As part of the British Finance Week, we are promoting a number of articles and case studies to showcase the variety of financial and business support available through Warwickshire County Council.
"Energy costs are a major concern so the Warwickshire Business Support Green Recovery Grants scheme is there to help SMEs reduce their costs and make their premises greener as quickly as possible"
Businesses can benefit from a new Warwickshire County Council grant scheme offering up to £20,000 towards the cost of installing energy efficiency measures.
The Warwickshire Business Support Green Recovery Grants scheme is designed to support small businesses in the retail, tourism, leisure and hospitality sectors, as well as other sectors impacted by the pandemic.
It has been developed in response to the rising energy costs that are having a significant impact on businesses and the post-COVID-19 economic recovery across the county.
The scheme has now been operating for two weeks, and has already received high levels of initial interest, indicating that it won’t take long for the funds to be fully allocated.
The scheme complements the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, announced by the Government, and the existing Coventry & Warwickshire Green Business Programme (CWGBP) which provides grants for energy efficiency and other measures to SMEs.
Businesses can apply for grants of between £1,000 and £20,000. Each grant will fund up to 40% of the costs of installing energy efficiency measures or investing in equipment that will lead to cost and carbon savings, such as solar panels, energy efficient windows and doors and LED lighting upgrades.
The scheme also includes a free energy audit, supported by the European Regional Development Fund, under the CWGBP which is managed and delivered by Coventry City Council. The county council will also support businesses in other sectors to access the grants available via the CWGBP.
Warwickshire County Council's Portfolio Holder for Economy & Place, Cllr Martin Watson said: "At the County Council, we constantly endeavour to tailor our business support to meet the evolving priorities of businesses. Energy costs are currently a major concern so the Warwickshire Business Support Green Recovery Grants scheme is there to help SMEs reduce their costs and make their premises greener as quickly as possible. I urge all eligible businesses to consider applying for these grants."
The County’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture, Cllr Heather Timms, added: “The scheme has a two-fold benefit. As well as helping businesses bring down their energy costs it will also help them to reduce their Carbon footprint. Everyone has a part to play in making Warwickshire greener. We’re happy to help businesses be more energy efficient and join in the collective effort.”
For further information please visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/greengrants or email Business@warwickshire.gov.uk.
For more information on British Finance week please visit: https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/finance-hub/business-finance-week-2022/