The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a new three-year fund running from 2022/23 that has replaced European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) such as the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Social Fund (ESF).

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has been awarded just over £88 million of the UKSPF, this means that the WMCA will administer UKSPF for the West Midlands 7 metropolitan councils. The purpose of the UKSPF is to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, this will be achieved through three UKSPF priorities:

Communities and Place

  • strengthening our social fabric
  • fostering a sense of local pride and belonging
  • building resilient and safe neighbourhoods

Local Business Support

  • creating jobs and boosting community cohesion by supporting local businesses
  • promoting networking and collaboration and stimulating innovation and growth
  • targeted support to help businesses growth – for example: innovation, productivity, energy efficiency, low carbon and exporting

People and Skills

  • boosting core skills and supporting adults to progress in work
  • supporting disadvantaged people to access the skills they need
  • funding local skills needs and supplementing local adult skills provision
  • reducing level of economic inactivity and supporting those furthest from the labour market

The WMCA is required to produce a local UKSPF Investment Plan. The plan will set out how UKSPF priorities will be delivered by setting out local priorities, preferred delivery routes and the local measurable outcomes to be delivered by UKSPF over the next three years.

Part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation is for 2 new grant programmes, the West Midlands Business Grant Programme, and the Decarbonisation Net Zero Grant. Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the new grants for Wolverhampton businesses funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund go live on 8th November 2023, and the first EoI window will be open until 5pm on 29th November, 2023.

Details of these new grant programmes are shown below – however it is important to note that alongside these new grant programmes there are numerous other support packages.

West Midlands Grant Programme (WMGP)

The West Midlands Grants Programme seeks to increase productivity by improving business confidence, stimulating business activity, attracting investment, safeguarding existing and creating new jobs within local communities. In Wolverhampton grant funding between £5000 to £15000 may be offered for SMEs trading for more than 12 months (please note the for businesses trading less than 12 months this is £2,500 to £7,500). This funding will be a capped figure which will be no more than 50% of the projects eligible costs. The remaining balance has to be matched by the business, and any grant secured will be paid by the Council in arrears and upon receipt of evidence from the business that costs were properly incurred. (Please see all the guidance documents in the Downloads section). A higher grant may be awarded in exceptional circumstances.

The grant funding will be used for the following activities: 

  • Capital investment, eg, new plant, machinery and equipment 
  • Improving systems and processes
  • Innovation – Including the development of new products including prototyping, testing and commercialisation 
  • Relocation, expansion and growth of existing businesses 
  • Develop new markets opportunities 
  • Promotional activities 
  • Low carbon/energy efficiency/waste management – Green grants (link to decarbonisation) 
  • Increase in productive capacity of new and existing premisses through new property builds/refurbishment/extensions. 

Please note an Expression of Interest (EoI), and a Business Diagnostic (BD), must be completed ahead of a grant application. The guidance notes must be read ahead of submitting an EoI, and a EoI can be submitted via the online form below.

The first stage is the completion of an EoI. Once submitted a member of the Council's Business Development Team will contact you within 5 working days to complete the BD with you. 

Net Zero Grant Programme (NZGP)

NZGP is open to small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) from all sectors which are based within the Wolverhampton City Council local authority area.

In Wolverhampton grant funding between £5000 to £15000 may be offered for SMEs trading for more than 12 months. This funding will be a capped figure which will be no more than 50% of the project's eligible costs. The remaining balance has to be matched by the business, and any grant secured will be paid by the Council in arrears and upon receipt of evidence from the business that costs were properly incurred. (Please see all the guidance documents in the Downloads section). A higher grant may be awarded in exceptional circumstances. 

All applicants must undertake a free energy audit prior to submission of a grant application. If your business has had an energy efficiency assessment from an assessor with appropriate knowledge and qualifications within the last 2 years, please contact business.development@wolverhampton.gov.uk and you will be able to apply for a grant. If your business has yet to have an energy audit one can be delivered free of charge through the region's decarbonisation programme, and will be undertaken by Consortia lead, Aston University. 

Please note an Expression of Interest (EoI), and an Energy Audit (EA), must be completed ahead of a grant application. The guidance notes must be read ahead of submitting an EoI. 

The first stage is the completion of an EoI via the online form below and also a submission of a request for an EA. Once submitted a member of the Council's Business Development Team will contact you within 5 working days to offer an opportunity to complete a Business Diagnostic with you. The Grant Application can only be made for support related to the EA – Aston University will contact you to complete this.

Applications for both grants are on a competitive basis, subject to availability of funds, and distributed at the discretion of the Council.

West Midlands Grant Programme/Net Zero Grant Programme Interest Form

  • Start
  • Preview
  • Complete

Pre qualifying questions

Unfortunately you will not be able to apply for the grant at the moment, however a member of the team will call you to discuss how we can assist – it may be that you can apply in the next grant opportunity window.

Contact Details

Grant

Please give brief details of what you intend to spend this grant on if you are successful. This must include the estimated total cost of your project and the expected project end date.

Your details

Name

Title
Gender (for equality monitoring purposes only)

Company details

Company Name

Company Address

If you are unsure which SIC Code applies to your business, please view Companies House - Standard Industrial Classification
£

Your Communications Preference

I am happy to receive communications and to be kept up-to-date with business support opportunities including grant funding, local, regional and national initiatives and other relevant business support programmes, resources and events.

Privacy Disclaimer

Support provided under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is delivered through a new regional service called Business Growth West Midlands - a joint collaboration between West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and Wolverhampton City Council.

As this support is publicly funded by UK Government, in order to satisfy public sector data recording and monitoring obligations, we may share the information you provide on this form with the above organisations. By submitting this form, you consent to us retaining your details for the purposes of record keeping, supporting your business and sharing your details with the above organisations.

20423