Road to Net Zero Grant
COMMUNITY RENEWAL FUND
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(December 2021)
Introduction
The scheme is designed to support businesses located within the boundaries of Norfolk and
Suffolk, access grants of up to £25,000 for projects that will deliver significant carbon saving
reductions.
The grant can contribute up to 75% of eligible project costs.
Projects can be wide ranging and include, but not restricted to, energy efficiency, clean energy,
supply chain engagement, behaviour change/education, reducing waste.
The scheme will also help create and enhance a business’s de-carbonisation plans.
There is a limited pot of funding available, so we are looking for businesses to bring
forward investment projects that will have a significant impact on their business, and
grant applications will be considered by the panel on “first-come, first-served” basis.
The projects must be completed in full by 30 April 2022 so we are looking for projects that are
ready to proceed immediately and are not dependent on planning or any other permissions
and delivery and completion dates can be confirmed.
The New Anglia Growth Hub has expert “Net Zero” Advisers to help you develop your net zero
opportunities.
The Grant cannot fund any projects that have been completed or commenced in any way. You
must not make any orders or pay deposits until you have been notified of the outcome of your
application.
Businesses must have been actively trading for a minimum of 12-months to access the grant
funding.
The scheme is unable to support applications from the Agricultural Sector (primary processing
of agricultural products).
Examples of projects can include, but again are not restricted to
• LED lighting
• Energy efficient plant and machinery
• Insulation, replacement windows, doors etc. to improve energy efficiency of buildings
• Heating e.g., Biomass, ASHP/WSHP etc. but not fossil fuel alternatives
• Electric commercial vehicles*
• Solar Panels (building regs and planning permission may apply)
• Creation or enhancement of decarbonisation plans
• Further specialist consultancy
What will the scheme pay for?
Up to 75% business grant towards capital and revenue costs involved in delivering carbon
saving and carbon reduction projects.
New low emission vehicles will be restricted to 60%, less any OLEV grant received at source.
Grants between £1,000 up to a maximum of £25,000 are available. This means that your total
project costs must be at least £1,334 to qualify for the minimum grant of £1,000.
In this Grant, if you are approved for support, you will receive an Offer Letter. Once you have
accepted and returned the terms of the Offer, you can commence your project and make the
supported investments.
This means that you will need to make the full payment from your business bank account and
then claim the grant on completion. You can only claim once at the end of the project.
Support Provided
The scheme provides support to assist companies pivot towards a net zero future.
You will need to convince us there is a case for using grant funding to support your project,
for example by:
o Demonstrating where your business is on its journey to Net Zero.
o Creating a De-carbonisation Plan, or enhance an existing Plan
o Identifying what impact this grant support would have on your business’s carbon
emissions. The Net Zero Growth Hub Adviser will help you identify the potential
carbon savings from your proposal.
To be eligible for grant funding, applicants must meet the following essential criteria:
o The company must be registered in the UK.
o 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).
o Be a trading enterprise.
o Be based within the boundaries of Norfolk and Suffolk Councils.
o Must not be a company in liquidation, dissolved, struck off or subject to a striking-
off notice.
o Medium sized businesses are not eligible for support if they were classed as an
undertaking in difficulty as of 31 December 2019.
We cannot help with all business costs and here are some examples that cannot be included:
What we cannot fund:
o Fossil fuel or hybrid vehicles
o Fossil fuel heating systems
o Cashflow, buying stock, help with utility bills
o Expenditure on continuous or periodic activity or costs to comply to statutory
regulations
o Non-business expenditure
o The routine replacement of items and consumables including laptops and
software.
o Land purchase.
o VAT, unless this cannot be recovered.
o Repeat applications, including from linked companies.
o More than one application from a “Group” of linked businesses
Procurement
With your application, as a minimum, you will need to provide evidence of value for money for
all projects over £25,000 from a single supplier and your Net Zero adviser will guide you
through this process.
Quotes must include the name and address and VAT number (if applicable) of the proposed
supplier.
You cannot use linked or partner businesses, or family members to supply goods or
services.
We will not support costs from a single supplier below £250.
Five is the maximum number of elements or items that the scheme will support.
The funding for your project must come from private sources, e.g., company funds and or
private investment.
Please note that all project expenditure must be seen to be paid directly to the supplier from
your business bank account. You should have these funds available to complete the project
before you make the application.
The use of cash, credit card, or asset finance to make purchases is not accepted.
Remember that your project must be completed by 30/04/2022 so please check with your
suppliers that delivery and installation can be completed within this timeframe.
Maximum Level of Subsidy
This support is delivered through Small Amounts of Financial Assistance Allowance (SAFAA).
The maximum amount of SAFAA that you can receive in any three-year period is
approximately £335,000 and this must be combined with any EU de minimis State Aid received
during the same period.
Our Net Zero Growth Hub Adviser will be able to help you if you have any questions on Subsidy
Allowances.
Please note, grants are awarded on a discretionary basis and are subject to detailed
checks and awards are decided by a panel it may take up to 21 days before a decision
is reached.
Due to the limited pot available, applications will be considered by the panel on a “first
come - first served” basis.
THE PROCESS
1. HOW ARE GRANT APPLICATIONS ASSESSED?
You should submit your completed application to your adviser who will be in touch with you,
and we will start processing it. We will undertake a detailed assessment of your proposal
based on the Application Form and the supporting information that you provide.
You may however be asked for additional information during this process, to enable an
assessment of, for example, eligibility, financial viability, procurement etc.
Once assessment of your grant application has been completed, the document along with a
relevant report will be submitted to a Panel who will take a final decision on your proposed
project.
The grant decision will be relayed to you at the earliest opportunity. Please be aware, full
compliance with the eligibility criteria does not guarantee that your application will be
successful, as grants are discretionary, and there is no right of appeal against the grant
decision. If your grant application is rejected, an explanation will be provided.
Please again note that it may take up to 21 days for the assessment and panel process to be
completed.
2. HOW DO I CLAIM THE GRANT?
If your grant is approved, you will be issued with a formal Offer Letter that will include
information about your grant offer and eligible supported project costs, any conditions of the
offer and information on how to claim the grant.
At this point you can now make the purchases of goods, works or services as outlined in the
Offer Letter. You must only use your business bank account to make the payment.
We cannot support any items that were ordered, commissioned, or purchased before the date
of the Offer Letter. You must wait for the Offer Letter before starting the project.
If you change your mind and decide to purchase different items from those in the Offer Letter,
you must contact us before proceeding as this may invalidate your claim.
Once you have completed all your projects, that is you have paid for the goods, works or
services, and they are all delivered/installed or otherwise in your possession, you can claim
the grant.
To claim the grant, you will need to submit a Claim Form and provide supporting
documentary evidence:
o Copies of invoices and bank statements of the applicant business confirming the
fully completed purchase and payment.
o All documents must be certified as true copies of the original documents, dated,
and signed.
o Evidence of fulfilment of any conditions contained within the Offer Letter
We will pay the grant directly to your business bank account once we are satisfied that we
have received all certified documents and completed all necessary checks.
Please note, you are allowed to make only one claim for the whole grant value after you
have spent all the planned project costs.
We reserve the right to visit any grant recipient to ensure the grant has been used for the
purpose stated in the Grant Agreement, inspect records to show that costs have been
evidenced and make a formal assessment of the impact of the project. Grant recipients are
obliged to cooperate with this process.
How to make an Enquiry
Businesses wishing to apply for support should first contact the New Anglia Growth Hub
https://www.newangliagrowthhub.co.uk/business-support/funding-finance/ on 0300 333 6536
or email growthhub@newangliagrowthhub.co.uk
Our expert and impartial Net Zero Business Growth Advisers will work with you to develop an
action plan and complete your application.
Support from the Growth Hub to assist with the application process is free for you to
use. To engage with this free support, the Growth Hub is required to record business
information from you, at the start and end of the service
