£5million funding pot available across the Marches

Businesses across the Marches were today urged to take advantage of a £5 million funding pot to help them grow.

The Marches Local Enterprise Partnership says the money is available through a variety of business support programmes supported by the European Regional Development Fundnd could provide vital help for companies across Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Telford & Wrekin.

It is part of a wider package of support offered through the Marches LEP and its business support service the Marches Growth Hub amounting to more than £10million.

Paul Kalinauckas, the Marches LEP’s access to finance champion, said the ERDF funding could help companies in a huge variety of ways, including to grow, develop innovative new products or services, expand into new space, become more energy efficient, develop their sustainability and purchase key equipment and innovate.

Paul said: “Small and medium-sized enterprises across the region can access more than 10 EU-funded business support projects – including grants and consultancy support – with a total financial value of almost £5million.

“This funding and support can make a big difference to small businesses, particularly against the current economic backdrop, and we would urge as many businesses as possible to get in touch to explore how they might benefit from this support.

“We would also urge our partners in the financial services economy to promote the benefits of all these programmes – and the wider support now available – to their clients to help ensure they can get the funding they need just when they need it.”