More businesses now able to apply for Growth Voucher funding

Convincing business owners to take a step back and review their progress is always a challenge but it’s rare to find anyone who doesn’t recognise that there are areas they could improve.

With 94% of those using strategic advice having seen benefits to their business*, recent changes to the government’s Growth Vouchers programme should be welcomed with open arms.

The Growth Vouchers programme is aimed at small businesses who recognise that professional advice will help them to grow and who would value financial help and guidance. The scheme offers up to £2,000 of matched funding and introduces companies to a marketplace of accredited suppliers in five key business disciplines: marketing, finance, digital skills, recruitment and leadership.

Enterprise Adviser to the Prime Minister, Lord Young, said: “By extending the programme to start-up companies, firms with fewer employees and simplifying the process, we’re making it even easier to get the strategic advice small businesses need to succeed and grow. The programme has been well received so far, but there is scope to go further and these changes will help to increase take-up.”

The programme is now open to any business that is actively trading, has fewer than 250 employees, is based in England and has a turnover of less than €45m.

Chamber member Pete Jenkins is a recent beneficiary of the scheme. Having run his business e-Advantage selling CRM solutions to businesses for over 12 years, Pete wanted to take a major step forwards and implement Gamification, which required a complete shift in trading structure.

Pete says: “Moving my business to selling a service was a large step and I knew that I needed quality advice to ensure that this move happened smoothly. The Growth Voucher project had just been launched and I decided to apply as this would mean I could afford to work with my chosen business strategist. The Growth Voucher application process was simple, and although it is a randomly allocated process this did not deter me, as I knew my plans would benefit so well with the additional funding that could be accessed - I was lucky enough to be successful!”

Another member of the Chamber, Fiona Martin of Martin Searle Solicitors, a local award winning law firm, also benefitted from the Growth Voucher scheme. Fiona says ““The Growth Voucher scheme enabled us to bring in a marketing expert to ensure we have the right Marketing Strategy in place to sustain us in the coming years. This is particularly important for our firm as the legal landscape is changing quite dramatically. Working with a marketing expert has given us renewed confidence that as a niche specialist law firm we are in a good position to capitalise on these changes.”

All application, eligibility and supporting information can be found at www.cavendishconsortium.co.uk/gv  

To apply now visit www.gov.uk/apply-growth-vouchers or call 01252 319272

Cavendish Consortium partner Enterprise First is the delivery partner of Growth Vouchers in the South East region.

If you want to contribute to the Chamber blog, contact us on hannah@brightonchamber.co.uk