A limited number of grants worth up to £5,000 are now available for local businesses struggling with the financial impact of the coronavirus under the South East Midlands Kickstart Grant Scheme. Approximately 200 grants will be available in the SEMLEP area of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, and Milton Keynes and although the grants can be up to £5,000, they are typically expected to be between £1,000 and £3,000.
The purpose of the grants is to help businesses who have been affected by COVID-19 to deal with the initial impact and access specialist professional advice, equipment or technology to help rebuild and recover. Funding can be used to purchase minor equipment or adopt new technology to continue delivery and diversify in response to the pandemic, but not PPE or retrospective spend. 100% of the money will come from the government with no obligation for businesses to contribute financially.
Eligibility and FAQ information is now available on the SEMLEP website here, with the application form released this week and applications opening for submission on 14th September. If you are interested in applying, please do read the FAQs as soon as possible as they give further detail of what can be funded and the information that will be required. Grants will be assessed on a first come first serve basis and more than 500 businesses have already requested more information, so it’s in your interest to ensure applications are ready, complete and in early to maximise your chance of success.
COVID-19 Business Grants – SEMLEP Growth Hub
Key dates
- w/c 31st August – the application form will be published on the Growth Hub website to enable interested companies to gather any additional information together.
- w/c 14th September – the online application process will open.
- Monday 21st September – application deadline.
- w/c 28th September – successful applicants will be notified.
Click here for more information.