Business Grants

Advice to Business and Community

The Council is committed to encouraging innovation and supporting existing companies that want to grow, as well as helping those planning to move to the area.

For general advice on inward investment, property, land and economic advice for new or expanding businesses contact:

The Promotions Officer (Frank Lauriello)
North Shropshire District Council
Edinburgh House
New Street
Wem
Shropshire
SY4 5DB
Tel: 01939 238417 Fax: 01939 238422

Email :flauriello@northshropshiredc.gov.uk

Grants for Business

North Shropshire District Council Business Grant Scheme 2008/09

North Shropshire District Council's Grant Scheme offers assistance to incoming and start up businesses and businesses looking to grow within the district. Its aim is to help develop a diverse and dynamic business base in North Shropshire District with the following objectives:

• creating new and substantial job opportunities;
• encouraging the creation of new businesses;
• encouraging investment from businesses in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector;
• encouraging inward investment;
• encouraging energy conservation, environmental improvements and crime prevention.

Click here for more information about the scheme, including details of how to apply for a grant.

Businesses in North Shropshire have already benefited from grants provided during the 2007/08 financial year.  One local business, EPM Plastic Mouldings Ltd, has recently received an award from the Department for Trade and Industry for the best developed company in the West Midlands and was able to purchase extra machinery following a £5,000 grant last year - click here for a link to a press release providing more details.  If you are interested in finding out more about how the Grant Scheme has assisted other businesses in North Shropshire, click here to download an article reproduced with the kind permission of Taste Shropshire and The Marches.

Redundant Building Grant Scheme

The Redundant Building Grant Scheme is part of a comprehensive programme of rural regeneration funded by Advantage West Midlands' Rural Regeneration Zone.  Grants are available throughout Shropshire (excluding Telford & Wrekin) and are provided for the conversion or refurbishment of redundant buildings to bring them back into productive business use or to enhance their current business use.  Click here for for more information on the scheme.

Rural Enterprise Grant

The Rural Enterprise Grant (REG) can fund small scale diversification and business development projects for the benefit of rural businesses.  Grants of up to £62,500 are available, targeted at farm businesses, members of farming households and new or existing businesses of less than 10 full time equivalent employees whose turnover is less than 2 million euros [located in eligible rural areas / whose core activities are based on food and drink, environmental technologies or tourism].  Click here for more details of the scheme.

Impetus - Rural Reinvestment in the Marches

Impetus, the Community Development Funding Institution which operates throughout the three counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire, has more funds available to lend to local enterprises, thanks to a £133,000 award from the region's development agency, Advantage West Midlands.

The Advantage Small Loans Programme will enable Impetus to make capital loans to more enterprises that are experiencing difficulties raising sufficient finance from mainstream sources. Impetus are now looking for new, emerging and established small businesses to lend money to, and they can also assist social enterprises, which can find it difficult to obtain finance.

Since it was set up in 2004, Impetus has helped local enterprise projects including the Warehouse Cinema in Kidderminster, Walford Village Hall in Herefordshire and the Fat Cat Studios in Shropshire. Typical Impetus loans range from £1,000 up to £50,000. More than £260,000 of loans were made last year throught the DTI-backed Phoenix Fund, and this new £133,000 award will allow Impetus to make even more. Further funding will follow next year.

For further information about the Advantage Small Loans Programme in Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, please contact Steve Williams or Bill Richardson at: 141 Church Street, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 2AN, telephone 01684 893883. Alternatively, visit the website: www.impetus-marches.co.uk.

Selective Finance for Investment

Certain Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) can gain financial assistance via this scheme. Click here to visit the Advantage West Midlands website for more information. 

Page last updated on 3 October 2008