sustainable east midlands

Funded Support and Programmes

We have pulled together a range of support focused on helping SME businesses transition to a more environmentally sustainable way of working.

REGIONAL AND NATIONAL

The list below signposts you to regional and national funded support and programmes currently available.

If you have any questions or recommendations regarding the information on this page, please contact us.

The Accelerator project provides support to businesses across the East Midlands to help them start, sustain, grow and innovate. Fully funded and tailored to the needs of each participating district across the region, the project can provide your business with impactful support that will leave a lasting impact on your business plan. The project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and East Midlands Chamber.

We have a range of funded support available under the Accelerator Project (some detailed below)

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Derby Accelerator is a fully funded business support project, designed to help businesses across the city to start, sustain, grow and innovate.

This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF)* and East Midlands Chamber. It is worth £1.6 million and is being delivered by the Chamber and is managed by Derby City Council.

The project, which runs until 31 March 2025, offers support to all Derby businesses, regardless of their stage of development.

What support can I access?

Working with a seasoned business adviser, eligible businesses can access a range of support including:

  • 1-2-1 advice, mentoring and diagnostic support on areas of relevance to your business.
  • Training and workshops: providing you with the latest learning and tools in areas such as digital skills.
  • Grant funding: helping you identify and apply for funding to help you grow, increase efficiencies and build a sustainable business for the future.
  • Networking and peer support: for example, through the East Midlands Manufacturing Network.
  • Energy audits.

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A £2 million grant fund to help businesses, organisations communities and individuals interested in developing skills in the green economy and investing in green energy and carbon reduction schemes.

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Low Carbon Challenge Fund is a programme of support to help stimulate the transition to a low carbon economy.

 

An allocation of £645,000 has been ring-fenced from the £24.1m Town Deal funding for the Clay Cross Low Carbon Challenge Fund to:

  • Support developers or enterprises to implement low carbon investments for existing businesses and new business workspace provision exceeding current standards/regulations; or
  • Support developers and enterprises with more ambitious low carbon investment projects as exemplars/demonstrators that seek to achieve net zero.

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Eligible businesses located in rural areas of Harborough District could benefit from capital grants between £5,000-£20,000 to support their business to diversify, innovate and grow.

 

Scheme 3 – Green Technology/infrastructure

Support businesses to invest in energy efficient and low carbon technologies. This means businesses can invest in green technology that will improve their carbon footprint. Businesses could also use this funding to develop their own green technology which can be used to improve the carbon footprint of their business and/or other businesses.

Examples: Investment in renewable energy generation, or Electric Vehicle charging provision.

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The grants provide small and medium sized businesses funding to install electric vehicle (EV) charge points and relating supporting infrastructure for their staff and fleet vehicles.

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Grant funding is available for businesses and landlords to improve their street facing commercial properties within the district of North East Derbyshire, especially those within our town centres and on our high streets.

The scheme will not only enhance the character, value and appeal of each individual property, but collectively will have a positive impact on the appearance of our high streets.

Aimed at making our town centres and high streets more inviting and vibrant place for residents and visitors to enjoy, grants will be available from a minimum of £500 to a maximum of £10,000, a contribution of up to 75% of total project costs.

The activities the scheme could fund include Improved energy efficiency

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Local micro businesses across all areas of Newark and Sherwood can apply for a grant of up to £2,000 to help their business start-up, grow or improve sustainability.

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NWLDC have launched their Rural Business Grants Fund to fund capital projects for small businesses that will help to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy. This scheme will run until 2025.

This programme offers capital grant funding for eligible businesses by providing one off grants of between £1,000 and £25,000. Applicants must provide a minimum of 50% towards the total project cost.

 

What can the grant be used for?

NWLDC would welcome applications to support capital projects, such as:

  • purchasing new equipment to modernise and improve the efficiency of your business.
  • farm diversification in to create rural workspace hubs or tourism facilities such as accommodation, wedding venues and leisure facilities.
  • investing in to low carbon equipment and energy efficiency measures working towards net zero.
  • investing in business premises, new technology and innovation.

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The Business Growth Grant Scheme provides funds from £1,000 to £10,000 and is aimed at existing businesses (trading for more than 18-months) to help them grow, create jobs, become more carbon efficient or diversify into new markets.

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Peak Innovation Micro Growth grant

Capital grants for small scale investment by micro enterprises (with less than 10 employees and sole traders) including capital funding for net zero/low carbon infrastructure, diversification of farm enterprises and to encourage new start-up businesses, expansion or scale up of businesses.  Eligible projects will be between £1250 and £12,500 with up to 80% of costs covered.  Minimum grant £1,000, maximum £10,000

A larger grant may be considered in exceptional cases where grant funding is necessary for the project to proceed and deliverables are substantial.

Peak Innovation Micro Growth grant – Tourism

Capital grants for micro-enterprises (with less than 10 employees or sole traders) including for diversification of farm enterprises for the development and promotion of the visitor economy. Eligible projects will be between £1250 and £12,500 with up to 80% of costs covered.  Minimum grant £1,000, maximum £10,000

 

Peak Innovation SME Innovation grant

This grant will support small and medium-sized businesses to undertake new-to-firm innovation; adopt productivity-enhancing, energy efficient and low carbon technologies and techniques; and start or grow their exports. Eligible projects will be between £1250 and £12,500 with up to 80% of costs covered, a larger grant may be considered in exceptional cases where grant funding is necessary for the project to proceed and deliverables are substantial.

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Nottingham businesses and voluntary organisations are being urged to consider cash grants of up to £25,000 for green transport schemes before a deadline at the end of the year.

In order to qualify, a business or organisation needs to be based within the Nottingham City boundary. Businesses contribute 25 per cent towards the costs of any scheme, but public-sector, voluntary or charitable groups are fully funded. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2023.

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Nottingham City Council have established a number of grant schemes to support and sustain existing businesses on the High Street, particularly retail businesses and those in the hospitality and leisure sectors.

This is a grant scheme open to the city’s wider business community to support business and employment growth. Areas covered:

  • Business Growth
  • Shop Front Improvement
  • Business Decarbonisation (retail only)

Eligible applicant businesses must:

  • Be based in the city of Nottingham
  • Have been trading for a minimum of 12 months to apply for a Business Growth Grant and 6 months to apply for a Business Decarbonisation Grant or Shop Front Improvement and Vacant Premises Grant
  • Have a UK based bank account in the name of the business applying for the grant

 

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The funding will be used to support three priorities across Bassetlaw focusing on communities and place, support for local businesses and people and skills.

This includes local business investment which will see funding for a range of business support services including the high street, decarbonising businesses, going digital, innovation, business grants and rural businesses.

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The programme will include fully funded workshops, events, and energy audits to help businesses to understand how taking steps to tackle climate change might benefit their bottom line.

To register your interest, email regeneration@bolsover.gov.uk or call 01246 242512.