Lichfield District start up grant scheme

Please note this grant is now CLOSED. 

The Lichfield District start up grant scheme offers a one-off grant of £3,000 for residents who have been made redundant or currently economically inactive and seeking to start up a business within the financial year 21/22.

The grants, which require no match funding, can be spent on:

• Capital equipment excluding, laptops, mobile phones and tablets
• Marketing
• Professional qualifications or training

Successful applicants within the previous grant scheme we delivered, focussing on established young businesses, applied for the following things:

• Capital equipment
  • an amplivox
  • a commercial cleaning unit
  • weighing scales
  • equipment for catering classes
  • projectors
  • printers
  • blenders
• Marketing purposes
  • physical marketing
    • exhibition stands
    • newspapers
    • leaflets
    • business cards
  • digital marketing
    • paid for advertising on social media
    • website creation
• professional qualifications or training
  • a course to provide additional services or sell specific products

Applicants must first go on the Enterprise for Success programme’s free two day start-up workshop. After attending the workshop, the applicant must submit within one of the quarterly rounds:

• a CV
• an application form
• business plan
• financial forecast for the next year

Project items have to be purchased after your application has been successful and prior to the grant being claimed.

The scheme is running up until March 2022, with a pot of £205,538 funding available for the financial year. Deadline dates are as follows:

• 28 May 2021
• 27 August 2021
• 26 November 2021
• 28 January 2022

It is hoped applicants will create an employment opportunity having received a grant, whether one full time employment or an apprenticeship in the future, although this is no longer a requirement for receiving a grant.