Business Grants available to help develop your business

Find out how to obtain grants available for your business by visiting the Business Link's web site.

Stoke on Trent has Assisted Area status, with the whole of the City eligible for Regional Enterprise Grants (schemes under £500,000) and 16 of the City's 20 wards qualifying for Regional Selective Assistance (Tier 2). Funding is available towards the purchase of capital equipment including land and property up to a maximum of 15% of project costs.

European Objective 2 funding, both European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund is available within the City until 2006 for a range of capital and training projects linked to economic regeneration.

Funding throughout the City is available under the Government's Single Regeneration Budget programme towards projects also linked to economic regeneration until 2006/07. A fund for small businesses to assist them in the purchase of capital equipment, to a maximum of 25% has been approved. Individual SRB programmes also operate within parts of the City and assistance may be available to businesses for land, property and training purposes.

The DTI's Smart Project scheme helps small and medium sized businesses to access technology and research and develop innovative products and processes. Grants of up to £150,000, 30% of eligible costs, are available to develop pre-production prototypes and to carry out feasibility studies (maximum £45,000, 75% of costs).

Funding towards the refurbishment of derelict buildings or the reclamation and development of brownfield land may also be available through Advantage West Midlands, the Regional Development Agency who have identified the City as a priority area for funding through the designation of the City as a Regeneration Zone.

Financial assistance aimed specifically towards the ceramic industry is available 20001/02 through the Innovative Clusters Fund administered by the Regional Development Agency.

Businesses in conservation areas or in listed building may be eligible for assistance towards the upkeep/refurbishment of their property through English Heritage  - contact the Urban Design and Conservation team for more information, phone (01782) 232477.

Start-up finance for young people wishing to set up in business is available through the Prince's Trust.


Land and Property

The City Council manages a number of enterprise centres which provide managed workspace for small businesses which offer rent free periods, as well as nursery units on industrial estates. It has land and premises available for sale or rent. For further information contact 01782 234606 for information on Vacant units.

For information on other land and property let by the City Council contact the Corporate Assets team on 01782 232482.


NOTE
In addition to these funding regimes a host of other general, e.g. New Deal, Landfill Tax, as well as sector specific grants and loans may also be available. The business support agencies, Business Initiative and Business Link Staffordshire, will be able to offer assistance on these and advise on business matters in general.