Small business grant scheme

The grant scheme is open to applications from businesses with 0 to 9 employees who are based, registered and trading in South Cambridgeshire and can demonstrate:

• An innovative and ambitious business plan with evidence of the business ability to grow over the next 2 years
• Evidence of how any funding received will be used
• Number of jobs safeguarded and/or created
• Economic, environmental and social impact

The maximum grant available to any successful applicant is £5,000. We reserve the right to award funding depending on the merit of the supporting evidence provided with each application.

As the funds end, grants will be awarded based on the remaining funds available and will be apportioned accordingly. 

We reserve the right to close the scheme at any time and will do immediately upon 100% of the funds being allocated.

The following are not eligible for the programme:

• Businesses that have already received grant payments that equal the maximum permitted levels for subsidy control
• Business intermediaries acting on behalf of other businesses
• Partnerships that only exist to operate investment or where a striking off notice has been made
• Those intending to use funding to support wages.

Grants of up to £5000 are available to fund:

• Website development
• Brand development
• Marketing campaigns
• Training for upskilling existing staff
• Commissioning of research
• Purchase of machinery and associated tooling
• Purchase of office or technical equipment
• Electric vehicles for solely business use
• Purchase of IT hardware
• Renovating buildings or businesses premises including furnishings - subject to any planning consent required

Funds will not be awarded for the following:

• Paying off debts or refinancing
• Salaries, travel, or subsistence
• Ongoing normal business costs, for example business rates, overheads
• Any statutory or legislative obligations, duties, or requirements
• Software unless integrally linked to the running of specific equipment.

Applications will be open until 31 October 2024.

Businesses may only make 1 application. We reserve the right to close the application window earlier should the level of demand exceed the maximum funding available.

All applicants will be required to complete a full application form and must include a supporting statement of up to a maximum of 1,000 words explaining why they should receive the grant.

The application process will allow us to undertake proportionate pre-payment checks to confirm eligibility relative to the grant scheme.

Completed application forms will be assessed and scored by a panel of 2 officers from our council and one officer from the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority Growth Hub.

Final grant award decisions will be made by our Lead Member for Economic Growth and Lead Member for Finance.

Any conflicts of interest will be declared ahead of assessment and scoring.

Once an award is agreed, the business will be reimbursed on receipt of satisfactory proof of expenditure in strict accordance with the original application. This scheme will only support reimbursement of invoices for the support requested through this application process.

Applicants will be informed within approximately 6 weeks of the decision and the value of any funding granted.

Grants must be claimed within 2 months of receiving the offer letter, and no later than 31 January 2025.

The scheme will not reimburse any work undertaken before the launch of this scheme. No verbal orders or deposits should be placed before a decision on the application has been reached. Funding cannot be awarded as retrospective payment for goods or services procured before a formal offer of grant has been received and accepted.

Net costs (excluding VAT) must be used when calculating the project value on the application form. All grant payments will be based on the net cost paid by the applicant unless they are, for whatever reason, unable to reclaim VAT. In this case the full, gross cost will be used to calculate the amount payable.

We reserve the right to visit any company receiving grant assistance to ensure the grant has been used for the purpose it was intended and as stated in the application form, check the location of the asset, and inspect records to show costs have been incurred in line with the grant award letter.

Decisions relating to the allocation of funding will be published on the Council’s website in line with transparency requirements and the associated exemptions under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Applicants will be asked to provide up to three quotations with their application for the proposed expenditure, where possible, unless it can be evidenced that there are specific reasons why this is not possible.

Each quotation must be from a different supplier or service provider and include contact information for each one. You do not have to accept the lowest quote received but a written explanation why will be required.

If it is not possible to provide three quotations, please email Businessgrants@scambs.gov.uk explaining the reasons as it may be possible to consider the application dependant on the circumstances.

Award decisions will be based on the merit of the application received demonstrating clear outcomes on their business plan.

However, if a business is dissatisfied with a decision they can write to businessgrants@scambs.gov.uk within one week of the initial decision and detail the reasons why a review is considered necessary, providing any additional supporting information required. The review will be undertaken by an independent officer at South Cambridgeshire District Council. A final decision will be made within two weeks of receipt of the appeal.

Grant income received by a business is taxable. The Small Business Grant will need to be included as income within a business tax return. However, only businesses which make an overall profit once grant income is included will be subject to tax.

Please see guidance document for more information, including conditions of funding.

As part of the application process, credit checks may be conducted which will include overdue creditors, bankruptcy, county court judgments and director disqualification. The Council will not accept deliberate manipulation and fraud. Any business caught falsifying their records to gain grant money will face prosecution and any funding issued will be subject to claw back, as may grants paid in error.

Our Internal Audit and Fraud teams will use government schemes such as the National Fraud Initiative to ensure the Council takes reasonable steps in prevention of fraud and error. Data will be shared with necessary organisations including the CPCA and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.