Aberdeenshire women founders face grant application deadline

Business & Money Desk 2026-10-06 13:28 2 min read

A smiling blonde woman wearing a green leaf print blouse holding a green notebook.

Women-led businesses in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire can apply for £500 grants to test business ideas, develop products or explore new markets. The funding is for female founders within their first two years of trading, with applications closing on 30 November 2026.

Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire is offering the grants through its Building Female Founders programme. Funded activity must be completed and evidenced by the end of February 2027.

By Rare Content’s editorial team, based on the grant announcement supplied by Aberdeenshire Council News.

Eligibility for the £500 female founder grants

The scheme supports female founders in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire whose businesses are within their first two years of trading. It offers small-scale “test and learn” funding: money for projects that help validate an idea, develop a product or service, or move it towards commercial use.

Aberdeenshire women founders face grant application deadline

The council’s announcement gives these headline eligibility conditions. Applicants should request the full guidance to check the detailed requirements before submitting a proposal.

Projects the funding can support

Examples of eligible activity include attending trade shows and exhibitions, developing marketing campaigns and creating e-commerce platforms. The announcement also identifies specialist accreditation and professional photography or video content for a new product or service launch.

The common purpose is to help a young business test its offer or reach a market. These examples describe potential uses of the funding; they do not establish that every proposal involving those activities will qualify.

Request the guidance and application form

Email startup@aberdeenshire.gov.uk to receive the full grant guidance and application form. Business Gateway encourages eligible founders to apply early because demand is expected to be high.

There are two separate milestones: submit the application by 30 November 2026, then complete and evidence the proposed activity by the end of February 2027.

Coaching alongside the grant programme

Building Female Founders is part of the Pathways Ecosystem Fund project. Alongside the funding opportunity, dedicated Female Founders Business Adviser Kirstene Hair provides personalised one-to-one coaching, with access to specialist expertise, practical learning and peer networks.

For information about the wider programme, contact Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire on 01467 535353 or email aberdeenshire@bgateway.com.

Source: Aberdeenshire Council News

Context & actions About this article

Source check Source and application details

The eligibility, funding examples and application instructions reflect the supplied Aberdeenshire Council announcement; full conditions must be checked in the grant guidance.

Checks

The supplied announcement specifies £500 for female founders within their first two years...
Geographic coverage includes Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
The application deadline is 30 November, with activity completion and evidence required by...
The announcement directs applicants to startup@aberdeenshire.gov.

Aberdeenshire Council News Search for independent coverage