Published: March 16, 2023 | Updated: 17th March 2023
Free business support for companies has been launched through a new scheme from BCP Council.
Businesses in the BCP area can now register at bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ukspf for a free diagnostic which will provide valuable insights into their operations.
Following the diagnostic stage small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will be eligible to apply for a match-funded grant on a competitive basis.
The council’s Economic Development team is supporting local businesses.
It is providing grant funding in the following areas to help improve productivity:
All applicants will be required to provide detailed proposals, including milestones and expected outcomes.
Applications will be assessed against a scoring matrix.
It details the threshold criteria that proposals must meet as a minimum in order to be considered for a grant.
The grants range in value from £500 to £5,000:
Cllr Philip Broadhead, pictured right, Leader of BCP Council, said: “We’re well aware of the headwinds companies across our area are battling.
“That’s why we’ve moved quickly to get this fantastic scheme open for business, so it can help improve productivity and prosperity across our three towns and boost our vibrant economy.”
A budget of £2.5 million has been set aside to support the local business economy.
The funding allocation is through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
A central pillar of the government’s Levelling Up agenda, it provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment across the UK by March 2025.
Decision making boards will be held to assess submitted grant applications.
The first board will meet on April 24 with further meetings planned up to 2025.
