Small businesses and the tourism sector across Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay are among those who can benefit from the Growth Support Kickstart Grant Scheme offering grants of up to £3,000.
It follows the recent government announcement of a £10 million national investment to kickstart the tourism economy and a £20 million national investment to support small business to get going again and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership (HotSW LEP) has been awarded a £771,164 share of this funding to help with the economic recovery in the region.
The funding is expected to be administered by The European Regional Development Funded (ERDF) Heart of the South West Growth Support Programme to support tourism sector businesses and other small businesses.
Businesses across the Heart of the South West LEP area of Devon, Plymouth, Somerset and Torbay will be able to make a single application for a grant of between £1,000 and £3,000 in the coming weeks to fund the purchase of:
- Specialist consultancy;
- Minor items that enable the business to adopt new technology that supports its day to day running costs;
- Minor items that enable the business to adapt existing technology that supports its day to day running costs.
The aim of the fund is to support as many businesses as possible, with grants being issued on a first come first served basis through the completion of a simple application form.
It is hoped the fund will be open for applications before the end of the month. In the meantime, to help businesses prepare, Information and Guidance along with an FAQ has been published online and businesses are encouraged to read this: Kickstart grant webpage.
