Lichfield District Council is offering business start-up grants of £3,000 to local residents who have been made redundant or are out of work, and planning to start a business over the next year.

In total the council has set aside £200,000 from the Additional Restrictions Grant funding it received from the Government, to invest in new local businesses. 

The grants, which will not need to be match-funded, can be spent on: 

·         Business equipment, excluding laptops, mobile phones and tablets

·         Marketing

·         Professional qualifications or training

To be considered for support, prospective applicants must first go on a start-up masterclass workshop provided by Enterprise for Success before applying for a grant. This two-day interactive session will be a useful way to get expert advice to help create a sound business plan.

The four applications rounds are:

·         28 May 2021

·         27 August 2021

·         26 November 2021

·         28 January 2022

The scheme will run until January 2022, or when all the funding has been allocated.

For the criteria and to find out how to apply, visit www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/startupgrants.

Lichfield District Start Up Grant Scheme: Offering a one-off grant of £3,000 for residents who have been made redundant or currently economically inactive and seeking to start up a business within the financial year 21/22. - https://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/business-advice/lichfield-district-start-grant-scheme/1

Staffordshire Means Back to Business Support Scheme

Staffordshire County Council and Staffordshire local authorities have partnered up and pooled resources to offer new sources of support to help new businesses to get off the ground, support young people into employment and the costs of upskilling and training new employees.

The separate initiatives and how businesses can apply

Small Business to Thrive Financial Support: Grants of between £2,000 to £5,000 will be available to cover additional expenditure for essential businesses staying open during the pandemic and those with a plan to recover and get back to growth. - To Thrive Business Grant Scheme - Staffordshire County Council

Start Up Scheme and Loan: Loans of between £3k to £5k being offered to people who have first completed the acclaimed Staffordshire Start-up online course to support resilient business start-ups. - Support for start-up businesses - Staffordshire County Council

Apprenticeship 500: Provide £5,000 incentive to SMEs in Staffordshire to employ a local 16-24 year old unemployed young person in an apprenticeship. - https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Business/Coronavirus-COVID-19-support-for-businesses/Staffordshire-Apprenticeship-500-Grant-Scheme/Staffordshire-Apprenticeship-500-Business-Grant-Scheme.aspx

Free Training Top Up: Grants of up to £5,000 to top-up training or up-skilling costs for employees. - Free Training Top Up for Employers - Staffordshire County Council

Ignite Top Up Scheme: Additional support to students to take their first steps in their own business. - Students Ignite their entrepreneurship with county start-up programme - Staffordshire County Council Newsroom

Free 12 month FSB membership: Businesses with one to four employees can benefit from 12 months’ free business support to guide them through the pandemic recovery. Essential advice and guidance on areas such legal and tax issues, employment legislation, health and safety advice, cyber protection and insurance is available through a free 12-month membership package with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).- https://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/news/article/430/micro-businesses-can-benefit-from-free-expert-advice-thanks-to-unique-partnership-with-leading-national-support-body