Pendle innovation and productivity grants

Who is eligible?

The grants are for all businesses in Pendle who meet the criteria for the grant programme.

Type of fund

The grant can be used to fund either revenue or capital expenditure.

What are the grants for?

The purpose of the grant is to support investment in research and development, and innovation.

The grant can be used to fund either the Research element or the Development stage or both elements.

Types of activities the grants will fund

• Part or all of the grant can be to fund research activity with local organisations, for example universities, Catapult centres, AMRC or other organisations related to the business which you are in, including trade associations or consultants which are expert in your line of business which will encourage and support partnership working.
• Part or all of the grant can be to fund new equipment provided it is backed by demonstrable evidence of previous research you have carried out.

Mandatory outcome requirements

The grant must result in one or more of the following:

• The Adoption of new to the firm technologies or processes

The programme will also support a minimum of one businesses who will develop a new product as a result of the grant.

Value of grants

The maximum grant value is £18,000

The grant will support up to a maximum of 60% of eligible project costs.

Process

1. An Expression of Interest is to be made to us.
2. If your project is eligible you will be sent a full application form to complete. Purchases (investments) should demonstrate value for money through 3 quotes. Where the nature of the project does not allow for this, clear reason should be given, and is subject to the agreement of the Grants Officer.
3. The completed application will be considered by a panel. 
4. If the grant panel approve your grant you will be issued with a Grant Agreement. Once you have deferred your expenditure and evidenced it, the grant will be paid to your business.

Timescale

1 April 2024 to 31st March 2025. No Grant Offer will be made until we receive funds from the UK Government. This could be up to July 2024.

All outcomes must be achieved and reported to us by 31 March 2025 in order to realise the required outcomes. We cannot support projects which can't meet these dates.

All grant claims must be made to Pendle Council by 28 February 2025 to be processed for payment before the deadline (31 March 2025).

Monitoring

We will monitor projects. If you don't meet your outcomes you may not receive all of the grant. You will be asked to provide evidence. Monitoring will take place quarterly until the programme close date or until outcomes have been achieved and evidenced.

Successful Outcomes

• An enterprise adopting new to the firm technologies or processes

Introducing a new technology or process. A technology or process is new if:

• you did not use a technology or process with the same functionality before,
• or the production technology or process is fundamentally different from those already used.

This outcome is not suitable to be met by an enterprise less than 12 months old.

• An enterprise with improved productivity

Productivity is the gross value added per hour worked or gross value added per worker. To meet this criteria you must be able to calculate and show evidence of improved productivity, against an initial baseline before support. This outcome is not suitable to be met by businesses less than 6 months old.

New products

A product is new to the market if:

• there is no other product available on a market that offers the same functionality,
• or the design or technology that the new product uses is fundamentally different from the design or technology of already existing products.
• Products can be tangible or intangible (incl. services and processes). This outcome can include start-up enterprises if the criteria is being met.

Local Outcomes

The grant should support the further growth and development of a business. A business should be able to demonstrate how this is to be achieved by the project (for example through increased turnover projection and the requirement for additional staff within the business). The grants process will take these considerations into account when determining eligibility and approval for funding.

Get in touch

If your business is interested in a grant funded project under this scheme or has any questions please contact - Mike Williams michael.williams@pendle.gov.uk or 01282 661963.

If you are eligible you will be asked to fill in an Expression of Interest Form.

Additional information

Funding is limited. The grants are not retrospective, work that has already been ordered cannot be grant-aided.

The Grant is administered by Pendle Council and funded by the Department of Levelling Up, Communities and Housing via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.