Business Resilience and Recovery Grant Scheme Criteria
Introduction
The Business Resilience and Recovery Scheme delivered by New Anglia Local Enterprise
Partnership (New Anglia), will provide support to businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk that have
been affected by the Covid-19 Coronavirus and are looking at ways to recover and strengthen
their business performance.
The scheme provides a range of interventions to help businesses to adapt and cope with the
effects of the downturn, safeguarding businesses and jobs.
There is a limited pot of funding available to support companies across the whole of Norfolk
and Suffolk, so we’re looking for companies to bring forward investment projects that will have
a significant impact on their business, and grant applications will be considered on “first-come,
first-served” basis.
What will the scheme pay for?
Up to 40% grant towards capital costs involved in initial resilience and future recovery
of businesses, between £25k up to a maximum of 50k is available;
The scheme is operated across all districts and boroughs in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Funding Available
The Business Resilience and Recovery Grant Scheme commences with an initial allocation of
£3.5m from the New Anglia LEP Growth Deal, followed by an additional £2.6m from the
Getting Building Fund.
Maximum grant intervention through the programme will be up to 40% of eligible capital costs
up to a maximum of £50,000. To be awarded the minimum of £25,000, total capital project
costs of at least £62,500 must be evidenced.
Support Provided
The scheme provides support to assist companies during the challenging business
environment facing many sectors as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The support could
take the form of one or more of the variety of interventions including:
Support for the production of products to tackle the Coronavirus outbreak
Support for Coronavirus related Research and Development
Development of new technology or innovation and productivity improvements
Short term manufacturing diversification
Longer term development for future recovery and diversification
Identification and mobilisation into new markets
As part of the process, an initial in-depth diagnostic exercise will be undertaken by the New
Anglia Growth Hub advisers, to determine eligibility of the business and identify what type of
support they require.
Examples include advice on:
Access to finance - seeking advice on leveraging working capital
Financial and business planning
Market appraisal, including overseas markets
Creating a more efficient business operation by reducing costs
Diversification into other appropriate sectors
Creating a pipeline of products or services or commercialisation of a new product
Collaboration with other businesses or R&D institutions to develop new technology or
ideas
Stabilising losses on contracts by reducing overheads
Reducing staff in a way that does affect viability and paves way for longer term growth
Capital Grant Programme
A business applying under the Business Resilience and Recovery Scheme can apply for a
grant of £25,000 up to a maximum of £50,000 to support projects based around the potential
options for support listed above. Capital grant intervention is up to 40% of the eligible costs of
the project.
To be eligible for grant funding, applicants must meet the following essential criteria:
Be a trading enterprise (and have at least 2 years’ worth of accounts);
Be based in Norfolk or Suffolk;
Be ready to invest or expand in the local area;
Must not have been a company ‘in difficulty’ on 31 December 2019;
We will not be able to help you if your business falls into one of the following sectors:
primary agriculture
(including processing and marketing of agricultural products),
horticulture, fisheries, aquaculture, forestry, coal, steel and shipbuilding.
Capital costs could include but are not limited to:
o Premises (construction and/or extension - maximum grant award 10% or
£50k, whichever is the lesser),
o Premises (purchase - maximum grant award 10% or £50k, whichever is the
lesser),
o Plant and machinery,
o Commercial vehicles, limited to two per application.
o Fixtures and fittings.
o Social distancing measures, but only if the Covid impact is severe and capital
works were not already planned.
What we cannot fund:
o Core running or staff costs (Revenue costs);
o Intangible Assets - IP, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Names;
o Any costs incurred before a grant offer is made;
o Items that are not directly needed to deliver the proposed work;
o The replacement of items and consumables including laptops and software;
o Website creation;
o Land purchase; VAT, unless this cannot be recovered;
o Any projects that can be funded from other LEP grant schemes;
o Repeat applications, including from linked companies.
The remainder of the funding for the project must come from private sources, e.g. company
funds and or private investment.
You may be required to seek 3 quotes for items to provide reassurance of value for money.
Please note that all project expenditure must be seen to be paid from your business bank
account.
Eligibility
To be eligible for assistance, the company must be registered in the UK and have a base in
Norfolk or Suffolk.
Applicants must be an SME (employ less than 250 people and your turnover is less than EUR
50m or annual balance sheet less than EUR 43m).
Please note, grants are awarded on a discretionary basis and are subject to eligibility
checks and approval.
Enquiry
Businesses wishing to apply for support should first contact the New Anglia Growth Hub on
0300 333 6536 or email [email protected].
Our expert Business Growth Advisers will work with you to develop an action plan and
complete your application.
Please note, the services of the Growth Hub are free and impartial.