Final call for Dorset firms to apply for £800k business growth grants
Time is running out for Dorset businesses to apply for a share of over £800,000 in grants aimed at boosting growth
Dorset businesses are being urged to seize the opportunity and secure a share of more than £810,000 in government-backed funding before applications close in the coming weeks.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) business grants, administered by Dorset Council, are designed to boost local growth, productivity and innovation.
Grants range from £10,000 to £40,000, with successful applicants required to match any bit of funding they receive.
However, this can include investment in new production methods, staff training, machinery or initiatives that support net zero innovation.
A panel will review the next round of applications on 5 November, prompting council leaders to encourage businesses to apply as soon as possible.
Holwell-based Honeybuns Bakery has shown applying for these grants can make a huge difference.
Run by husband-and-wife team, Matt and Emma Goss-Custard, the bakery specialises in premium handmade gluten free cakes, flapjacks and brownies and employs 23 people.
Matt said: “Thanks to these grants, we were able to make capital investments that we would not otherwise have been able to.
“Our latest funding will allow us to buy an automatic cake slicing machine, easing a production bottleneck and improving our resilience.”
Since the UKSPF launched three years ago, over £6.4 million has been distributed to more than 100 Dorset businesses.
Cllr Richard Biggs, Dorset Council’s deputy leader and Cabinet member for Economic Growth, said: “This is a great opportunity for businesses to boost their productivity and take that next step.
“These grants are helping firms across Dorset to innovate, grow, and create high-skilled jobs for local people.”