£25k grant scheme launched to boost co-working spaces

Following the pandemic and Shropshire’s continuing economic recovery, the demand and interest in working in different ways remains strong.

The ARG Economic Recovery Programme aims to fund established co-working facilities to increase their capacity to offer more Shropshire businesses the opportunity to work in diverse and dynamic flexible workspaces across market towns. The grant scheme is also able to fund and pilot new facilities across Shropshire that can service their local business community and bring new life and vitality into market towns and villages, as long as the co-working space can be operational before mid-March 2022.

The grant scheme’s main objective is to increase co-working and hot desk provision in the county and be able to offer this through a virtual hub and online platform (currently in development) known as ‘Shropshire Cowork Campus’, delivering a collaborative approach that truly brings businesses together as a community of co-workers.

Mark Barrow, Shropshire Council’s executive director of place and economy, said: “To be able to create a legacy from this economic recovery programme that brings businesses together to collaborate and work in different ways will provide great economic benefit and further strengthen our great business community." “Its ability to support established providers and also offer seedcorn funding for those companies who have wanted to do this but lacked initial start-up funding will showcase how great working in Shropshire is, both now and in the future.”

The grant scheme will remain open until December 21 and all decisions on applications will be made before January 7.

There is expected to be a high interest in this grant so early applications are recommended, and this is a competitive grant scheme where all applications will be scored against set criteria.

All applications are to be made online via Shropshire Council’s website.