Derbyshire ICT grants available for SMEs - How to apply

Posted on 29th April 2014

The Global Derbyshire Small Business Support Programme is providing grant funding for Derbyshire’s SME’s seeking to grow and expand.

Derbyshire Economic Partnership has been successful in securing £3million of funding from the government’s Regional Growth Fund.

The aim of the programme is to provide grant support of up to 50% to Micro-enterprises/Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in Derbyshire seeking to grow, collaborate, innovate and export whilst creating new employment for local people and attracting investment.

Growth

Who can apply

SMEs operating within Derbyshire County Council are eligible.
Businesses who operate within the administrative boundary of Derby City are not eligible.

If you have already started your project then it is ineligible for financial support.

The funding is broken into 4 strands and in order to qualify applicants must identify which of the 4 strands of activity of the programme they are seeking access. These are:

Strand 1: Start Up Support Fund
Grants available up to 50% of costs from £4,000 up to a maximum of £10,000 for Capital investment, plant, equipment, and machinery, training, web-development, E-commerce and / or new product development.
Strand 2: Business Innovation and Development
Grants of £4,000 to £75,000 available with a maximum 30% intervention rate for assistance towards improvements in process or the introduction of new products, Lean Manufacturing and specialist consultancy.
Strand 3: Delivering Digital Derbyshire
Grants of £4,000- £75,000 available with maximum 30% intervention rate for purchasing and updating ICT equipment, to develop or enhance their ICT infrastructure and purchase of specialist external consultancy.
Strand 4: Export Promotion
Grants of £4,000 - £75,000 available with maximum of 30% intervention rate for financial assistance to encourage local entrepreneurial involvement in UKTI, Chamber of Commerce and other overseas trade missions and investment in capital equipment, site and building infrastructure.

How do you apply

Visit http://www.derbyshireeconomicpartnership.org.uk for all the details and the expression of interest (EOI) form.

Complete the EOI form. (Email and hard copies are required). A guidance notes document is available to help you with this. Alternatively, if you would like an initial discussion regarding your project please contact the Global Derbyshire Programme Manager via email globalderbyshire@derbyshire.gov.uk or telephone on 01629 538342.

If it is felt your project offers realistic potential you will be invited to submit a full detailed application.