Here you will find information on grants and funding for individuals, organisations and businesses in Northumberland.
For a discussion around calls and/or support to develop a proposal for the Northumberland area please contact: Heather Smith Corporate Programmes & Funding Manager Heather.Smith@northumberland.gov.uk Tel. 01670 623883 Carol Johns-McLeod Senior Project Officer (ERDF) Carol.Johns-McLeod@northumberland.gov.uk Tel. 01670 623875 Elaine Maylin Senior Project Officer (ESF) Elaine.Maylin@northumberland.gov.uk Tel. 01670 623876 Further information: The European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) Growth Programme will allocate approximately more than £426m to the North East for the period 2014-2020. The ESIF programme aims to support the North East Strategic Economic Plan for 'More and Better jobs' for the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) area. Two of the main European Funding programmes within ESIF are the European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund programmes:
The NELEP geography is made up of 7 local authority areas, including Sunderland, Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside and South Tyneside. The following links will take you to the NE-TA project partner websites: Durham County Council Gateshead Council Newcastle City Council North Tyneside Council South Tyneside Council Sunderland City Council
Latest Funding 'e'Bulletin:
Previous issues:
For NCC staff whose function involves searching for funding to support or develop Council services, we could provide a free licence to access the full range of Grantfinder services. Grantfinder is distributed by the Idox group and is Europe’s leading provider of up-to-date funding and policy information. Recipients must have a valid NCC email address therefore partner organisations may not be eligible for a licence. The availability of full licences are restricted by number and by service, so if your department already has a licence you may have to share. To ask about a licence, please email: david.baird@northumberland.gov.uk
The original £600k grant funding available to projects within the FLAG area which comprises of fourteen coastal settlements covering approximately sixty-five miles from North Shields to Berwick-upon-Tweed, has now been reduced with the approval of four projects with many more projects in development. Further information is available on the FLAG webpage.
http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/Partners/North-of-Tyne-Fisheries-Local-Action-Group.aspx
Historical funds which have contributed to this legacy include: North East Investment Funds 3, 3b and 3c: These mezzanine funds generated £9.5m legacy. NEL Growth Fund: This seed capital fund invested in 25 SMEs. Anticipated legacy over £2m. Three Pillars Fund/ Design & Creative/ Creative Content Funds: A range of pilot funds investing in hi-tech growth businesses, the creative/digital/film sectors. Proof of Concept and Co-Investment Funds: Helped early stage businesses to prove their viability and invested in hi-tech SMEs. Legacy is over £10m with more to be realised. To be redirected to their website www.nea2f.co.uk/
The North East Social Investment Company (NESIC) has launched The North East Social Investment Fund (NESIF), the first fund of its kind in England. NESIF is a £10.2 million fund set up specifically to provide investment to organisations that are passionate about making a positive social impact by taking on some of the big social challenges faced by the region. These challenges include homelessness, poverty, unemployment, health and social care, mental health, offender rehabilitation and the regeneration of deprived communities. The social investments NESIF can offer range in size from 100k to £1 million and work alongside banks and other sources of finance to deliver the right package of funding designed to meet each organisation’s circumstances and needs So, if you’re an ambitious community or voluntary organisation, or a social enterprise dedicated to addressing social issues faced by the region, NESIF could be the fund you’ve been waiting for! NESIF is officially open for business and actively seeking applications from organisations located in or with substantial operations in the North East of England The North East Social Investment Company (NESIC) is backed by Northern Rock Foundation, Big Society Capital and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, and managed by Northstar Ventures To be redirected to the funders website click here
The Food Waste Reduction Fund aims to help avoid surplus food produced by food businesses from becoming waste, by enabling not-for-profit organisations across England to redistribute more of this food to people in need. Funding will be provided for projects to help overcome barriers to increasing redistribution. Projects could cover areas such as
Funding will be awarded with the aim of making a significant increase to the amount of food redistributed, as cost-effectively as possible. It is expected that grants will range from £20,000 to £75,000. WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) is administering the fund on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). There is a two-stage application process and the deadline for expressions of interest is 30 March 2018. To be redirected to the funders website click here
State aids
BIS state aid manual: BIS-15-148-state-aid-manual
Defra Unveils Draft Environment Bill The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has published the draft Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill, setting out how the UK will maintain environmental standards after Brexit whilst building on the vision of the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan. The Bill was announced by Prime Minister Theresa May in July 2018 and is designed to place environmental ambition and accountability at the heart of government. Environmental decisions made in the UK – from improving air and water quality to protecting endangered species – are currently overseen by the European Commission and are underpinned by a number of EU principles, including the precautionary principle, sustainable development and the ‘polluter pays’ principle. While these principles are already central to government environmental policy, they are not set out in one place besides the EU treaties. The draft Bill focuses on three core principles, which set out an ambitious new green governance system, incorporating key clauses on environmental principles and governance that will be part of the wider Environment Bill. The key principles are as follows:
Environmental principles: The environmental principles – such as the “polluter pays” principle or that the public should be able to participate in environmental decision-making – are fundamental to achieving the Government’s environmental ambitions. These will act as guiding principles to help protect the environment from damage and will encourage decision-makers to further consider the environment in the development of government policy.
The Office for Environmental Protection: A world-leading, green governance body will be established – the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) – to uphold environmental legislation. The OEP will be an independent, statutory environmental body that will hold government and public bodies to account on environmental standards, including taking legal action to enforce the implementation of environmental law where necessary, replacing the current oversight of the European Commission.
25 Year Environment Plan: The draft Bill proposes making it a legal requirement for government to have a plan for improving the environment, to monitor and report annually to Parliament on progress and update it at least every five years. The 25 Year Environment Plan would become the first such plan, giving it the status and permanence to deliver on the Bill’s goals.
This draft Bill comes ahead of a full Environment Bill to be introduced in 2019. This Bill will contain specific measures to tackle ongoing environmental issues, including: cleaning up the air; restoring and enhancing nature; improving waste management and resource efficiency; and managing water resources better. It will also contain measures to improve human health and wellbeing.
The national Rural Growth Network has specific funding and expertise available for businesses located in rural locations, to help generate rural economic growth.
The North East Rural Growth Network is one of five regional growth networks across England, covering Northumberland, Durham and Gateshead and are part of a national programme launched by the Government, aimed at stimulating economic growth in rural businesses and communities.
Between 2012 and 2015 £15 million was allocated nationally from DEFRA to support Rural Growth Networks to deliver proposals aimed at helping rural areas overcome barriers to growth, such as poor infrastructure, scarcity of business premises and lack of business networks.
The North East Rural Growth Network delivered a programme of pilot initiatives between 2012-2015, which has been highly successful. With a funding allocation of £3.2m it has helped around 200 new businesses to establish themselves within rural areas; assisted more than 1,000 businesses with either financial support of business advice; created more than 100 new enterprise spaces at 13 business hub sites across the rural North East.
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