Howard Partridge, of the Department for Communities & Local Government says: "This funding is allocated to the East of England only, so applicants are competing with a relatively small number of others for this funding. It is 'ours to lose'!"
Further details** are provided below.
He adds: "Please bear in mind that projects must assist multiple SMEs and that SMEs cannot apply directly for funding to assist themselves. Only an Outline Application needs to be submitted by e-mail by the 23rd July at 5pm. We are keen to discuss your ideas well in advance of that and provide any guidance we can. (Applications that are not reviewed in draft well in advance are rarely successful.)
"Applications that are successful at this stage, and move quickly through subsequent stages, might expect to begin delivery on 1st January 2013. Project delivery must be completed by 31st December 2014, with three further months to complete evaluation and final claims.
"You can find examples of projects we have already supported here."
*See also Online tool to help smaller firms is unveiled
**European Regional Development Fund - Bidding round 19
The 19th bidding round of the European Regional Development Fund Programme seeks proposals for projects that can encourage low carbon economic growth in multiple SMEs. "Low carbon" doesn't mean that projects can only be about innovation in clean or green technologies (though they can be). Projects can encourage increased efficiency or greater sustainability too.
The ERDF programme assists small & medium enterprises (SMEs) to stimulate low carbon economic growth as well as achieving the aims of the partners that deliver them. Those projects aim to assist over 10,000 SMEs and as a result create or safeguard 2,800 jobs in a lower carbon economy by 2015. ERDF will fund up to 40% of the total project costs and the match funding can be partly in-kind, e.g. staff time, as well as cash from any public or private source other than the EU.
The deadline for submitting outline application forms for the next round of applications is 5pm on 23rd July 2012 but the team is keen to discuss your ideas well before that to assist you in developing the best possible application. You can e-mail a short summary of your idea or speak to one of the facilitators:
Axis 1: Innovation & knowledge transfer.
Howard Partridge 0303 444 6401 howard.partridge@communities.gsi.gov.uk
Axis 2: Enterprise & business support
Alastair Rhind 0303 444 6412 Alastair.Rhind@communities.gsi.gov.uk
Axis 3: Sustainable development, production & consumption
Contact Alastair Rhind.
Following discussion with a facilitator, all completed project outline application forms should be sent to ee.erdfenquiries@communities.gsi.gov.uk no later than 5pm on the day of the deadline, to be followed by a printed signed copy within seven days.
For more information on Bidding Round 19, please click here:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/regeneration/regenerationfunding/europeanregionaldevelopment/eastengland/application/callsforproposals/
Please note that the ERDF forms and guidance have changed with the old concept form being replaced now by an outline application form and the business case replaced by the full application form. For more information, please click here:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/regeneration/regenerationfunding/europeanregionaldevelopment/nationalguidance/