ERDF recovery grant open for applications from local businesses

Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub announces the opening of the application window.

The Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) has announced the application window for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) recovery grants is now open. The grants will be available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which have been affected following the Coronavirus pandemic.

The grants will predominately be between £1,000 and £3,000 and the money is a 100 percent government grant containing no obligation for businesses to contribute financially.

Businesses can use the funding to pay for the following activities:

• Access to specialist professional advice e.g. human resources, accountants, legal, financial, IT / digital, etc…and/or the
• Purchase of minor equipment to adapt or adopt new technology in order to continue to deliver business activity or diversify

Chris Stevens, Manager of the Growth Hub said, “The grants are not to be applied for to use towards revenue such as rent, salaries, utilities or other bills. They are specifically designed for businesses looking to purchase equipment or services to support their recovery/diversification/re-purposing during the pandemic and build resilience into their businesses as they move forward.

He added, “Further application and eligibility guidance can be found on the application website”

Applicants will be required to complete an online form supplemented by three quotations for desired products and services with personal ID, evidence of business registration and trading since March 2019.

Businesses will be encouraged to source products and services from within Wiltshire as SWLEP looks to share a vision of retaining these funds in the region and contribute further to the ongoing recovery efforts of the business community. The news follows the government’s announcement in July that £20m of funding would go towards helping smaller businesses recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Businesses interested in applying should follow the link here.