Grants on offer for small businesses in Lichfield and Burntwood

Small businesses in Lichfield and Burntwood could be eligible for a small grant.

Between £500 and £1,500 is on offer as part of a Lichfield District Council initiative.

The cash can be used for marketing, IT software and hardware, office equipment, professional qualifications or training and equipment to support product or process development and business growth.

A maximum of half of the cost of the total project can be applied for, and applicants will need to outline their business expansion plan and how the grant will help achieve this.  

So far the council has distributed more than £25,000 to 23 local businesses.

Match funded

Colette Bratton and Wendy Harris, owners of Domino Effect Workshops, received a grant of £750 to help them run interactive sales and marketing workshops for small to medium size businesses.

They spent the grant, which they match funded, on professional photographs to use in marketing material, a new projector and screen, and creating a Domino Effect Workshops logo and pull-up banner.

Colette said: “Working on our business plan made our brains ache a little, but it was such a worthwhile exercise.

“Taking time to really think about our business helped us have a clear vision about the direction we wanted the business to go in, and what actions we needed to take to make that happen.

“The grant has definitely helped raise the profile of our business.”

The scheme is open to companies based in the district with up to ten employees that have been trading for no more than three years. It is also open to residents who are planning to open a business in the district. 

The deadline to apply for the current round of small business grants is 5pm on 28th February 2020.

To register your interest in applying email [email protected] or calling 01543 308149. Full details are available at www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/sbg.