Grant Update January 2012
NATIONALLY CURRENTLY AVAILABLE
This is a national programme in ALL regions (excluding Wales & Scotland) and will be running for 3 years. The eligibility criteria is they must manufacture – or have a clear link to manufacture, and be an SME (less than 249 employees, turnover of less than 43 million euros, not owned by a larger group to push them over this level). The grant will cover training and consultancy, on and off site, Scheduled courses are not covered, unless they are privately arranged and the eligible company is the only attending company.
For the period January 2012 – April 2012 the grant will pay a maximum of £3000 grant, this is capped at a maximum of 10 days support and £300 per day (so day rate of £600 or above to attract maximum support). Each company is able to make 3 applications per calendar year, the first application being at 50% funding, the second application being 40% funded, and the third application being 30% funded. The year is a rolling year from when they make the first application, and there may be higher levels of funding available from April for larger long term projects TBC.
Process – Referral to Decipher via email to lhindle@decipheruk.com or sbishop@decipheruk.com. We will make contact with your client, assess eligibility and put the application together for submission. If the grant scheme are happy with it they will visit the client as soon as can be mutually arranged and give verbal approval whilst at the site.
We will need a copy of the quote at submission stage, the client will need a copy of receipted invoice and bank statement showing payment to yourselves at claim stage. They have 90 days to take the training/consultancy once approval is given.
Lead time to approval currently 2 – 3 weeks (depending on availability of meeting schedule)
Software grant
There is a grant covering software, training, consultancy, IT implementation, Hardware and maintenance in postcodes CM11, CM12, CM13, SS0, SS1, SS2, SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6, SS7, SS8, SS9, SS11, SS12, SS13, SS14, SS15, SS16, SS17, RM14, RM15, RM16, RM17, RM18, RM19, RM20. This grant is 40% funded up to a maximum grant rebate of £40,000 (so up to a £100,000 order!), they must be SME companies IN ANY SECTOR.
ANDOVER – SP10
There is a grant for companies with less than 50 employees in Andover (SP10 Postcode), they can have funding for up to £25,000 training for as many employees as they wish, the first £1000 of training is fully refunded, the next level is £1001 – £9,999 is 75% funded, and everything over £10,000 up to £25,000 is match funded. Claim back is via receipted invoice with claim reference once approved, so minimal paperwork for your customers. Please be aware, the attending students must also live in SP10.
SCOTLAND
There is a marvellous grant available in Scotland, any company of any sector, must be an SME, but they are able to apply for match funded training or consultancy of up to £12,500 (so a £25,000 training or consultancy order). There is no cap on day rate return, and applications that are placed before March 31st 2012 must complete the training by end of June 2012, the new round of funding will start from April 1st 2012 and we are waiting to hear if the offering changes, which we keep you updated of. The time for approval is 5 days, there are no site visits, all the paperwork done over the phone with your client. Claim back is receipted invoice and bank statement once the support has been completed.
WALES
For SME companies anywhere in Wales there is up to £7500 available in match funding for training and consultancy. The only eligibility criteria is that the student/s must have completed at least 1 year of university (or credit equivalent), at any time in their life (evidence is not asked to be produced)
April 2012 and also Later in 2012 – What is coming up…..
There will be a variety of large national grants available that Decipher have been asked to help distribute, it is anticipated and being proposed that this funding cover any company of any size in Engineering, Manufacture, Design, Architecture, Coatings, Plastics, Glass, Leather, Construction, Food and Drink manufacture and associated tooling, Polymers, Oil, Gas and Petrochemicals and support software, training and consultancy. Three of these bids are currently being put together and the start for 3 of them is anticipated in September 2012, this will be a 3 year programme and will allow companies to have whatever support they feel they need to help the company grow.
It looks like there will a further 3.5 Million £ available to the Manufacture sector nationally for SME companies to have training and consultancy from April 2012 on a 3 year programme that is due to start. I shall keep you posted.
If in doubt, for more information, or to check a company please contact:
lhindle@decipheruk.com – 0844 5040077 Option 1 (Leanne Hindle)
sbishop@decipheruk.com – 0844 5040077 Option 2 (Steve Bishop)
Animation Lab Sale
As I spend a fair bit of time explaining the role of Google SketchUp to people that have only a vague idea of the package, I thought I’d provide a few links here to show its capabilities. These are mostly high end users, although the video ‘Create Cool Stuff’ shows you the application used to design a simple CD rack.
When DoubleCAD was first brought out by IMSI, I kept it at arm’s length mainly because I’m wary of new software and would prefer to let others waste their time driving it around the block and also because of the sure fire inevitably of unforeseen snags with new products.