Small Business Recovery Grant launched

Grants of between £1,000 and £3,000 are available through the Marches Small Business Recovery Grant, which will help both tourism businesses and those in the wider economy.

Only small businesses with up to ten full-time employees and who can demonstrate a negative impact due to the coronavirus crisis are able to apply.

The grants will be available for projects running between November and January. Costs can cover specialist advice – including HR, accountancy, legal, financial, health and safety, IT/digital and sector-related consultancy – and/or equipment to address immediate needs in response to Covid-19.

The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership region has been allocated £215,000 to support tourism businesses and £415,000 for businesses in other sectors through the European Regional Development Fund.

Gill Hamer, Chief executive of the Marches LEP, said the funding was vitally needed by small businesses across the region. “We know the tourism industry in our region in particular has been ravaged by the impact of Covid-19 and these grants will offer some essential help at a time of great worry and stress.

“The impact on the wider economy has also been profound and we know from our own research that it is smaller businesses which have often been put at most risk.”

The money is drawn from the European Regional Development Fund. Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.

Applications will open on Wednesday 14 October at 9am so please take the opportunity to review the information provided on the dedicated website www.marches-sbrg.co.uk around eligibility and what’s needed in order to prepare and make a successful application.