Deadline: 28-Apr-23
Applications for the West Midlands SME Grant Programme (WMGP) are now open to small-medium sized businesses which are based within, or locating to, the Birmingham City Council area.
Assistance Available
- The assistance from WMGP is in the form of a grant contribution of between £2,500 – £7,500 for brand new start-ups or businesses trading less than 6 months looking to consolidate.
- The assistance from WMGP is in the form of a grant contribution of between £5,000 – £100,000 for the following activities:
- Relocation, expansion and growth of existing businesses
- Develop new markets opportunities
- Promotional activities
- Innovation – Including the development of new products including prototyping, testing and commercialisation
- Improving systems and processes
- Capital investment, eg, new plant, machinery and equipment
- Increase in productive capacity of new and existing premises through new property builds/refurbishment/extensions.
- Eligible projects must lead to the growth of the business:
- Jobs created output: the creation of at least 1 full-time equivalent job for every £10,000 of grant awarded appointed within 6 months from the date of acceptance of the Funding Agreement.
- Jobs safeguarded will only be considered if new jobs are being created as part of the application.
Outcomes
- At least 1 equivalent full-time job must be created for every £10,000 of grant support received from WMGP.
- For existing SMEs at least 1 equivalent full-time job must be created for £5,000 – £10,000 of grant support received, and for every £10,000 thereafter
- Jobs safeguarded will only be considered if new jobs are being created as part of the application. – Start-Up Businesses only seeking funding from £2,500 to £7,500 will need to create at least 1 equivalent full-time job.
- The project must result in net new jobs which are calculated by comparing existing staff levels at the start of the project with those at the end of the project.
- For the purposes of job targets, the definition of a full-time job is one of 36 hours or more a week.
- The jobs created will be expected to be sustained for a minimum of 1 year.
Eligibility Criteria
- Businesses from all sectors are eligible for consideration, except for:
- charities
- those of a political or religious persuasion
- activities involving pornography or clairvoyance
- any business activity that is illegal or deemed unsuitable for public support by Birmingham City Council
- Training and skills development are also ineligible because provisions for these activities will be supported through different funding routes.
- Grants are restricted to 1 grant for 1 small to medium enterprise (SME).
- Using consultants or third parties to complete the application form is an ineligible cost.
Criteria
- In order to apply for UKSPF funding from the WMGP, your business must meet the following criteria:
- The category of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is made up of enterprises which employ fewer than 250 persons and/or which have an annual turnover not exceeding £36 million, and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding £18 million.
- In addition, they will fund businesses where there is demonstrable need for the proposed project and clear evidence of future growth of the business as a direct result of the proposals. Also, the applicant must contribute to the ‘wider economy’; i.e., job creation, commercial floorspace increased/created and jobs safeguarded.
- Businesses from all sectors are eligible for consideration, except for charities, those of a political or religious persuasion, activities involving pornography or clairvoyance and any business activity that is illegal or deemed as unsuitable for public support by Birmingham City Council.
- Training and skills development are also ineligible as provision for these activities will be supported via alternative funding routes.
- You must have been trading for 6 months or more (unless the business is a start-up),
- You must be profit-seeking; The programme operates in accordance with subsidy allowance under the Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance – you’re allowed up to £335,000 (subject to exchange rates) in Small Amounts of Financial Assistance over any rolling period of 3 financial years.
- Your business must pay or be going to pay business rates if relocating/ starting up; to one of the local authorities within the areas covered by this programme and those payments must not be in arrears. The local authorities within the Birmingham City Council area.
For more information, visit Birmingham City Council.