Grant Information Summary

More information on business grants and funding are listed below. This is the latest listing provided for us by J4B. This week we have information on grants helping SMEs in The North West to embrace sustainable innovation; a competition for film makers; help for redundant construction apprentices and a training scheme for managers and supervisors in Wales.
more information on these schemes can be found by contacting me at mparry@straightfinance.co.uk . Alternatively follow me on Twitter
New Scheme Helps North West Firms Go Green
More than £3 million is being made available to help North West of England-based SMEs embrace sustainable innovation.
The three-year Northwest Eco-Innovation Programme will encourage hundreds of businesses to exploit the growing market for environmentally-friendly products, processes and services.
Short Film Fund Looking For “Surprising Stories”
Aspiring filmmakers can win funding from a new competition to help them shoot short documentaries about things that are “good to know”.
Four winning entrants will each scoop £2,000 from the 4Docs scheme, an initiative run by the Channel 4 British Documentary (BRITDOC) Foundation.
Subsidy Scheme To Recruit Redundant Construction Apprentices
Construction companies are being urged to take advantage of a subsidy scheme to help them recruit redundant apprentices.
The Homes and Communities Agency has joined forces with Construction Skills to promote the sector skills council’s Apprenticeship Matching Service.
Training Fund For A Winning Welsh Workforce
The Welsh Assembly Government has launched a new £37 million training scheme for managers and team leaders.
Provided as part of the Workforce Development Programme, companies can claim subsidies for their staff to take part in a series of Leadership and Management Development Workshops.
Sc: http://www.j4b.co.uk http://www.mgba.co.uk http://www.ukba.co.uk

Help for Automotive Sector

My colleagues at the National B2B Centre have told me about this £3.5m support package for automotive suppliers in the West Midlands struggling during the economic downturn. Automotives Initiatives was launched by West Midlands Taskforce Chair and Regional Minister, Ian Austin.
The funding, which will come from Advantage West Midlands, will help struggling component manufacturers with up to £50,000 of specialist strategic consultancy to help with business consolidation, refinancing , new product introduction and restructuring.
The Automotive Response Programme will be delivered by the Manufacturing Advisory Service in partnership with Accelerate and will look to assist more than 120 companies, ranging from SMEs to tier 1s and even local car producers. It is anticipated that this dedicated support will safeguard up to 1000 jobs in the supply chain.
Sc: www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk

NISPO Proof Of Concept Grant Northern Ireland

The Invest Growth Proof of Concept Fund is funded by Invest NI and set up as a pre-commercial grant-awarding fund. The Fund helps individuals, start-ups, micro-enterprises and SMEs to establish the commercial potential of a concept resulting from in-house research and ideas. Grants are awarded to help beneficiaries establish the commercial potential of a concept and more fully develop and test their ideas. The £3m fund will run for five years. An important aspect of the scheme is the commercial and entrepreneurial support the recipients receive through E-Synergy. These elements include: business mentoring, IP and copyright protection and advice.

www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk

New Index Voucher Scheme In West Midlands

You may be interested to hear that the latest call for Innovation Vouchers has just been announced. If successful, these will provide you with £3,000 of assistance from a university in the West Midlands.

Further information is available at http://www.innovationvouchers-wm.com/

However to give you an idea, The Innovation Voucher Scheme awards West Midland SMEs a £3,000 voucher to purchase academic support for an innovation at any of the region's 13 universities. Here are some examples of the type of activity you could use the support to undertake:

• innovation / technology audit; new service delivery and customer interface; new business model development; tailored training in innovation management efficiency audits; process change; supply chain management and logistics; product and service testing and economic impact assessment; product development; business and leadership school; feasibility studies.

Priority will be given to businesses in the following sectors
Health and Medical Technologies; Environmental/Energy; New Materials; Digital Media; Transport; Construction.

All small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the West Midlands area are eligible to apply for an Innovation Voucher. Ineligible activities include:

• Achieving compliance with statutory regulations or legislation
  Intellectual property protection
  Standard training courses
  Software purchases
  Equipment purchases
  Aid that would promote / subsidise the cost of exports
  Internships for students of knowledge providers
  Design and production of advertising materials
  Sales and marketing activities this includes standard website design, development and search optimisation (the only exception would be the exploitation of new web technology for the region and/ or industry)
  Advertising and promotional activities e.g. design of posters, leaflets etc.
  Accreditations
  Capital items
  Travel costs
  Continuation and existing projects with the knowledge providers
  Legal advice
  Business Link Consultation

All voucher winners are required to have a free consultation with Business Link under the requirements of Solutions for Business. So if you think this might be something that you might like to apply for – and why not, drop me an email to martin.parry@mgba.co.uk

Sc: http://www.mgba.co.uk/ http://www.ukba.co.uk/

AWM Closes its Proof of Concept Grant

The popular and effective Proof of Concept grant is to close it has been announced.Several weeks ago I predicted the closure of the Advantage West Midlands Proof of Concept Grant managed on their behalf by Univesity of Warwick Science Park. My prediction has been proved sadly correct. UWSP has recently announced its closure on their website.Final applications must be recieved by 31st October this year after which no further applications will be accepted. This has been a very effective grant product, well managed by UWSP. It has offered much needed funds to produict developers and innovators throughout the region. I have been invoved in a number of great product initiatvies supported by this scheme and although alternatives to exist through the Research and Development grant and the Innovation Networks offering, the Proof of Concept grant will be sadly missed.

Sc: www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk

Once again thanks largely to J4B I have been able to draw up another stop press of grant information. Our network of readers and followers is now becoming truly nationwide. So I am now including information from throughout the country. Please check these notices out and click on the links provided for more information. More information will be posted as it becomes available.
New Fund Fires Up Coalfield Communities
A new £20 million fund is being set up to boost business in areas crippled by the collapse of coalmining.
Housing Minister John Healey has announced plans to set up a Coalfields Growth Fund to support new and growing small businesses in former coalfield areas.
Places Up For Grabs On American Enterprise Programme
Aspiring Scottish entrepreneurs are invited to enter a competition offering subsidised places at a prestigious Boston-based business school.
Six lucky applicants from the Highlands and Islands region will receive funding to take part in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s renowned Entrepreneurship Development Programme at the end of January.
Climate Change Cash Still On Offer
There’s still time left for Chorley-based companies to take advantage of a scheme to help them go green.
Approximately £30,000 remains up for grabs through Chorley Borough Council’s Climate Change Business Grants programme.


Multi-Million Pound Boost For Marine Energy
Government grants totalling £22.5 million are up for grabs to speed up the commercial development of wave and tidal technologies.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has officially launched their Marine Renewables Proving Fund.
Closing Date Coming For Environmental Awards
There’s only a month left for businesses, schools, councils and charities to enter a prestigious competition offering cash prizes for great green initiatives.
The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2010 close to initial applications on 27 October.
Innovative Industrial Biotech Fund Launched
Up to £2.5 million funding is being made available to carry out feasibility studies into how industrial biotechnology can be used to produce high value chemicals.
The Government’s April 2009 New Industry, New Jobs report highlighted the potential impact that industrial biotechnology could have, in particular by shifting the focus of the chemical industry away from oil to one based on renewable and biological substances.
New Creative Competition Underway
A new £1 million programme to help Scottish artists team up with the wider creative industries sector has opened to applications.
First announced last month, the Vital Spark Awards is the first project to be financed by the £5 million Innovation Fund established by Creative Scotland, the new body set up to nurture the nation’s cultural and artistic talents.
Scots Given Incentive To Tell Apprentices: “You’re Hired”
Employers can receive £2,000 to recruit a redundant apprentice under a Scottish Government scheme.
Up to £1.7 million European Social Fund cash has been made available for “Adopt an Apprentice”, the first project to be supported through the Government’s skills development programme ScotAction.
Second Chance To Net Innovation Assistance
Companies in the East of England have a second chance to scoop £3,000 funding to boost their business by working alongside one of the region’s universities .
The second round of the East of England Development Agency’s Innovation Vouchers programme has opened to applications.
Source: www.j4b.co.uk www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk
MPblog3009

Small Firms To Benefit from Big Business Refit

The Carbon Trust is set to launch a new programme they claim will help thousands of UK SMEs to reduce their energy bills by a combined £40 million. Their Big Business Refit initiative provides firms with expert advice and access to interest-free loans to replace old, inefficient equipment with new, environmentally-friendly models.
Through their long-standing Energy Efficiency Loan Scheme, the Trust offers SMEs funding ranging from £3,000 to £400,000 to upgrade their equipment.The fund currently has £100 million worth of loans available, a sum expected to help up to 3,000 businesses cut a total of £40 million off their annual energy costs.

Sc: www.thecarbontrust.co.uk www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk

Business Link Article

The Birmingham post has run an article that will be of interest to all businesses in the region. I have therefore simply attached a link.

http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2009/09/14/management-turmoil-throws-business-link-s-future-into-doubt-65233-24680422/

Rules on Migrant Workers Tightened

A raft of new government measures has been announced this week, which aim to ensure that resident workers have every opportunity to fill UK vacancies before they are offered to workers abroad.
The Government has accepted the recommendations made by the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) last month to tighten up the rules controlling when skilled workers are allowed to take jobs in the UK under the Government's points system.

From next year, all jobs must be advertised to British workers in Jobcentre Plus for four weeks, extended from two weeks, before companies can seek to employ individuals from outside Europe.

The Government will also extend the qualifying period for all those overseas workers who want to transfer to work at the UK base of their company – from next year they will have to have worked for their firm for at least a year rather than just six months prior to the move.
The minimum salary that will allow an individual to qualify as a skilled worker and be eligible to work in the UK will also rise from £17,000 to £20,000.

Source: Workplace Law Network

www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk

Black Country Engineer Wins £30,000 Grant

Good news today. I have heard from a client that the grant application that he and I have been working on for several weeks has been approved in the sum of £30,000.
My client is a small engineering company based in The Black Country. The MD has been working on a new technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of solar panels and their use in the domestic housing industry. Working with the client we applied for a Proof of Concept grant from Advantage West Midlands to help with the cost of IPR; a full market assessment and the further testing of his prototype to ensure the design will cope with a manufacturing process.
This is a further successful Proof of Concept application we have made on behalf of clients and I am delighted.

www.mgba.co.uk www.ukba.co.uk

Recovery Still Threatened By The Banks Say EEF

Britain's economic recovery is still being threatened by the lack of credit on offer from banks, a leading manufacturers' organisation reports today, warning that many businesses are actually finding it harder to secure affordable finance than a few months ago.A survey conducted by the EEF said 47 per cent of firms had seen the cost of finance increase over the past two months, from 44 per cent in the second quarter and 37 per cent in the first. Only 7 per cent of manufacturers said the cost of finance was now falling.Manufacturers also found the cost of new borrowing was still rising, with banks charging both higher fees and more expensive interest rates.A third of companies added that the supply of credit had shrunk in recent weeks, though this was an improvement from the second quarter when 42 per cent of businesses warned lines of credit were dwindling. However, small firms, in particular, are being hit by the credit shortage, the EEF said.Steve Radley, the EEF's director of policy, said that despite action from policymakers, the manufacturing sector's hopes of recovery were being hampered by their credit difficulties. "Despite historically low levels of interest rates and significant intervention by the Government and the Bank of England, credit conditions remain very tight for most manufacturers," he said."Given the severe damage done to banks' balance sheets by the recession, this is likely to remain the case for some time and will dampen the recovery as meeting new orders puts increasing pressure on manufacturers' cashflow."The EEF's warning reflects increasing concern that the inability of banks to lend more to business might prevent the UK from exiting recession or, at the very least, act as a cap on the strength of the recovery.Source: David Prosser, Business Editor, The Independentwww.ukba.co.uk

Grant Information Update

Here is a new update of grant news and availabiliy from J4B. If you would like more information you can email me on martin.parry@mgba.co.uk

Scottish Voucher Scheme Back For Second Round
A programme to encourage collaborations between Scottish SMEs and academic institutions has reopened to applications.
The first round of the Scottish Funding Council’s Innovation Voucher Scheme saw 30 businesses team up with Scottish universities to carry out projects involving the development of new products, processes and services.
£6 Million Boost Gives Textile Industry A Cutting Edge
Textile manufacturers across Yorkshire and the Humber are set to benefit from a major new European funding project.
The Textile Innovation Programme is being financed by a combined £6 million from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Innovation Grant For Energy Consultants
A Derbyshire-based sustainable energy firm has secured funding to develop a range of environmentally-friendly heating and energy systems.
East Midlands Renewable Energy Ltd (EMRE Ltd) has received a £3,000 Innovation Support Grant from the Sustainable Construction iNet, a network funded by the East Midlands Development Agency.
Retailers Call For “Fridge Scrappage” Scheme
The Government has been urged to scrap VAT on energy efficient household appliances and offer consumers incentives to trade in their fridges and washing machines for “greener” models.
Industry body the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has written to Chancellor Alistair Darling calling for more action to encourage people to switch to newer, more environmentally-friendly household appliances.
Start-Up Contest For Highlands Highflyers
Aspiring entrepreneurs from the Scottish Highlands can secure start-up support from a new awards scheme.
The UHI Millennium Institute Business Idea Competition – run by Inverness College UHI – has a total prize pool worth £2,900 available for the individuals with the best ideas for starting a new business.

http://www.mgba.co.uk http://www.ukba.co.uk

New Grant Information for Business

Here is more information concerning grant availabity for businesses provided by J4B. If you need any further information please email me. Our website can be found at www.mgba.co.uk.


Deadline Approaching For Enterprise Awards
Successful businessman Steve Morgan’s annual search for the most enterprising companies and individuals is coming to a close.
Entries to the Morgan Foundation Entrepreneur Awards 2009 must be made by 10 September.
New Competition To Spark Scottish Creative Business
A new £1 million programme has been announced to help Scottish artists team up with the wider creative industries sector.
Set to launch on 14 September, the Vital Spark Awards will be the first project to be financed by the £5 million Innovation Fund established by Creative Scotland, the new body set up to nurture the nation’s cultural and artistic talents.
Revitalising Recession-Hit High Streets
Grants totalling £3 million are being made available to prevent the economic downturn from creating a series of ghost towns across England.
Communities Secretary John Denham has revealed that 57 councils in areas hit hardest by the recession will each receive £52,632 to help transform empty shops into community facilities like art galleries, co-operatives or learning centres.



Venture Capital Fund Makes First Investments
Two technology companies have become the first businesses to benefit from a Government programme aimed at helping recession-hit small firms.
Business Secretary Lord Mandelson has announced the first successful applicants to the £75 million Capital for Enterprise Fund, a scheme set up in January to offer venture capital to SMEs struggling to cope with the credit crunch.
Green Research Fund Coming To A Close
There are just a few more weeks to take advantage of the latest funding round from the Carbon Trust’s Applied Research Grant scheme.
Businesses, universities, public sector bodies and community groups only have until 17 September to bid for funding worth up to £500,000 to help them develop low carbon technologies.
Big Funding Opportunity For Small Retailers
Small firms across England and Wales are set to scoop £5 million funding to protect their properties.
Later this month, businesses in 50 priority areas will get the chance to bid for grants worth up to £3,000 to buy alarms, banknote testing kits, metal grills and other security devices.
New Recycling Fund Launched
Recycling organisations across the West Midlands are invited to bid for funding from a new £2.3 million capital grants programme.
The new funding opportunity is the second scheme to be offered through the WRAP-AWM Recycling Programme, a joint initiative run by waste watchdog Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.
Stelios Supplies £50,000 Prize
Disabled entrepreneurs are invited to enter an annual competition sponsored by EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
The Stelios Award for Disabled Entrepreneurs, organised by charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, offers a first prize of £50,000 to the applicant who can demonstrate how the cash would make a significant difference to their business.
Time Running Out To Claim £10,000 Prize
There are just a couple more weeks left for companies to prove they are amongst the UK’s best up and coming businesses.
Applications to the Essence of the Entrepreneur competition have to be made by 31 August.

www.mgba.co.uk, www.ukba.co.uk

A Sporting Chance for Warwickshire Business?

Now I know this is not a subject that falls within the subject matter of this blog and I apologise to all readers who are from outside The West Midlands but I read an article in my local paper The Stratford Herald and I am grateful to them for providing this information.
Heads up all you firms in the Warwickshire area. The Olympic Games are looking for you. According to Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce local companies are being sought to bid for business both for the games proper and to work on the pre games activity that is likely to be going on in the area as national teams arrive to prepare and train.
Business Link are organising two business seminars to help smaller businesses capitalise on the opportunity. The first workshop is taking place on 29th September and the second for March 2010. If you would like to register please call 02476 654321 or visit www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Source: http://www.stratford-herald.com/
www.mgba.co.uk

Gone Phishing?

Small businesses have been warned that the number of recorded online fraud attempts reached a peak last month, according to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).HMRC received more than 15,000 reports of fraudulent repayment emails in the last year, in which con artists send out emails asking for financial details in order to issue a tax rebate."We only ever contact customers who are due a refund in writing by post. We never use emails, telephone calls or external companies in these circumstances," said HMRC chief executive, Lesley Strathie.Anyone who has received a suspicious email should send it onto phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and then delete it from their computer.http://www.ukba.co.uk/ 4th August 09

Posted by Martin.parry@mgba.co.uk for http://www.mgba.co.uk/ http://www.ukba.co.uk/

Businesses In The Midlands Go European

I am indebted to my good friends at The National B2B Centre in Warwick who tell me that Advantage West Midlands has unveiled its plans to encourage region wide involvement in business opportunities and collaborative projects in Europe http://www.wmictcluster.org/europe/ . AWM is also aiming to help SMEs in the region to benefit from European funding and will provide clear guidance on support services available. The core sections of the European section of the ICT Cluster website are updated frequently and consist of European Programme calls, tender opportunities, events and news. Additional features scheduled for the next few weeks will include regional support services; national contact points for the various programmes; and a “jargon buster” to assist those new to working in the arena of European project opportunities. It's aimed at any organisation involved in providing technology services and products, including regional businesses involved in ICT, education, science parks, researchers and Chambers of Commerce.

Source: National B2B Centre http://www.nb2b.co.uk

http://www.mgba.co.uk http://ww.ukba.co.uk

martin.parry@mgba.co.uk

New Grants even in the holiday season

Although we are deep in the holiday period, organizations are still announcing grants and support for businesses throughout the country. In bringing this week’s list to you I am grateful to J4B for providing the information
Contest Offers Springboard To Green Ideas
A competition that rewards businesses for coming up with innovative ideas to tackle climate change has reopened to entries.
The Shell Springboard Awards 2009-10 offer cash prizes ranging between £20,000 and £40,000 for UK-based companies to come up with commercially viable products, services or ideas that will lead to a reduction in greenhouse gases.
Low Carbon Plans High OnThe Agenda
Millions of pounds worth of new funding has been announced to help businesses make the most of the shift to a low carbon economy.
The Government has revealed their much anticipated Low Carbon Transition Plan, which outlines how the UK will aim to meet tough targets on cutting carbon emissions by 2020.
£10,000 Prize Not To Be Sniffed At!
BT Business has started its annual hunt to find the UK’s best business brains.
The telecoms giant is inviting applications to their Essence of the Entrepreneur 2009 competition and is offering a £10,000 cash prize to the small business that can demonstrate the best use of technology to drive forward their success.

Rate Relief For Scottish Firms
Scottish small firms are reminded to take advantage of a rate relief initiative.
Through the Small Business Bonus Scheme, companies owning properties with a rateable value of less than £15,000 can apply for an exemption of up to 100%, leading to average savings of around £1,400.
Recession Recovery Package For Birmingham Businesses
Businesses in Birmingham are set for a £17 million recession busting economic support package.
The city’s council is set to stump up £10.9 million as part of the overall Working Neighbourhood Fund investment, which will be used to run a series of tailored support schemes for local firms.
Revamp For Knowledge Transfer Scheme
A long-running support programme that encourages collaboration between industry and academia has undergone a radical revamp.
From the beginning of July, the Government-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) scheme has introduced a more flexible funding system.
This information is provided by martin.parry@mgba.co.uk , www.mgba.co.uk & www.ukba.co.uk For more information about our grant support service please email me at the address above.

the Diversification Grant returns

Good news if you are an SME in The West Midlands. Business Link West Midlands has announced the return of their Diversification Grant for SMEs throughout the region.The fund has it's roots in the BMW / Rover debacle when many suppliers to Rover Group were left with considerable investment in plant and people but no customer. The Diversification Fund was launched to help such businesses find new markets for their products and services.

Now the programme has spread to all west Midlands SMEs who aree looking to grow their businesses and diversify. The fund is very adaptable and can be used for a number of projects within a business. The ipmortant thing is to have a good business idea that could flourish with a bit of support. Funding is available on a 50/50 match fund basis so if you want to know more please drop me an email Posted by Martin Parry http://www.mgba.co.u

New Grants Available for UK Businesses

Double Delight For Glasgow Businesses

Glasgow City Council has stumped up a £200,000 budget for two new funds, Supporting Sustainable New Business scheme and the Glasgow4Business Fund.

Through Supporting Sustainable New Business, grants worth up to £1,500 are available to help local SMEs that have been trading for less than 12 months to grow and create new jobs. The Glasgow4Business Fund provides match funding worth a maximum of £5,000 to promote sustainable growth for existing firms that have been trading for a minimum of a year. Investment can cover up to 50% of the total project costs and can be spent on marketing, upgrading ICT equipment, purchasing essential capital items, or product development.
Source: Glasgow City Council, 22/06/2009

Launch Of £25 Million Electric Car Trial

The government is offering eight new projects across the UK will share the cash to offer members of the public and businesses the opportunity to pilot the next generation of high performance low carbon vehicles. Over the next 18 months up to 340 electric and hybrid cars and models will be made available in areas including London, Oxford, Coventry, Birmingham, and Glasgow. It is hoped the demonstration projects will showcase the technological advances that the car industry has made in producing low carbon vehicles that are as appealing in terms of price and performance as petrol or diesel-powered alternatives. Amongst the car manufacturers involved are Toyota, who are making 20 plug-in hybrid cars available for testing; Mini, who will pilot 40 all electric “smart-cars” and Ford, who have contributed a fleet of zero emission Ford Focus BEVs.
Source: Technology Strategy Board, 23/06/2009

Revving Up Support For Low Carbon Vehicles

As part of the government-funded Technology Strategy Board’s Low Carbon Vehicles Innovation Platform, a second Integrated Delivery Programme Competition has been launched to test out the technologies that are needed to deliver more environmentally-friendly cars.
Support is available for two kinds of project:
§ Innovation Focus Area 1 - £5 million of the overall competition budget has been set aside to fund 12 month proof of concept studies investigating the development of a number of short-term research priorities.
§ Innovation Focus Area 2 – the remaining £10 million will support up to 12 collaborative R&D projects, over a maximum of three years, which will look to achieve medium and long-term research priorities with a view to supporting mass market readiness by 2016.
Both kinds of project will aim to develop technologies in the following areas: propulsion; energy storage; vehicle efficiency; system control; and process and tool development.
Successful projects will need to demonstrate:
§ Clear potential for mass market adoption.
§ Quantified CO2 savings when compared to the current "best in class" technologies and a clear contribution towards getting the public to embrace low carbon vehicle technology.
§ Durability, integrity and safety (in line with industry expectations).
§ A clear route to a viable market and that the innovations are economically advantageous to current technologies.
Applications for Innovation Focus Area 1 funding are made through a single, fast-track process. Bids must be submitted by 6 August.
Innovation Focus Area 2 proposals are made via a two-stage process. Interested consortia should initially submit an expression of interest by 6 August. Shortlisted bidders will then be invited to complete a full application by 16 October.
For further information about the funding competition, visit the Technology Strategy Board website

Source: Technology Strategy Board, 22/06/2009

WRAP Reveals Fantastic Plastic Recycling Opportunity

Government-funded waste watchdog WRAP is making grants worth up to £2 million available to increase mixed plastic recycling capacity in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. At the moment, more than 180,000 tonnes worth of plastic bottles are collected for recycling across the UK each year.
But WRAP research has revealed that more than a million tonnes of other household plastic waste - such as margarine tubs, fruit trays and yoghurt pots – is currently being sent to landfill every year due to lack of suitable reprocessing facilities. They are now looking to fund private, public or community sector recycling organisations to increase recycling capacity for this “mixed plastic” waste.
Grants can cover up to 30% of the capital costs involved with either expanding existing facilities or building new recycling plants.
Applications for funding have to be made by 10 September, with shortlisted bidders invited to present their ideas in greater depth to a panel of industry experts.
The successful proposals will be announced by 16 October and the projects will be up and running by 31 March 2011 at the very latest.

For further information about the Mixed Plastics Capital Grant Competition, visit the WRAP website

Source: WRAP, 18/06/2009

If you think your businesses could qualify for one of these opportunities please check out our website www.mgba.co.uk or email me

Employment Survey Results

......according to a new employment survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and recruitment group Harvey Nash.The survey of more than 700 companies also revealed that more than half the businesses surveyed expect recruitment levels to take more than a year to return to 2007 levels and 40% revealed they have put a freeze on graduate recruitment.

However, the survey also showed that many job losses had been avoided by staff working with their employees over reduced rates of pay and patterns of work."This has been a particularly bruising recession, but one of its most positive and striking aspects has been the commitment of many businesses and their staff to work together to try to trim costs and save jobs," said John Cridland, CBI Deputy Director-General.

www.ukba.co.uk

AWM Close Proof of Concept Grant Fund

I have just been speaking to The University of Wolverhampton who administer the Black Country node for the AWM Proof of Concept Grant Fund. They tell me that all projects under the fund must be completed by March 2010 and therefore the fund is closing for new applications very shortly.

So if you run an SME in The West Midlands and yo9u have a great and innovative business product idea now is the time to email me for more information. The scheme offers a 75% grant with a maximum value of £30,000 so it is worth applying for. It's certainly worth the email.You can find details of our grant application service on our website. So drop me an email. This is the last opportunity. Don't waste it!

Are The Green Shoots Showing At Last

According to Money Marketing magazine net retail sales of open-ended funds have had a strong showing in 2009 so far. This follows a trend of investors switching away from equities in light of the credit crunch, inflows into bond funds exceeded £1bn for the fifth consecutive month and April experienced the highest Isa sales in three years. Equity funds also saw modest retail inflows over the last two months.

The initial findings of an Investment Management Association poll of retail investors, conducted by YouGov in early May, show investor confidence has turned positive, with a 35-point swing.The IMA GB investor confidence index reached 106 in May 2009 (on a scale of 0-200, 100 being neutral) whereas six months ago overall confidence was negative at 71. The IMA GB investor intentions index in May 2009 was 99 (on a scale of 0-200, 100 being neutral). This is up 10 points since November 2008 and shows investors on the whole are becoming less negative about putting money into new investments.More than 50 per cent said they think now is a good time to put money into investment products, with equities being the most popular option. However, whether or not they will act on this remains to be seen. And investors are still cautious about the residential property market, with half thinking it will continue to fall for at least 12 months before showing signs of recovery.In terms of economic recovery, 47 per cent thought the economic slowdown would last 12-24 months, compared with November when 58 per cent thought it would take 12-24 months to recover. On markets specifically, 53 per cent of investors think it will take more than two years for the FTSE 100 to return to 6,000.Polls like this should always be viewed with caution as offering just a snapshot of investor views at one point in time. Taking a longer-term view, research published by IMA last month shows UK investors still give a strong weighting to equities over the long term, despite the trend towards increased diversification of holdings over the past few years. What is also telling is that UK investors have a resilient approach to equity funds. They largely held their nerve last year, making much smaller net withdrawals from equity funds compared with investors in other European countries.Again, only time will tell what will happen but current investor attitudes, coupled with their long-term behaviour, suggests equity investing may pick up in the long-term.

See also http://boost-your-business.blogspot.com/

UK Decline SLowing? Just Maybe

According to Angela Monaghan of The Daily Telegraph manufacturing PMI rose to a 12-month high of 45.4 in May, up from 43.1 in April. It has been rising sharply since hitting a low of 35.1 in February, where anything below 50 marks a contraction in activity and anything above indicates a rise.

"UK manufacturing looks like it may be close to turning the corner as the May PMI posted its strongest reading in 12 months," said Roy Ayliffe, a director at the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply which co-produces the survey."At this rate we would hit the no-change 50 PMI benchmark by Autumn – significantly earlier than economists initially predicted," he said.

Production and new orders fell at the slowest rates for 12 and 14 months respectively, with larger companies faring better than small and medium-sized businesses.Particularly encouraging was the new orders balance, which rose to 48.9 from 46.1 in April.

"In our view, the PMI surveys have been some of the most reliable indicators of the cycle in the past two years, so this sharp rebound should not be discounted," said Credit Suisse analysts in a note."On their current trajectory the PMI should be consistent with rising manufacturing production in a matter of months. Moreover, the recovery these indicators are showing is remarkably 'V'-shaped."

However, new export orders fell at a faster pace in May, measuring 45.3 on the PMI compared with 49.5 in April. It is further evidence that a weaker pound has so far failed to boost exports significantly, as demand in Britain's key export markets remains subdued because of the global recession.

Source http://www.tel;egraph.co.uk http://www.mgba.co.uk

73% Of Businesses Don't Check Credit History

73% of businesses questioned as part of Cattles Invoice Finance's annual business survey admitted that credit checking was not standard procedure when taking on new customers.

Combined with pressures on cashflow and rising levels of business fraud, this poses a substantial and avoidable risk to SMEs at a time when one large fulfilled but unpaid invoice could result in collapse.

Doug Crawford, group managing director at CIF, said: “These figures are concerning. It is never a good idea to take chances with new customers, but it is more important than ever when times are hard to ensure that you are trading with legitimate businesses.“SMEs should take every opportunity to minimise the risks they face in the current environment, including introducing a policy to credit check every new customer as standard. Legitimate, trustworthy clients will have no reason to question the procedure, and spotting potential problems before taking on new business could make the difference between survival and failure.”

Source: Cattles Invoice Finance www.ukba.co.uk

how To Attract Investors To Your Business

As access to 'traditional' sources of credit continues to be a problem for many small companies, 'alternative' sources of finance are becoming more attractive for many small business owners. Before the banking crisis, most small companies could reply on their banks to provide borrowing facilities. These days, not only are borrowing terms less favourable than they were, but some banks have been arbitrarily slashing overdraft limits for businesses which are deemed to be 'risky bets'.

Alternative forms of finance include factoring (to free up the value of your invoices for a fee), and public sector initiatives such as the Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme (which has had mixed reviews to say the least).As savings rates and stock market yields have tumbled in recent months, many investors may also consider investing in small businesses.This form of investment presents an opportunity for small businesses seeking working capital or replacement to bank debt. It is more stable as capital cannot be withdrawn - whilst bank debt may be pulled at short notice.At the same time, many small companies will benefit from the valuable advice and support that experienced investors can provide.

Here are some of our most popular guides to attracting investors:Essential facts about business angelshttp://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/finance/funding/business-angels-finance.shtmlBusiness plans for business angelshttp://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/businessplans/30_2/business-angels-plan-1.shtmlHow to secure business funding for start-ups http://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/finance/funding/business-funding.shtmlS

ource: Bytestartwww.ukba.co.uk --Posted By UK Business Advisors to Boost Your Business on 5/19/2009 05:11:00 PM

Are Job Losses Slowing?

According to Warwick Business School there were around 24,000 job losses in the four weeks to mid-December, 47,000 in January, 24,000 in March and just 7,000 in the four weeks to April 12th.

If the Warwick figures provide an accurate predictor then the labour market could recover sooner than economists forecast. "Although the data are not an indicator of unemployment per se, I think the steep fall in the ‘announced job losses' gives a pretty good indication that the labour market is recovering somewhat," said Thomas Prosser, researcher at Warwick university.

Official statistics recently revealed that the number of unemployed people in the UK has risen to 2.1m - the highest figure since 1997.www.ukba.co.uk

Businesses Plan IT Spend

The survey by O2 of 3,000 small firms found that while many companies are planning redundancies or downsizing their premises to cut costs, 20% expect to expand their business and nearly half plan to invest in new IT to become more efficient.

Although nearly 50% of SMEs surveyed said confidence was at a record low, 66% were determined to make it through the downturn and 7% of bosses said their firm was unaffected by the recession.The report also revealed that financial issues have now replaced red tape and competition as the greatest cause for concern amongst the UK's small business community.

Concerns over cash flow were cited as the greatest threat to survival, closely followed by a lack of support from the banking sector.

www.ukba.co.uk --Posted By UK Business Advisors to Boost Your Business on 4/29/2009 02:47:00 PM

2009 Budget Summary

Many thanks to accountants Faust Loveday Bell for providing us with this summary of the important parts of yesterdays budget statement by The Chancellor.

Having acknowledged the depth of the recession, he hinted that the Budget measures would enable the UK economy to begin to grow 'by the end of the year'.As always the timing of the changes needs to be carefully watched – some are immediate but some are delayed to 2010 and beyond.Our summary focuses on the issues likely to affect you, your family and your business.

Main Budget proposals::

Introduction of a 50% top rate of tax for those with income over £150,000 from 2010 and phased reduction of personal allowances for those with income over £100,000.::

Increases in ISA limits from October this year for those aged over 50 and for everyone from April 2010.::

Enhanced relief for trading losses extended by a further year.::

Short term increase in capital allowances on most plant and machinery.::

Extension of the furnished holiday lettings scheme to properties in the EEA but then the removal of the scheme completely from April 2010.::

Names of deliberate tax defaulters to be published where default was tax in excess of £25,000.

Previous announcementsMany of the changes detailed in this summary have been the subject of earlier announcements. Here is a reminder of some of the more important ones:::

Removal of the £12,000 'expensive car' limit for capital allowance purposes::

Availability of non-repayable tax credit on overseas dividends received by any individual::

Removal of tax charge for companies on overseas dividends::

Extension of HMRC compliance powers across all the taxes dealt with by HMRC.

For more details in the different areas the budget covered - click on the relevant link below:

Introduction Alistair Darling presented his second Budget on Wednesday 22 April 2009.

Personal Tax Details of the changes to personal tax.

Corporate and Business Tax Details of the changes to corporate and business tax.

Employment Issues Details of the changes to employment issues.

Capital Taxes Details of the changes to capital taxes.

VAT Details of the changes to VAT.

HMRC Powers Details of the changes to HMRC powers.

Other Matters Details of Child Trust Fund, Charities: substantial donors, Landfill tax and the Business Payment Support Service.

Source: Faust Loveday Bell www.ukba.co.uk --Posted By MGBA for UK Business Advisors to Boost Your Business on 4/23/2009 11:01:00 AM

New Help For Business Owners From UKBA

A new resource centre to help owners and MD’s of small and medium sized companies (SMEs) has been launched by UK Business Advisors (UKBA™).

The resource can be found at http://www.ukba.co.uk/ and is specifically aimed at helping those owners and MDs. These people have the same problems as people running large companies, but without having the luxury of employees who can cover all the areas. The materials and advice available covers all key aspects of running a business including strategy, marketing, sales, human resources, finances and processes.

The big difference from most such information bases, is that all this material has been produced by people who work in SMEs, and in many cases actually run them. They are based on real life experiences, and not theoretical or academic papers from people not actually running businesses. The information is continually updated to reflect the changing economic environment and evolving technology. The information is backed up by access to the 80+ specialists in the UKBA™ organisation.

Posteb by The Midlands Group of Business Advisors (MGBA)

Small Businesses Are Losing Out On Government Contracts

According to a new report by House of Commons All Party Parliamentary Small Business Group (APPSBG), small and medium-sized businesses are disadvantaged when it comes to winning public sector contracts by complex, expensive and outdated tender processes.

The report - supported by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) - recommends that the government does more to remove barriers that are preventing SMEs from winning public sector contracts, "The procedures and practices used in many tenders disadvantage SMEs over larger companies. Many small businesses and contractors believe that days spent preparing tenders with a low probability of success are better spent earning, and therefore do not bid for public work all," said Professor Robin Jarvis, head of ACCA's small business unit.

www.ukba.co.uk --Posted By Martin Parry for MGBA Ltd and UK Business Advisors to Boost Your Business on 4/22/2009 05:57:00 PM

Rate of Business Failure Slowing?

Businesses are failing at a slower rate new research suggests for Crimson Business suggests.
According to a new business failures report, 35% more businesses went bust in the first quarter of 2009 than during the same period in 2008. However, the failure rate appears to be slowing. Early 2009 figures are up by just 3.3% on the fourth quarter of 2008.

Nationwide, the picture differs. The North East suffered the biggest percentage rise in year-on-year business failures, at 82.9%, while London failures increased by 21.9%. Neil Munroe, external affairs director of business information provider Equifax, said: “At the beginning of last year we were only just starting to see the impact of the credit crunch and certainly the word ‘recession’ had not yet been uttered. But obviously things have been very different at the start of this year with consumer confidence really struggling to lift. However, what we do seem to be seeing is a slow down in what was a run-away train of failures at the end of last year.”

The construction sector suffered the greatest instance of business failures, year on year, with 65.2% more businesses folding in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same period last year. Manufacturing and retail sectors also saw quite significant year on year increases in failures at 44.4% and 44.8% respectively.

The services sector is performing better, with business failures increased by just 15.7% year-on-year for the first quarter of 2009. In addition, there was a 9.4% drop in service companies going under when compared to the fourth quarter last year.

© Crimson Business Ltd, 2009

http://www.ukba.co.uk

job Cuts Appear To Be Gathering Pace

Around 37% of the UK businesses surveyed reported that last month they had cut back on staff - almost double the figure from November - and 38% have implemented a pay freeze.UK companies also reported a much small average base salary increase, an average of 1% compared to 2.8% worldwide.

Despite these figures, British companies are more optimistic about the future then many other nations - possibly reflecting the fact that many UK firms have already taken the action they feel they need to survive the recession, such as salary and wage cuts.

www.ukba.co.uk --Posted By UK Business Advisors to Boost Your Business on 4/15/2009 04:31:00 PM

Expert claims flexible working will benefit most companies

Employers need greater support to help them effectively train staff during the recession, it has been claimed. According to a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and Nord Anglia, over half of employers want to target their training more effectively, so they get a maximum return on their outgoings."

During turbulent times, it would be understandable if firms have to reduce their training budgets but this survey shows that they are most concerned with getting more value from their training, to ensure they are better placed for an upturn when it comes," comments the CBI's director general Richard Lambert.

The research also highlighted that firms want more help from the government to improve their workers' skills, with 42 per cent of those questioned saying the flagship Train to Gain scheme has had "no impact" on their business and three-quarters saying its training brokerage service is 'poor' or 'mixed'.Last week, the government launched a new hotline for businesses to improve the skills and qualifications of their staff members.Provided by Train to Gain and Business Link, the service will help firms identify where they are missing key abilities.Skills minister Lord Young said it was a sign of commitment from the government to help firms survive the recession.

http://www.ukba.co.uk

Crime Against SMEs Rockets - AXA

Crimes against small business have risen for the second six-month period, according to figures from insurance gaint Axa.

The research revealed that there had been a 10% increase in crimes against small firms in the UK, with the number of arson and malicious damage claims rising 23% and 14% respectively."

Both malicious damage and arson tend to go up in a recession as premises are left unoccupied and unprotected by failed businesses, making them easier targets for vandals," said Gregor Elrick, head of property at Axa.

www.ukba.co.uk

Internet Advertising Up By 17%

The total amount spent by advertisers on the internet in 2008 was £3.35bn - accounting for one fifth of the total UK spend. Online advertising sales overtook newspaper and magazine advertising in the second half of 2008. "These are really tough time and advertising budgets are being slashed. More than ever, marketers have to demonstrate a clear return on their media investment, and accountability is online's trump card," said Guy Phillipson, IAB chief executive.

www.ukba.co.uk

Take Control of Your Sales

Growthbusiness.co.uk and Sage have produced a whitepaper to help SMEs understand how contact management systems can improve their business and sales. Take control of your sales and download this free guide.

Download here.

www.ukba.co.uk

£300m wasted on idle computers!

A new report published today claims that British businesses are wasting £300m a year powering idle computers. However, the survey of more than 6,000 UK, German and US adults, most of whom use PCs to do their jobs, found that the UK actually emerged ahead in terms of environmentally friendly PC power management.

Some 78 per cent of UK workers use a PC to carry out their jobs, and the country has the largest proportion of workers (27 per cent) who cited environmental concerns in switching off PCs and/or monitors when away from their desks for long periods. By contrast, 18 per cent of German respondents said that they turn off their PCs to cut electricity bills, and 21 per cent of US workers did so to comply with company policy and make sure their PCs worked properly.

Despite these good intentions, 63 per cent and 67 per cent respectively of UK and US employees believe that their employers should be doing more to reduce power consumption.The report calculated that, if the 17 million workers in the UK who regularly use a computer turned it off at night, carbon emissions would be reduced by 1.3 million metric tonnes, or the equivalent of removing 243,440 cars from the road.

The annual PC Energy Report was sponsored by PC power management vendor 1E in partnership with the Alliance to Save Energy.Sumir Karayi, 1E chief executive, said that awareness of the impact of idle PCs on the environment and IT budgets is growing, but that much more could be done."Around 50 per cent of the respondents questioned in 2007 powered down their PCs at work overnight, during the weekend and when away from their desks for long periods of time during the day, even it was just switching off their monitor," he said.But this figure had only risen to 60 per cent in the latest report, which belied the fact that many solutions had been developed to manage PC power more efficiently and intelligently from a central point.

Source: http://www.vnunet.com

www.ukba.co.uk

NI Reduction Is Key To Recovery

According to Newbusiness.co.uk Small business owners believe that a reduction in employers' National Insurance contribution rate in the forthcoming Budget would provide the biggest boost for their business, according to a new survey by Intuit.

More than 45% of those surveyed listed this as the number one measure that they wanted to see the Chancellor implement, followed by 33% who called tighter government controls of bank charges and 27% who want a further deferment of the rate of increase of corporation tax.

Small firm owners are pessimistic over the budget, with only 10% of respondents believing that April's Budget will include measures that will have a positive impact on their businesses.Read more: http://www.newbusiness.co.uk/news/ni-reduction-tops-small-firm-owners-wish-list-april-budgetwww.ukba.co.uk

Small Businesses Should Watch Their Energy Costs

Many thanks to UK Business Advisors for this piece of information:

More than seven out of ten small businesses think that changing energy suppliers will save them money but only 43% have actually taken action, according to research by uSwitchforbusiness.com. The research found that cost is the number one factor that small firms look at when choosing an energy supplier, with concerns over customer service and environmental issues becoming less important in the recession.The survey also revealed that the average small company pays more than £2,500 a year on electricity and faces gas bills of over £3,200.

www.ukba.co.uk

Despite Everything Business Start Ups Are On The Up!

436,600 new start-ups were launched in 2008, compared to 432,300 new businesses in the previous year."These figures may seem surprising given the current economic climate," said Steve Cooper, local business managing director at Barclays. "There could be a number of reasons for the robust start-up market, including individuals made redundant opting for self-employment. We should also remember that there are always opportunities, even in more challenging times."A large reason for this growth in new businesses is entrepreneurial women - female-only starts ups increased by 9% to total more than 90,000 in 2008 up from 83,000 in 2007, compared to male-only start-ups which showed a slight increase of less than 1% to 300,000.Download our free start up guide: click here.

www.ukba.co.uk

Business Still Not Serious about Business Continuity.

According to The BCI (Business Continuity Institute) who have researched key findings across 17 causes of major disruptions to calculate the cost impact to the UK economy.

The figure shows that organisations are still not looking seriously at Business Continuity Management to provide a framework for managing the impact of potential disruptions to their businesses."In the current economic downturn, customers and suppliers will inevitably go out of business and it is vital that an organisation understands its dependency on critical suppliers. The lack of availability to essential products can have a serious impact on business," said Lyndon Bird, Technical Director of the BCI.

http://www.ukba.co.uk/

The Value of a little publicity

I do some work for a local accountancy practice in Worcestershire. They are a great bunch of people and I help out from time to time advising their clients on local and regionally available grants and other types of government support.

So I was absolutely delighted when their marketing manager called and asked if would like a little free PR. The result was a great piece of publicity in Worcestershire Life Magazine absolutely FOC. So I am very grateful to Wendy and everyone at Omerod Rutter in Droitwich Spa.