Grants towards a website upgrade if your business is in the Chichester area
Hot off the presses today:
From the Economic Development Team
26 March 2021
Enabling Grant Scheme
We are really pleased to announce that the Enabling Grant Scheme is being launched and will be open for applications on Monday 12 April 2021. Please make sure that you have read the guidance notes carefully before applying as the criteria have changed and the way the applications are processed is different from previous years. The guidance notes will be available to view from Monday 29 March, but you will not be able to apply until Monday 12 April.
We have a certain amount of funding that will be available to businesses in two rounds. The first round of funding will be open for applications from 12 April and will close at midnight, on 2 May 2021. It is envisaged that this first round of funding will benefit at least 20 businesses. All valid applications will be evaluated and assessed by our Economic Development Officers and the decision process may take up to 6 weeks, from the application closing date. The second round of funding will be available in the Autumn and we will announce this via this newsletter in due course.
Details
Businesses can apply for one of the following three grants below;
Capital Projects – up to a maximum contribution of £2000 from the Council (50% match funded)
Website/Social Media projects - up to a maximum contribution of £1500 from the Council (50% match funded)
Start-up Awards – up to a maximum contribution of £500 from the Council (non-match funded)
We are particularly interested in receiving applications that demonstrate one or more of the following criteria:
1. Contribution to the local economy
a. e.g. Local supply chain - the use of local suppliers
b. Protecting local jobs/creating local jobs
2. Reducing Environmental impact
a. Protecting the environment
b. Reducing carbon footprint
3. Innovation
a. Improving productivity
b. New ways of working or offering your goods or services to your customer
4. Commercial viability
– e.g. will the proposed expenditure help to sustain the longer-term prospects for the business
As mentioned above the full guidance notes will be available on our website from 29 March. To be included, please visit www.chichester.gov.uk/enablinggrantscheme
My thoughts
OK, so my take on it is this: they have learned from previous experience where it was on a first-come first-served basis, they were so inundated, they ended up closing the applications on day one, I seem to remember!
It is a more considered process but I am certain that the grant will not be available if you already have a project underway so if you are happy to wait and don't mind that there will be a lot of applications, you should go for it.
Alternatively, if just want a cracking Google-friendly website turned around within 30 days, have a look at https://runyourown.website and then give us a call on 01243 776399.
Clive Loseby
Access by Design and Run Your Own Website. Accessible Websites. Beautifully Designed.
Award-winning Accessible Web Design, Chichester.
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