Funding available for Gloucestershire businesses investing in a digital powered recovery
Gloucestershire's Growth Hub is releasing a new grant scheme to Gloucestershire businesses that have been affected by the Covid pandemic. The cash injection is designed to help them get back on their feet through digital means. Applications open at 10.00 a.m. Thursday 1st July.
The Growth Hub has announced the upcoming release of the Covid Digital Recovery Grant. Available in the form of £3,000 grants to support digital recovery projects, applications are open to eligible Gloucestershire SMEs which traded pre-Covid and have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
Whether it’s a new or improved website, the launch of an online campaign, or an improvement of products and processes through digital - businesses can apply for up to £3,000 towards the cost of their project, with no obligation to contribute financially, and no requirement to pay it back.
Alex Cottrell, Growth Hub Manager, said: “We know that for all of the pivoting, training, and upskilling – there are some holes that only cash can fill. And many of the best examples of innovation and growth we’ve seen have come through digital activities. That’s why we’ve released these funds. £3,000 will go a long way in the digital world and has the potential to have a much greater impact on business recovery than other spending. We encourage any local business, which was trading before Covid and has been affected to apply.
The Covid Digital Recovery grant follows hot on the heels of two successful grant schemes administered by The Growth Hub, which helped businesses through the toughest parts of the pandemic. As with those, The Growth Hub is encouraging grant recipients to spend locally where possible, to drive an economic recovery within Gloucestershire as well as within their own businesses.
The grants must be spent on new projects, rather than reimbursing the cost of previous projects, and invoices must be paid up front by the business and then reclaimed from The Growth Hub.
Competition is expected to be extremely high. Business are urged to apply as early as possible once the portal opens at 10.00 a.m. on Thursday 1 July.
Gloucestershire’s Growth Hub is a network of centres, currently open in Gloucester, Cirencester, Tewkesbury, and Stroud. Cheltenham is open as an online-only service, and the Forest of Dean centre will open soon. Businesses can also use Growth Hub access points in every Gloucestershire County Council Library.
