Grants and Loans
To follow are details of a number of grant schemes available to businesses based in Shropshire and the wider West Midlands region. The Shropshire Business Enterprise Fund is only applicable to businesses based within Shropshire, all the others can be applied for by any business based within the West Midlands.
Subsequent pages deal with other sources of finance available to your business such as Business Loans, West Midlands specific finance and details of Business Angels and Equity Funding that could help your business.
Shropshire Business Enterprise Fund
The fund has been set up by Shropshire Council to support new and developing Shropshire Businesses respond to the current difficulties in obtaining finance, and to counter the impact of the recession, including the high level of empty shops. Companies can apply for support under three schemes
- Business Start up Grant
- Business Booster Grant
- Retail Business Grant
Funding is available up to £5,000 and the fund is the only scheme of its type currently available throughout Shropshire . The deadline for the next round of grant awards is 4th October 2010 - subsequent calls will be advertised throughout 2010. To find out further information and details of eligibilty criteria visit Shropshire Council's website by clicking here or contact 01743 252531
Index vouchers
A new round of vouchers has been announced, applications can be made and businesses are invited to apply for an Innovation Voucher worth £3,000 to purchase academic support for an innovation of your choice. To find out more about the new round of vouchers click here
The scheme awards West Midland SME's a £3000 voucher to purchase academic support for an innovative project at any of the regions 13 universities. Their aim is to help with a problem or challenge your business might have. Innovation is not just about technology; it’s about doing things differently to improve effectiveness and/or efficiency. This is a great opportunity to use the voucher to purchase academic support for your business at zero cost to your business.
Contact: 0121 204 3883 or click here for further information
Apprenticeship Scheme for 16 and 17 year olds.
A new Government Grant scheme has been launched via Jobcenterplus, which will make available grants of up to £2 500 for new Apprenticeship places.
For further detail of the scheme please click here
Rural Enterprise Grant Scheme ( REG )
Capital Grant programme available to farmers and specific rural micro-businesses in the West Midlands region. REG can fund small scale diversification and business development projects for the benefit of rural businesses.
Funds are available for eligible applicants for investments in environmental technologies, food and drink, tourism and livestock related activities.
Applications can be for 40% of eligible costs up to max grant of £62,500. Remaining 60% must be from the private sector. Grant administered by Herefordshire Council.
For more information email dmc@hereforshire.gov.uk or contact 01432 383616
Or contact a RDPE manager at RDPEEnquiries@advantagewm.co.uk
Strategic Investment Grant
The Strategic Investment Grants are funded through the Rural Development Programme for England and have been extended and re-launched. Grants of £62,500 and above are available to land based businesses and can fund large scale and collaborative projects to improve the competiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector and improve the quality of life in rural areas and diversification of the rural economy.
Contact: 0121 380 3500 or click here for further information
Small Business Rate Relief Scheme
Non Domestic rates reduced by 50% where business premises is the only such business premises occupied by the ratepayer in England and has a rateable value of £5000 or less.
Contact: 0345 678 9003 Email: business.rates@shropshire.gov.uk
Landskills West Midlands
A £5.4 million rural training initiative to raise skills in the farming and forestry sectors, delivered through Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for the environmental and land based sector. It provides grants of up to 80% of project costs to land-based businesses to help them obtain the essential skills and knowledge needed to enhance their competitiveness.
Further details are available on 0845 707 8007 or by emailing connect@lantra.co.uk
RE-THINK
RE:think Energy is a renewable energy capital grant scheme which can offer Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) grants to assist with feasibility studies and the installation of renewable energy technologies such as biomass heating, wind turbines and solar thermal units.
Contact 01743 277130 or email info@rethinkenergy.org.uk
Funding website available
SME’s can take advantage of a big opportunity to find funding to help them over-come the credit crunch. Funding expert’s j4b are offering companies free access to all the features on their funding website www.j4bGrants.co.uk which are usually only available to subscribers.
The j4bGrants website includes Europe’s most comprehensive database of business funding opportunities. Bringing together millions of pounds worth of grants, loans, awards, venture capital, and other funds that are available to firms.
Businesses can register their details on www.j4bGrants.co.uk and search the database against a set of specific criteria, such as industry sector or location. They can then view the full results, which will give them an in-depth rundown of key information such as eligibility, application procedures and who to contact.