Cash is up for grabs from regional fund

A SLICE of £8.65 million of cash from the European Regional Development Fund is up for projects which boost small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the county.

Applicants can get a portion of the money by showing they enhance the competitiveness of SMEs in investment readiness, growth, innovation, business finance, support for young people to start a business and growth of commercial space.

Projects must be matched by 50 per cent of the applicants funding, so an organisation with a £1m project would need to stump up £500,000.

To help with the application process, the Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) is hosting an event on March 23 between 9.30am and 12.30pm.

It will take place at City Hall.

Nick Pulley, chair of the LLEP said: “Since March 2015 the current European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Programme in England has been developing and supporting projects across the country which boost business and innovation and support local growth.

“We have seen 13 successful projects in the LLEP area which help businesses in a wide variety of ways from grant schemes, free events and workshops, free business advice and more. “These projects include the Growth Hub - LLEP Business Gateway, Digital Growth Programme, Collaborate Growing Business Together, Leicester Innovation Hub, Green BELLE and the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) to name a few.

“The LLEP is encouraging local organisations to take advantage of the funding available and if you’re interested in running a project which supports SMEs, I encourage you to attend the upcoming ERDF event which will give an insight into the funding and application process.”