with premises, business advice, financial support, and assistance with Information Communications Technology (ICT). If you would like some advice, please contact:-
Brian Thomas,
Lôn Parcwr,
Ruthin
LL15 1NJ.
Tel: 01824 70 5782
FARMING CONNECT
Farming Connect is a service designed to help farming families in Wales develop a successful future for their businesses. All the key organisations involved in agriculture have come together to deliver a coordinated range of services geared towards making it easier to get help. The overall aim of Farming Connect is to provide a resource base that will provide training, advice and information. Contact:-
Tel: 08456 000 813 - General Enquiries
Tel: 01824 705802 - Denbighshire Enquiries – David Williams
NATIONAL LOTTERY
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) aims to improve the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities, to support the pursuit of excellence and to champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries. The vision is to extend excellence and improve access in all sectors. The DCMS is responsible for Government policy on arts, sport, the National Lottery, tourism, libraries, museums and galleries, broadcasting, film, the music industry, press freedom and regulation, licensing, gambling and the historic environment. Over 60 public bodies receive funding from DCMS to deliver direct sporting and cultural support to the public. The Department was responsible for establishing the National Lottery in 1994 and over £7 billion was raised for good causes in the first 5 years. There are five main organisations in Wales, which distribute funds from the National Lottery. To find out if you are eligible for funding from one or more of the distributors, contact:-
DCMS,
2-4 Cockspur Street,
London
SW1Y 5DH
Tel: 0207211 6200 or 0845 2750000
THE SPORTS COUNCIL FOR WALES
The Sports Council for Wales is an Assembly sponsored body, and is the national organisation responsible for developing and promoting sport and physical activity. It was set up by Royal Charter in 1972 and is the main advisor to the Welsh Assembly Government on all sporting matters. The Sports Council is also responsible for distributing lottery funds to sport in Wales. To find out if you are eligible for funding, contact:-
North East Regional Office,
Deeside Leisure Centre,
Chester Road West,
Queensferry,
Deeside
CH5 1SA.
Tel: 0845 045 0908 Fax: 02920 300629
RURAL BUSINESS ACTION ( RBA)
Rural Business Action (RBA) with assistance from the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) recognizes that individual businesses and community groups in the Vale of Clwyd and the Dee Valley provide services that are essential for sustaining rural communities. RBA supports the benefits of Partnership working in these areas through the development of strategic Business Action Plans which underpin the infrastructure of rural enterprise. RBA also takes the lead on relevant Local Authority rural business support initiatives. Contact:-
Jeremy Knibbs,
RBA Manager,
Town Hall,
Parade Street,
Llangollen,
Denbighshire,
LL20 8PW
THE TRAINING FORUM FOR WALES
The Tourism Training Forum for Wales was established to provide leadership, guidance and co-ordination for tourism training and education in wales. The main aim of the Forum is promoting tourism training, encouraging people to choose tourism as a long term career, and campaigning for training and education projects which are relevant to the needs of the industry. If you would like to find out more about the Training Forum, please contact: 
Tourism Training Forum for Wales,
Unit 16 Frazer Buildings,
126 Bute Street,
Cardiff,
CF10 5LE
Tel: 02920 495174
email: enquiries@ttfw.org.uk
VISIT WALES
Visit Wales (VW) is part of the Welsh Assembly Governments Department of Innovation, Enterprise and Networks. It is committed to seeking sustainable growth in tourism. The vision is to create a mature, confident and prosperous industry which makes a vital and increasing contribution to the economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being of Wales by achieving sustainable growth effective co-ordination and collaboration at all levels of the industry. Welsh Assembly Government can provide financial assistance in the form of investments in those tourism businesses in Wales undertaking capital investment in line with development priorities. To find out if you are eligible for funding, contact:-
Phil Griffiths,
Senior Investment Analyst,
Visit Wales,
Unit 25,
St Asaph Business Park, 
Denbighshire,
LL17 OLJ
Tel: 01745 589024
email phil.griffiths@wales.gsi.gov.uk