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on UK Grant Schemes of importance to all Manufacturing Industry and to those Service Sector Companies with a nation-wide facility.

Of interest to ALL companies in the process of planning or considering any major investment in mainland Great Britain.

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Small Firms - Grants & Business Support

Small Business Funding support has at its core the following grant schemes in England, Wales and Scotland.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) can attract higher levels of assistance than large companies.

Definitions: Small Enterprises

The business must employ fewer than 50 people and either

* Have a turnover of less than €10m (£6.7m) or
* Have a balance sheet total (net assets) of less than €10m (£6.7m)

Definitions: Medium-sized Enterprises

The business must employ fewer than 250 people and either

* Have a turnover of less than €50m (£34m) or
* Have a balance sheet total (net assets) of less than €43m (£29m)

All of the business' partner and linked enterprises must be taken into account.

A partner enterprise occurs when the business holds 25% or more but no more than 50% of the shareholding/voting capital of another enterprise or 25% or more but no more than 50% of the shareholding/voting rights are held by another enterprise. In such circumstances, the relevant percentage share of the other enterprise(s) data must be included in the SME calculation.

A linked enterprise occurs where the business holds more than 50% of the shareholding/voting capital of another enterprise or more than 50% of the shareholding/voting rights are held by another enterprise. In such circumstances, all of the other enterprise(s) data must be included in the SME calculation.

AVAILABLE GRANT AID

SFI (Selective Finance for Investment) grants are available for capital expenditure projects undertaken by small companies within the designated Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 Areas of England.

AIG (Assembly Investment Grant) grants are available for capital expenditure projects undertaken by small companies within all Areas of Wales.

IFG (Investment For Growth) grants are available for capital expenditure projects undertaken by small companies within the designated Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 Areas of Scotland.

These are intended as the alternative to SFI for small projects in Walesd and Scotland, but which replaced EGS in England (Details here for Information only) with a minimised application processing requirement, but as launched most would be applicants have been nevertheless put off by the requirement to show that without grant the projected expenditure will not go ahead.

For larger capital investment project (over £500K)in Wales or Scotland see RSA. (Or Selective Finance for Invstment SFI in England)

SMART grants will provide the starting point for the Entrepreneur seeking funding assistance for Innovation.

Small Business Support (SBS) is the new name for Business Links which are in the process of being converted into Small Business Support (SBS) units, and as part of this reorganisation will focus in future additionally on providing funding support directly to small businesses by becoming the administrator and deliverer of the above grant schemes.

However in many areas the SBS will continue to be known as Business Links since the decision to rename is discretionary on the individual unit.

GRA would advise all small firms that their local Business Link or SBS is the best starting point for helpful information, and encourage a careful approach in the first instance when seeking funding or other Business Advice.