£33m grant funding scheme launches

A new £33m funding scheme has launched for small and medium-sized businesses in the Marches.
Grants of between £10,000 and £200,000 are available for small and medium-sized businesses in Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin from four new funding programmes.
They are the Business Development Programme, the Business Innovation Programme, the Green Bridge Supply Chain Programme and the HS2 Supply Chain Programme..
The Marches Growth Hub is promoting the schemes and providing free local support to businesses who wish to apply for the funds.
Graham Wynn OBE, Chairman of the Marches LEP, said: “Our businesses are ambitious, innovative and enterprising and they want to grow and create sustainable private sector jobs. This £33m programme will help them to do that.
“Whether they are looking to take advantage of supply chain opportunities for HS2, or to develop new products to gain a foothold in a growing low carbon sector, this is real, beneficial, business support on offer to companies across our region.”
HS2 Supply Chain Programme has grants of between £20,000 and £200,000 available towards project costs for supply chain companies which have, or are in the process of securing, or have the ability to secure a contract for HS2.
Grants of between £20,000 and £150,000 are available from the Green Bridge Supply Chain for supply chain companies operating in, or diversifying into, the green economy.
The Business Innovation Programme is offering grant support of £10,000 to £30,000 towards projects costs for SMEs investing in innovative close-to-market processes, products and services.
And businesses can apply for grants of between £10,000 and £20,000 from the Business Development Programme for project costs for businesses looking to expand, relocate and improve access to markets.
The four schemes make up the Business Growth Programme – managed by Birmingham City Council’s Business Development & Innovation Team and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund. It offers a comprehensive package of business support to B2B small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) based in the Greater Birmingham & Solihull, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, and The Marches LEP areas.
The Marches Growth Hub will be offering businesses guidance and support on the BGP, eligibility and the application process via its virtual hub and at its sites in Hereford, Telford and Shrewsbury, where business advisors will be on hand to talk through the opportunities on offer.
More information is available on the Marches Growth Hub website, www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/BGP or businesses can call the MGH helpline on 0345 6000 727 or email enquiries@marchesgrowthhub.co.uk