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The Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership has just announced a new round of funding for its Productivity Pilot Scheme. The grant can offer businesses £25,000 to £100,000 against capital equipment and fit-out cost of current facilities (based on 10-20% of total costs). Unlike most capital grant funds, the productivity grant does not need the […]

Leeds City Region’s LEP, has announced a £500,000 pilot competition aimed at supporting investments directly related to productivity improvement. The competition can offer between £25,000 and £100,000 and the important difference is that businesses do not need to demonstrate a growth in new jobs,  just maintain current employment levels. Costs must be capital based and […]

Over £3 million of European funding has been allocated for rural businesses in the Leeds City Region to  improve local tourism. The funding, part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) Growth Programme, will be available to a broad base of businesses to invest in infrastructure that will boost local tourism. Grants start at £35,000  and can support […]

The Worcestershire Expansion Programme, run by the Local Enterprise Partnership is open for its 3rd Round of applicants to allocate its last remaining funding before next spring. However, please be aware that the window of opportunity is very short and the fund is only open for applications until 5.00pm on 12th December 2014. Grants are […]

We are delighted that one of our clients has recently succeeded in being offered grant support from Innovate UK (formally the Technology Strategy Board). The project was successful in requesting feasibility funding from one of the Innovate UK competition calls; to develop a unique manufacturing process. The management team will now utilise the funding to […]

Soapstone have once again helped to secure significant funding for a client; this time from the recently opened York, North Yorkshire and East Yorkshire LEP‘s Business Grant Programme. We are delighted to have helped with a substantial capital investment, which had been on hold. Soapstone worked with our client to build a robust business plan […]

The eagerly anticipated 5th Round of the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) is due to be announced in October. With shortened timescales to submit applications, businesses should start thinking about the opportunity now. Soapstone has been associated with successful RGF projects since the first round and will be working with a number of projects looking to […]

Leeds City Region is to allocate an additional £26million for capital projects through  its Growing Places Fund. The fund is focused on improving infrastructure but is can also help businesses  struggling to agree commercial lending for their own capital investment projects. This second round of funding will offer loans of between £250,000 and £5 million. Robert Littlefair from […]

The Technology Strategy Board has announced a new competition to support development and demonstration projects to create supply chain  innovation in UK offshore wind and renewable energy. £7m will be invested in projects  developing and demonstrating component technologies in offshore wind systems, with £3m committed to feasibility studies and the remaining £1.2m supporting innovation between universities and industry in the sector. […]

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales has followed the the National Audit Office in calling for greater training and understanding from officials when assessing Regional Growth Fund (RGF) applications. The group highlighted their frustration at the slow development of the process and has recommended a simplified application and assessment process “to avoid further delays, additional […]