Aberdeenshire female founders face grant application deadline

Business Desk 2026-10-06 13:44 2 min read

A smiling blonde woman wearing a green leaf-patterned blouse holds a notebook in an office.

By beehiveweb.co.uk editorial team, using information supplied by Aberdeenshire Council News.

Women-led businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire within their first two years of trading can apply for £500 grants to test ideas and support growth. Applications close on 30 November 2026, and funded activity must be completed and evidenced by the end of February 2027.

To request the full grant guidance and application form, email [email protected]. Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire is encouraging eligible founders to apply early because demand is expected to be high.

Eligibility for the £500 female founder grants

The funding is aimed at female founders within their first two years of trading whose businesses are based across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. It forms part of Building Female Founders, a programme within the Pathways Ecosystem Fund project.

Aberdeenshire female founders face grant application deadline

The grants are described as small-scale “test and learn” funding. Their purpose is to help founders validate business ideas, develop products or services, explore new markets and move towards commercialisation.

The council notice gives the main eligibility criteria and examples of projects. Applicants should request the full guidance to check the detailed requirements before submitting an application.

Projects that could receive funding

Eligible activity could include attending trade shows and exhibitions, developing marketing campaigns or creating e-commerce platforms. Specialist accreditation and professional photography or video content for a new product or service launch are also listed as possible uses.

These examples give founders several ways to support a defined business project, from presenting an offer to potential customers to preparing an online sales platform. The notice identifies possible eligible spending; it does not promise that every application involving these activities will receive funding.

Application contacts and completion dates

Application deadline: 30 November 2026.
Activity deadline: complete and evidence the proposed work by the end of February 2027.
Grant guidance and application form: [email protected].
Programme enquiries: 01467 535353 or [email protected].

Alongside the grants, Female Founders Business Adviser Kirstene Hair will provide personalised one-to-one coaching, with access to specialist expertise, practical learning opportunities and peer networks.

The wider programme responds to barriers identified in the council announcement, including access to finance and professional networks, travel constraints and caring responsibilities. Founders seeking funding should review the grant guidance and submit their applications ahead of the November deadline.

Source: Aberdeenshire Council News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source and application details

Eligibility, project examples, contacts and deadlines are drawn from the supplied Aberdeenshire Council News announcement.

Checks

The announcement states a £500 grant amount and eligibility within the first two years of...
The stated geographic coverage includes both Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The closing date is 30 November, with activity to be completed and evidenced by the end of...
The supplied contact for grant guidance and application forms is startup@aberdeenshire.

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