Grants - Programmes for advice and further information please call the Business Central team on 0300 123 1440 Project Project Description Value of Grant/Loan Eligibility Coverage Timescales Website Redundant Buildings Grant Redundant Building Grant (RBG) aims to provide grant Grants of up to 50,000, or 30 per cent of The building must be used for business purposes once the works are completed. These grants are not support to existing and start up businesses to enable the conversion or refurbishment of redundant buildings to bring them back into productive business use, or to enhance their current business use. This will address an identified lack of available and suitable workspaces in the local enterprise partnership area, creating and safeguarding jobs. eligible project costs, are awarded. The minimum grant is 3,000 (with project costs of 10,000). available for conversion to or refurbishment of residential property, or for buildings which will be used for agricultural or horticultural purposes. Grants may be given for minor extensions to the existing building if alterations are also required to the original building. Eligible projects can include conversions or refurbishment, including upgrading of mains services, to provide facilities for: Manufacturing Crafts or service businesses Office premises (not speculative developments) Retail outlets All projects must create new and sustainable job opportunities. Applicants can be either owner-occupiers or tenants with a fixed term lease. The lease must have at least three years left to run, and the landlord must give written consent for the proposed works. Available now ms/business-finance/redundantbuildings-grant.aspx Resource Efficient County Council in partnership with Herefordshire& Chamber of Commerce are offering energy and resource assessments and grants to small and medium size businesses in. Grant for projects worth up to 15,000. 1.Be situated in and trading from, and 2.Employ fewer than 250 employees, and 3.Have a turnover of less than the equivalent of 50 million Euros per annum or an balance sheet of less than 43 million Euros Available now until June 2015 ms/start-up-andgrow/finance/resource-efficiencygrants.aspx Retail is defined as the provision of goods and services to the general public. This support is aimed at businesses who primarily serve other businesses. Other activities excluded are social welfare and education facilities, banking and insurance. Priority will be given to businesses that help meet the projects aims. Receiving an assessment is also subject to the availability of project funding. Green Bridge Green Bridge Supply Chain Programme for SME's - is a grant scheme operated by Birmingham City Council on behalf of the Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP. This scheme offers an opportunity for businesses to dip into a larger regional pot of extra cash. Type of Projects that can be considered: The purchase of capital equipment and improvements in systems or processes (grants of up to 35% of eligible costs) Relocation and expansion into new premises (grants up to 35% of eligible costs) New product development (grants up to 50% of eligible costs) New market development capability to support the project (up to 25% grant of eligible costs) Development of management and staff capability to support the project (up to 25% grant of eligible costs specific to company training and a maximum 60% grant of eligible costs towards NVQ based qualifications) Actual percentages awarded in each section will be determined by location within the region and the numbers of employees within the business A grant award of between 20,000 and 1 million is available. To qualify for consideration, businesses must meet the following eligibility criteria: Be an existing SME (trading for 6months or more) Employ less than 250 people Operate in the green economy or seeking to diversify into the sector Have an investment plan to develop and grow the business Have a viable project that qualifies for the minimum grant of 20,000 Create new jobs and/or safeguard existing jobs as a direct result of the project implementation (sustainable for 3 years or more) Be based in the West Midlands Region Be based in one of the eligible sectors Be State Aid compliant Have a project which will be completed by March 2015 Eligible Sectors in the green economy: Advanced engineering Aerospace Low carbon and renewable energy Electronics Other manufacturing Building technologies Transport and logistics until 31/01/2014 ms/business-finance/green-bridgesupply-chain.aspx
Eureka Moment Help in the form of advice and a grant for SMEs, where they Grants of between 2000 and 10000. cannot access support because they do not meet the thresholds for other innovation or growth programmes and initiatives (such as Growth Accelerator, UKTI etc). Eureka moment is here to help - improve performance and to - undertake innovative actions or - research and development required to develop new processes or technologies, - explore new markets and bring new products to the marketplace. SMEs in From Jan 14- ms/business-growth/sources-ofsupport/eureka-moment.aspx Provide 2 days of diagnostic assistance and audit Graduate to Business in After the audit those businesses with a viable activity will be able to apply for a revenue grant (50% match funded). This grant could be used to: - Buy in specialist advice and consultancy support - Support R&D - Support collaborative working County Council in partnership with University of Worcester is offering grants to SMEs to recruit Graduates/Post-Graduates. The scheme aims to matchmake employers and graduates and assist with the graduate's salary. The project is designed to help businesses to benefit from the skills and knowledge of a graduate, as well as giving the graduate some meaningful experience in business and retaining their talent for the benefit of the local economy. SMEs to cover 50% of costs of hosting a graduate on a 3 months internships SMEs to cover 50% of costs of hosting a graduate on a 1 year placement (up to maximum of 10,000) Be situated in and trading from 3 x months Internships 04/05/2015, 1 year Work placements 04/07/2014 ms/running-a-business/recruitingstaff/graduate-to-business.aspx The new European funded Programme will support: SMEs to cover 50% of costs of hosting a graduate on a 3 months internships SMEs to cover 50% of costs of hosting a graduate on a 1 year placement (up to maximum of 10,000) Support participating companies with HR advice. Enterprising Start-up support: Our advisors are here to offer practical advice like registering your business, health & safety requirements, cash flow management, business planning and much more to get your idea off the ground. You can access advisors with specialist knowledge in a wide variety of business areas, all with the one aim of making your business idea a success. Starting a new business venture may seem daunting, but our dedicated advisors can provide tailored one to one support to suit your needs. Growth support: The economy has seen a rocky couple of years, your business is now over two years old and you are looking to grow or expand. Enterprising can offer you the right support, like how to increase sales to existing & new customers, become investment ready, improve your efficiency, develop new products and gain access to grants and funding to grow your business. Our experts can be the people to support you on your business journey to your next goal. Start-ups (under 12 months): A variety of Grants are available to new business start-ups from 500 to 1000. Businesses (over 12 months and under 24 months): A variety of Grants are available to businesses of up to 2500. Businesses over 24 months: A variety of Grants are available to businesses of up to 2500. Business support for start-ups under 24 months. Business grants for start-ups under 12 months. Business support for businesses over 24 months need to be ERDF eligible for ERDF funding, local district may have other funding available. Business support for businesses over 12 months and under 24 months need to be ERDF eligible for ERDF funding, local district may have other funding available. ms/start-up/enterprisingworcestershire.aspx
Funded by the European Regional Development Fund, County Council & Shropshire Council, 3 Million is available from the Business Loan Fund to provide a source of funding for those businesses who have difficulty accessing funds from high street lenders. The loan fund provider (Impetus) will work with business advisors, banks and other business intermediaries, to reach the target client group. These include established SMEs, new business startups and social enterprises. Business Development Programme Growing Cyber The Programme supports small and medium-sized businesses to implement their growth and expansion plans.. Financial Assistance Scheme The programme provides financial assistance to qualifying companies by way of a grant of between 10,000 and 15,000 against minimum project costs of 22,000. The grant award is available for 45 per cent of eligible project costs, subject to satisfying criteria and approval. It aims to create more than 400 new jobs and safeguard more than 400 others. Provide Cyber Advice and Guidance to Cyber dependant SME's and to new cyber businesses. FURTHER INFORMATION TO FOLLOW A grant of between 10,000 and 15,000 SMEs in North (Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest. ERDF eligible businesses. North (Bromsgrove, Redditch, Wyre Forest) 5,000 matched funded grant Be situated in and trading from Available until Launch Feb 2014 Coming soon Project Project Description Value of Grant/Loan Eligibility Coverage Timescales Website Loan Fund The project provides loans of between 5,000 and 50,000 to entrepreneurs, looking to create sustainable new businesses and to existing businesses seeking to improve their competiveness, which can show they have viable business plans but cannot secure all the finance they need from mainstream sources. Loans of between 5,000 and 50,000. Businesses must be based in or Shropshire Have a viable business proposition Be able to demonstrate that they have not been able to secure all the finance they need from mainstream sources. Available now to ms/business-finance/businessloan-fund.aspx http://www.businesscentral.co.uk/apps/financedetails. aspx?id=10 Proof Of Concept Programme to support established and start-up businesses to develop commercially viable innovative new products/services/proceses. It supports SMEs to investigate, advance, and protect early stage innovative business ideas. The project will ensure total investment of 2.6 million in Economy Grants of up to maximum of 30k to 40 SMEs to support development of new projects/services/processes Create 26 Jobs by September 2015. Creation of 10 new collaborations with knowledge base. Be situated in and trading from Launch Feb 2014 Coming soon Wyre Forest Apprenticeship Scheme A grant scheme to support local businesses to take on apprentices has been launched by Wyre Forest District Council. The authority has joined forces with Kidderminster College to help Wyre Forest businesses employ local residents. The Council is making 50,000 available and businesses will be able to apply for up to 7,250 to help fund an apprentice over 2 years. Financial support is based on a one or two year apprenticeship with 50% of the wages in year 1 being met (up to 5,000 max) and 25% of the wages in year 2 being met (up to 2,500 max). Empty Shop Grant The Empty Shop Grant is designed to encourage the A grant of up to 4,000 is available to occupation of empty shop premises in specific areas of Wyre tenants for permanent improvements to Forest. vacant retail premises, eg shop fronts, repairs to structure or services Empty Shop Rate Relief Twelve months Empty Shop Rate Relief for retail premises 100% relief if the rateable value of the premises is under 10,000 50% relief if the rateable value of the premises is between 10,001 & 20,000 25% relief if the rateable value of the premises is between 20,001 & 100,000 The grant is available to small and medium sized enterprises located within the Wyre Forest District with up to 250 employees and there will be a limit of 2 apprenticeships per business. The grant will only be available to new apprenticeships and not existing ones or ones involving existing employees. The apprentices themselves must also be living with the District to be eligible. The shop must have been vacant for a minimum of 3 months You must enter into a minimum 12 month lease The shop must be within one of the specified areas Wyre Forest District Available now http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/cm s/business/apprenticeshipscheme.aspx Wyre Forest District Available now http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/cm s/business/business-support-andadvice/business-grants.aspx Stourport and Available now Bewdley Town Centres and specific areas of Kidderminster Town Centre. http://www.wyreforestdc.gov.uk/cm s/business/business-support-andadvice/business-grants.aspx
Enact Investment Fund Enact will leverage the combined expertise of its investor base, comprising successful UK entrepreneurs and professionals, with experience from industry sectors such as retail, manufacturing, distribution and financial services. Established UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may apply. Businesses may be operating in any sector other than leasing, legal services, property development, hotels, nursing homes and insurance. Available now http://www.enactfund.co.uk/ The Fund has a total investment pot of 10 million available. Individual equity investments will range from 250,000 to 2 million. Typical Enact equity investments are three to five years in length. Enact's investment strategy is to invest in companies have a robust business model, but are facing cash flow constraints, strategic or operational issues. Re-imagining the high street The Technology Strategy Board is to invest up to 8m in an SBRI competition to encourage new ways of attracting people back to UK high streets. This competition seeks to develop new technology enabled solutions that can address the challenges facing the high street by exploring innovative approaches to retailing, service provision, logistics and travel management. Up to 2m is available for feasibility studies in phase 1 of the competition, and up to a further 6m is available in a second phase to further develop successful phase 1 projects. Successful organisations will attract a 100% funded development contract of up to 100k in phase 1, and up to 1.2m in phase 2. We expect phase 1 projects to last six months and phase 2 projects to last 24 months. Applicants must meet the qualifying criteria for Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) investments and be demonstrate they would benefit from a hands-on investment approach. SBRI competitions are open to all organisations that can demonstrate a route to market for their solution From 13/01/2014-05/03/2014 Registration closes on 26/02/2014 https://www.innovateuk.org/compet ition-display-page/- /asset_publisher/rqet2akmebhi/c ontent/re-imagining-the-high-street Business Graduate Employment Programme Worcester City Council is funding a new scheme to support small and medium sized businesses to recruit graduates. The programme is being delivered by the University of Wolverhampton. After the initial 12 week trial period employers will be eligible for a grant of up to 1000 towards the costs of job specific training for the graduate employee. Worcester Available now http://www.worcester.gov.uk/index. php?id=2898 Businesses will be assisted with the recruitment process and will also be able to advertise graduate vacancies on appropriate national graduate websites. Graduates will start with a 12 week trial period, during which time they will receive work readiness training. During this 12 week period businesses will not pay a salary to the graduate but will pay a fee to the University of Wolverhampton to cover the cost of training. This fee will be subject to a 10% discount. Business Booster Grant - Bromsgrove, Redditch, Wyre Forest The Business Booster Grant is designed to help young businesses make a step change in their development. The grant will cover 50% of the costs of an eligible project up to a maximum of 2,500. Atleast 50% of costs must be funded by the businesses own resources Must be full-time, profit seeking and within a non-erdf eligible business sector, e.g. retail / land based. A current Business Plan must be provided. Bromsgrove, Redditch, Wyre Forest Available now http://www.bromsgrove.gov.uk/cm s/business/business-support-andgrants/business-grants.aspx Business Booster Grant - Worcester City Business Innovation Programme Worcester City Council and County Council are jointly funding a Business Booster Grant to help young but growing Worcester based businesses make a step change in their development. The programme aims to stimulate innovation within SMEs to encourage and enable existing businesses to invest for the future, to lever private sector investment, create new and safeguard existing jobs. Grants will be limited to one per business/applicant, and are subject to availability of funding. Applicants Successful applicants will be offered a or businesses who have received a Business Booster Grant within the last 5 years will not be eligible. grant of up to 2,000 which must be matchfunded, pound for pound, (at least) from the business s own resources. A grant award of between 10,000 and 30,000 is available to support eligible SME s. The grant will be equivalent to 49.25% of eligible project costs. For example, the minimum grant of 10,000 will require a total project cost of 20,100. BIP will focus on supporting existing SMEs which have been trading for 6 months or more and are ready to undertake investment in innovative production processes. This must lead to new products, which are close to market Each application will be required to demonstrate viability, need, job creation, sustainability and new investment being linked directly to the creation of new jobs and safeguarding of existing jobs Worcester Available now http://www.worcester.gov.uk/index. php?id=2242 Until June 2015 http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/bip
Barclay Accelerator Barclays Accelerator is a 15-week programme run by a fulltime, dedicated Techstars team. In this time, 10 startups will work intensely on key challenges faced by the banking industry. Successful applicants will get: The scheme is for 10 startup companies with an aptitude for creative and innovative product design in the FinTech field. Deadline 21/3/14 http://barclaysaccelerator.com/ A seed investment of 12,500 from Techstars A network of high-profile mentors A co-working environment in London's Tech City Support from us in digital, design, marketing and other key areas Opportunities to pitch your products at Investor Demo Days If you're passionate about digital and have some radical concepts that you believe could instigate a new era in digital banking innovation, they want to hear from you. Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) Funding MAS (Manufacturing Advisory Service) is funded by BIS (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) and provides manufacturing business support for companies based in England, helping them to improve and grow. The West Midlands are set to benefit from a 2.2m fund which is designed to help businesses to expand and create jobs. You could access a grant of between 300-3000 towards your next improvement project The emphasis is on major strategic change projects that will result in significant process improvement, supply chain development, diversification and, ultimately, result in job creation. Available now http://www.mymas.org/resources/g rants-funding Under the additional ERDF funding, manufacturers will receive an in-depth business review from a specialist Manufacturing Advisor, who will help them develop an action plan that can be used to determine the level of financial support they are eligible for. Developing the civil nuclear The Technology Strategy Board, the Nuclear supply chain - Collaborative R Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the Department of & D Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are to invest up to 13m in collaborative R&D and feasibility studies projects, to stimulate innovation in the UK's civil nuclear power sector. With the sector undergoing a resurgence, the aim is to develop a strong, innovative and sustainable supply chain to serve both national and global markets. The scheme is aimed at seeking proposals in areas where the UK is, or can become, a leader, including in the construction, installation, commissioning, manufacture, operation and maintenance, waste management and decommissioning of nuclear plant in a safe, economical and sustainable manner. Up to 10m of the total funding is being allocated for business-led collaborative R&D (industrial research) projects, with business partners attracting up to 50% public funding for their project costs (60% for SMEs), and with projects lasting up to three years. Up to 3m of the total funding will be available for smaller-scale feasibility studies (or pre-industrial research projects). Collaborative R&D projects are expected to range in size between 500k and 3m. We are particularly encouraging larger companies to work with SMEs. The smaller-scale feasibility studies must be led by an SME, and may be collaborative (with SMEs working with larger businesses, other SMEs or research organisations) or developed by a single SME. SMEs can attract public funding of up to 75% of their project costs (65% for larger business partners). We expect feasibility studies to last up to 12 months and to range in size from 100k to 150k. Academic and research oganisations can apply but cannot lead a project. The total non-business involvement in a project cannot exceed 50% of the total project costs for collaborative R&D, or 30% of the total project costs for feasibility studies. Scheme opens - 17/3/2014 Registration closes - 23/4/2014 https://www.innovateuk.org/compet ition-display-page/- /asset_publisher/rqet2akmebhi/c ontent/developing-the-civil-nuclearsupply-chain-collaborative-rd?p_p_auth=poyhobg0 Worth Foundation Fund Worth Foundation Fund, set up by the founders of Worth Retail, has raised the investment prize through equity crowd funding platform Seedrs. The Fund will invest the full 200k between the 3 winning businesses chosen by the judging panel. The winner will also get 3,000 funding from Worth, receive expert mentoring worth to 9,000 and have the opportunity to boost their brand with a pop-up shop at Shoreditch's Boxpark for one month. The overall winner will have access to about 150,000 of investment and two runners up will win up to 75,000. The criteria to enter the business competition are retail concepts or existing businesses (either bricks & mortar or e-tail) or business plans: 1. All businesses entering must be less than 2 years old; 2. All businesses must have turnover of less than 250k in their last financial year; and 3. All businesses must be based in the UK. Until 07/03/2014 http://worthretail.com/foundation/