Help at hand for businesses
There will be few businesses across the county unaware of the various support schemes being offered to business by the Government in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, writes Yasmin Sulaman, Marches Growth Hub business support project officer.
The package of measures has helped many firms weather this unprecedented storm – but we know from our own research that it has not applied to many small and micro-businesses across Shropshire.
A survey carried out by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership in May showed that more than half the businesses which responded were not eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rates Relief and therefore not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund.
The good news, however, is that the Marches Growth Hub can point all sizes of businesses in the direction of funding and support programmes which continue to operate and which are tailored precisely to them.
The hub has firmly established itself as the one-stop home of business support, advice and expertise across the region – with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy confirming in its latest assessment that the hub is among the best of its kind in the country.
We provide access to a range of funding programmes supported by the European Regional Development Fund including:
– Business Growth Programme 2 – Grants of £2,500-£1,000,000 to strengthen supply chains, stimulate innovation and help businesses grow.
– Marches Building Investment Grant – A £2.2 million scheme to help growing companies meet up to £150,000 of the cost of building new premises, or extending and reconfiguring their existing ones.
– Manufacturing Growth Programme – Support tailored to your business through an experienced Manufacturing Growth Manager.
– Business Energy Efficiency Programme – Free energy efficiency assessments which could lead to grants for businesses who wish to use their energy more efficiently.
There are scores more programmes we can advise on and we also work with the Midlands Engine Investment Fund to improve access to alternative forms of finance, and run regular workshops, seminars and business events to share best practice and help companies grow.
Thousands of businesses have already benefited from our expertise. To find out if you could be next, visit marchesgrowthhub.co.uk or call our freephone number on 0800 998 1098.
