Programme aims

The aim of this fund is to increase business growth, productivity, investment and sustainability in North Yorkshire. Early trading businesses and enterprises are encouraged to consider what they need to ‘make one small change’ that will help them thrive and grow.

Priority will be given to applications that are able to show the potential for the grant to have a lasting impact on their business or enterprise. Some examples of this include, business expansion, an increase in the number of suppliers or associates, the retention and attraction of long-term staff, new customers, greater business resilience, new products or services, greater business efficiency.

Up to £1,000,000 is available for this fund. Applications will be accepted between the opening date of Wednesday 29 May and the closing date of Friday 12 July.

Only applications using the form provided below and submitted between the opening and closing date will be accepted.

Please note that this fund is finite. Grant approvals will not be made on a first come, first served basis but prioritised according to the information given above. Monthly decision panels will be held once the programme opens however. We reserve the right to close the programme early should we receive sufficient suitable applications to fully allocate the budget ahead of 12 July.

Wider support and engagement with North Yorkshire Council Economic Development Services and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub is encouraged. This will help you maximise the additional support, learning and opportunities available. Accessing funding should be viewed as the start of your journey with us. 

Who can apply?

Early trading businesses and enterprises with less than 50 staff that are based in and have a trading address in North Yorkshire and who have been trading between 6 to 24 months.

Who can’t apply?

• businesses getting DEFRA funding for the same project
• farm businesses, unless the project relates to non-farming related business diversification 
• businesses who received a grant from North Yorkshire Council’s 2023/24 Shared Prosperity Fund Small Business Grant programme 
• businesses who are currently pre-start up or not yet trading 
• businesses who don’t have their landlord’s permission or planning permission for the project where required
• applicants in debt to North Yorkshire Council
• businesses that are based in the City of York constituency areas

What we will fund

This is a capital grants programme. We will fund the purchase of lasting items (assets), such as machinery and equipment, that will help businesses achieve the programme aims stated above.

What we won't fund

• revenue or day to day running costs
• items that would be expected to be part of a normal business continuity plan, eg like for like replacement of key business equipment, including IT hardware
• general website and software upgrades, social media or LinkedIn content
• vehicles
• undertaking training or offering training services, costs associated with onboarding staff, recruitment services
• registration with professional bodies, licences and subscriptions of any kind
• recoverable VAT
• warranties or insurance
• projects that have already taken place
• projects that won’t be completed before the end of January 2025

How much is the grant?

Businesses can apply for one grant of between £750 and £1,000. 25% match funding is a requirement of this programme. This means businesses have to fund 25% of the total project cost themselves. 

The total project cost must not exceed £3,000. The grant request must not exceed £1,000.

How do I apply?

The information you will need to have to provide includes:

• quotes
• a cashflow covering current incomings and outgoings and expected future business performance, both with and without the grant -  download the UKSPF Small Business Grant Scheme Business Cashflow template (xlsx / 56 KB)
• a business or project plan that shows how you will be able to successfully deliver the project you’re proposing -  download the UKSPF Business Project Plan template (docx / 192 KB)
• accounts to cover the amount of time you have been trading, if available

Only applications using the application form provided and submitted between Wednesday 29 May and the closing date of Friday 12 July will be accepted.

If you need any help or have any questions, or require an alternative version of the application form, please contact UKSPF@yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk.

The application date has now passed. 

What happens after I apply?

Applications will be screened to check if they meet the ‘who can apply’ and ‘what we will fund’ criteria. Businesses passing this check will be contacted by their local North Yorkshire Council business adviser to go through the application in more detail.  

When will I find out if I’ve been successful?

Monthly decision panels will be held from June to November 2024. How quickly your application gets to panel will depend on when you apply, the overall volume of applications, your availability to speak to or meet with an adviser and how quickly you’re able to provide any additional information required. We aim to notify you if your application has been successful or not within approximately 3 months.  

What happens after my application is approved?

You will be sent a funding agreement to sign. Once you have signed this, you can start your project.

When you have completed and paid for your project, you will submit a claim form, along with relevant receipts/invoices etc, and the grant will be paid to you.

What happens after I receive my grant?

All successful grant applicants are expected to take part in project evaluation activities. This normally involves completing a short form 6 months after you complete the project, telling us about the impact the grant has had on your business.