New round of grant funding set to launch 29th April

Following the success of the first round of Dorset Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) grants, round 2 is set to open soon.

Dorset Council received a total of 64 applications in the previous round. 33 awards totalling over £250,000 in business support grants and over £80,000 for community infrastructure grants were made, with each project supported and located within the Dorset Council area.

Round 2 will open on Monday 29 April and close on Sunday 30th June 2024. As before…

• Community groups and organisations can apply for grants between £1,000 and £15,000.
• Local business grant awards are from £2,000 to £20,000 per business.

Dorset Council has been allocated just over £6 million via the UKSPF for use within the county, with funds available until completion in March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK by investing in communities and places, supporting local businesses, people, and skills.

New for this round is an allocation of funds specifically for Business Start Ups. Each business must provide 100% match funding in cash and are required to undertake a diagnostic support with our lead business partner, WSX Enterprise.

We, as Dorset Growth Hub, will be managing the grant application process, with an initial business support meeting with applicants before moving onto the grant itself.

More info from Dorset County Council can be found here:

Business grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – Dorset Council

WSX Enterprise Ltd

A non-profit organisation WSX Enterprise Ltd runs a wide range of projects delivering business support in the UK as well as working with partners in Europe. As some examples, our projects support access to finance, digital skills, start-up guidance, and general business advice. Our team includes a wide range of business advisors with a breadth of industry experience supporting small and medium-sized businesses across our region.