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/