Walsall Council Introduces new Grant Funding Programme for SMEs

Walsall Council has launched the "Walsall SME Competitiveness Grant" to support small and medium enterprises in Walsall.

The scheme has received £260,930 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and aims to supercharge the local economy by enhancing the competitiveness, productivity, and workforce strength of SMEs in Walsall.

SMEs that meet the criteria are urged to apply, with the possibility of securing funding for up to 50% of an endorsed project, with an overall grant value of £20,000.

The Council’s previous scheme, AIM for Gold, allocated over £730,000 in grant monies as well as a private sector leverage of just over £1.4M, to SMEs across the borough before it came to an end last year.

The aim of this grant is to foster dynamic growth in the Walsall economy, ensuring businesses thrive, and in doing so, increasing the number of job opportunities for Walsall residents.

With the grant being allocated on a first-come-first-served basis, Walsall's business community is encouraged to act promptly to capitalize on this opportunity. Eligibility criteria can be discussed on a case by case basis, but SMEs need to be Walsall-based to qualify.

Businesses keen on learning more about the fund or initiating their application process should make contact with Walsall Council's Business Growth Team by emailing business@walsall.gov.uk.

ENDS

Notes to editors

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is a central pillar of the UK government’s Levelling Up agenda and provides £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. The Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. For more information,have a look at the Shared Prosperity Fund Prospectus