Fast-access help for City Region small businesses made big difference during first year of COVID-19

Seventy-seven businesses across the City Region have received help to stay afloat during the pandemic thanks to a specially designed rescue fund.

The micro-businesses were offered the chance to apply for small grants between £500-£1,000 with no restrictions on sector or length of trading history.

The fund helped a diverse range of businesses, from small local retailers to events and tourism companies to buy equipment for remote-working, diversify their trading offers, and purchase goods or services to allow them to remain open with the new restrictions in place.

The businesses received funds within two weeks of approval of their applications and have reported that it helped them keep over 100 people in work.

As a result, these businesses – which otherwise may have had to close their doors, make redundancies or end employment contracts – were able to continue trading and keep their employees.

The Integrated Employer Engagement (IEE) fund was designed and launched through Business Gateway and the City Region Deal’s skills and employability partnership channels. The IEE team are part of Capital City Partnership, who lead and coordinate the local job strategy group and were fully supportive of the fund’s objective to help businesses continue trading under new government guidelines and prevent job losses.

Through consultations, the IEE team and Business Gateway identified a gap in the wide array of Covid19 response funds for accessible, up front small enterprise grants for micro businesses.

For more information, visit: capitalcitypartnership.co.uk/city-region-deal