Business support programme

Coventry City Council is able to support SMEs within the Coventry area with both non-financial support and financial support, subject to grant availability and meeting the funding criteria. This business support is being provided under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority's Business Growth West Midlands Programme (BGWM).

The non-financial support can help, guide and support the SME with:

• Management & People
• Business Planning & Growth Strategy
• Sales
• EU Exit and International Trade
• PESTLE- (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental)
• Marketing
• Branding and Company Presentation
• Operations
• Premises and Planning
• Financials
• Energy and Sustainability
• Social Responsibility & Inclusion
• Legal
• Intellectual Property (IP)

SME Capital Grant specification

The grant funding can be used for the following activities:

• Relocation, expansion, and growth of existing businesses
• Developing new market opportunities
• Low carbon/energy efficiency/waste management – Green grants through the Business Energy Advice Service Programme
• Improving systems and processes
• Capital investment, e.g., new plant, machinery and equipment.
• Increase in productive capacity of new and existing premisses through new property builds/refurbishment/extensions.

 Programme due to start shortly.

Ineligible costs

Local Authorities and delivery providers should ensure they are aware of the limitations of the UKSPF funding to prevent spend on ineligible costs. The list below provides examples of costs that are not to be included in a UKSPF intervention,

• Political or religious activity
• Statutory or funded activities
• Fines or debt
• Gifts
• Contingencies
• VAT reclaimable from HMRC

Ineligible business sectors

• Charities
• Those of a political or religious persuasion (places of worship)
• Activities involving pornography or clairvoyance.
• Any business activity that is illegal or deemed unsuitable for public support by Coventry City Council.
• Agricultural, fishery & forestry

Speak to a Business Advisor about your enquiry

This project is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. For more information, please visit UK Shared Prosperity Fund.