THIS GRANT IS NOW CLOSED

Green Business Exemplars Grant Competition

Are you looking to turn your business towards a GREENER and more sustainable future?

Have you got plans to GREEN your product, your business or your premises?

The aim of this competition is to stimulate innovation and good practice activity within the business sector to meet the Leader 4 programmes' low carbon and environmental sustainability priorities (download leaflet).

The competition will help to fund a number of micro businesses to help enhance environmental performance through improvements to:

• Low carbon / eco friendly product or service development
• Waste reduction or recycling
• Carbon impact reduction and/or energy efficiency
• Introduction of a new sustainable technology
• Improving biodiversity
• Implementing green building practices

Links:

Does my business qualify?
How much grant can I bid for?
What cannot be funded?
How do I apply?
Competition rules
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact details

Does my business qualify?

To be eligible to enter, your business must have:

• fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees
• a business trading address in the Leader 4 area of Torridge and North Devon districts, (excluding six central Barnstaple wards of Pilton, Yeo Valley, Forches & Whiddon Valley, Newport, Central Town and Longbridge).
• been trading for at least 12 months, evidenced by a set of accounts.
• have an annual turnover of less than £1.7 million.
• (N.B. agricultural businesses are not eligible under this scheme, alternative support here: www.rdpenetwork.defra.gov.uk)

How much grant can I bid for?

The grant will provide up to 50% of eligible project costs up to a maximum of £10,000 (with a minimum grant of £1,000).

What cannot be funded?

• Purchase or installation of wind turbines or photovoltaic (solar) systems (N.B. hydro power and anaerobic digestion systems are eligible)
• Purchase or lease of standard vehicles
• Purchase of standard office computers/software
• Actions to meet statutory requirements
• Projects/activities already started

How do I apply?

Two stage process:

• Stage 1: Businesses are invited to enter their completed Expression of Interest form and a copy of their last two years accounts to the competition by Friday 21st December 2012. A Panel will shortlist businesses, who will receive a visit to discuss their proposal
• Stage 2: In the New Year, the Panel will select a number of exemplar businesses to go forward to apply for a grant. These businesses will be required to submit a full grant application and supporting evidence.

Projects will be expected to start around March 2013 and complete by the end of October 2013.

Competition rules

• Expression of Interest received AFTER the 21st December 2012 will not be considered.
• The Panel’s decision will be final
• Any permissions required – such as planning permission – will need to be confirmed BEFORE a full application is submitted
• Grants are paid in arrears, so applicants will need to be able to prove that they can fully fund the project before claiming the grant
• Projects to be completed within six months of grant offer
• Agreement to present the project and/or provide a site visit to share good practice/demonstrate the project to other businesses and to provide sufficient information to the Leader 4 team to produce a good practice case study report.
• Grants paid out on satisfactory completion of project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. My business has been trading for less than two years, so I only have one set of accounts – is this a problem?
A. No, one set with be acceptable in this situation.

Q. I’m interested in the grant, but I don’t have a project idea – can anyone give me help to complete the Expression of Interest form?
A. This grant is aimed at businesses that already have a well thought out, researched idea that is ready to help green their business – we cannot advise you what to submit as your project. If you are looking for ideas for your own business, you could try organisations such as Envirowise: www.envirowise.wrap.org.uk or The Carbon Trust: www.carbontrust.co.uk

Q. It says that agricultural businesses cannot apply but we have diversified into tourism/food processing – can we enter the competition?
A. Only if you have a separate business, with separate accounts for your diversification activity – and can apply under that business name rather than the farm business.

Q. Where can I get some match funding or funds to cover the project costs before I can reclaim the Leader grant?
A. Businesses applying to our previous grant schemes have taken out loans from banks, friends or family or have applied for other grants – see for example: www.greengrantsmachine.co.uk

Contact details

Once you have completed your Expression of Interest form and have a copy of your last two years accounts, please send them either:

by email to:
GBE@northdevonplus.co.uk

or by post to:
Leader 4 – GBE
North Devon+
Caddsdown Business Support Centre
Caddsdown Industrial Park
Bideford
North Devon
EX39 3DX