Technical Notes 2024, Issue 165 - Business and Regeneration Grants

1. The purpose of this Technical Note is to provide Elected Members with an update on Business and Regeneration grants that were outlined in Report No. PNCA/058/23/DG June 2023.  These grants are pilots and are designed to support local economic development in East Dunbartonshire.  They are being delivered through the Business Support Team.

Digital Development Grant (DDG)

2. The DDG was launched in August 2023 and is currently fully subscribed.  The DDG has a £120,000 allocation funded via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).  The main purpose of the DDG is to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to adopt digital solutions to improve efficiency and capacity, resilience and overall business performance.  A Register of Interest is available online should additional funds be secured, and these will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

3. To date nearly 40 applications have been received, a number of which have been approved and paid.  The remaining are being processed and must complete by 31st March 2025 in line with current UKSPF fund rules.

4. The DDG could be continued past 31st March 2025 should other sources of external funding be identified to support it.  More information about the grant and application process is available on Digital Development Support Programme webpage.

Green Business Support Grant (GBSG)

5. The GBSG was launched mid 2024.  The GBS is funded via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).  This is a relatively small but focused grant programme and its main purpose is to support SMEs (Small-Medium-Enterprises) in the area make progress towards net-zero carbon emissions.

6. The overall budget for the new grant scheme is £80,000.  Subject to take up and availability of additional funding, the grant budget could be increased.  Part of the delivery of the GBSG relates to a regional audit and support product (Extend Plus), which is used to support local businesses.

7. Extend Plus provides Carbon Baseline Reports which participating local authorities will use to assess current carbon outputs and potential improvement/reductions over a given period.  Projects are carried out on the basis of these recommendations and evaluated to ascertain performance against outputs/outcomes and other criteria.

8. To date 8 applications are going through the audit process with 1 grant delivered and paid.  The GBSG could be continued past 31st March 2025 should other sources of external funding be identified to support it.  More information about the grant and application process is available on the Green Business Support Programme webpage.

Site Enabling Regeneration Fund (SERF)

9. The aim of the SERF is to support the repair and redevelopment of land and buildings and promote future investment from the public sector.  The SERF will support landowners, developers, businesses and community organisations identify development potential and overcome barriers. 

10. It is targeted at East Dunbartonshire regeneration locations including Kirkintilloch Business Gateway and Westerhill.  It can also be applied to support redevelopment at locations which are identified within the Local Development Plan for business use and town centres.  It will also allow feasibility studies to identify potential options for sites.

11. This is again a pilot grant scheme and to undertake this pilot up to £200,000 has been identified from existing external funding budgets.  The SERF overall budget may be tailored to reflect available external funding that can be applied. The exact thresholds for individual grants are being finalised/determined, but it is expected there will be a maximum of up to £15,000 available for sites under one hectare and a maximum of £30,000 for larger sites.

12. Applications to the SERF will be assessed against a range of factors.  This for example could include the length of time a site has been vacant or derelict and the site location and type of development proposal’s alignment with relevant plans and strategies.  Detailed criteria will be included in the application and assessment, and grant award processes.  

The original launch was expected earlier in 2024.  Due to capacity and competing priorities, this has been delayed, and it is envisaged it will start late 2024/early 2025.

Social Enterprise Grant (SEG)

13. The SEG was not included in Report No. PNCA/058/23/DG but it is being coordinated by the Business Support Team, working with a delivery partner - East Dunbartonshire’s third sector interface East Dunbartonshire Voluntary Action (EDVA).  It is designed to support existing and new Social Enterprises, in line with the local economic development strategy and has £60,000 from the UKSPF.

14. The SEG was launched earlier this year and has closed for applications.  It is fully subscribed with applications being reviewed.  A small portion of the Social Enterprise Grant has also been used for the Enterprising Schools Certification programme, which recognises and rewards the enterprising achievements of young people at various levels.

15. An evaluation will be carried out by EDVA which will inform achievements towards outputs and outcomes required by UKSPF.

16. As with other UKSPF funded projects, this must complete 31st March 2025. Opportunity exists to extend this type of support, subject to available external funding. 

Next steps

17. Officers will continue to progress the grants outlined utilising existing external funding allocated to economic development.  Updates on the grants will continue to be provided via the monthly How Good is our Service reporting.