From 2 April, Horsham District businesses with a climate-friendly project idea will be able to apply for up to £5,000 from Horsham District Council’s new Green LEAP Small Business Grant Scheme.
Green LEAP is an exciting addition to the Council’s popular ongoing LEAP grant scheme, with a fresh focus on supporting start-ups and small business to achieve their climate ambitions. Through Green LEAP, grants of up to £5,000 will be available to fund or part-fund climate-friendly business projects. Grants of up to £2,000 may be considered for other projects.
Green LEAP will invite applications for a broad range of projects, such as solutions to help reduce, reuse, and recycle waste, switching to LED lighting and reducing water use.
To be eligible to apply, your business must be in Horsham District, be registered with Companies House or HMRC and have fewer than 20 full-time employees. You will also need to be able to meet the 25% match funding requirement and provide a business plan. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate in their business plan how their Green LEAP project is connected to achieving their climate ambitions.
A short guidance video was launched in January to help businesses prepare their business plan and is available to watch through the Council’s new virtual network called the Horsham Business Climate Hub.
In line with the launch of Green LEAP, keep an eye out for a new directory of local businesses that offer products or services that can assist other local businesses to become more sustainable. The Council has commissioned Kinder Living CIC to develop the Kinder
Business Directory to support local businesses in their efforts to become more sustainable, which will provide a useful reference for those seeking suppliers for their climate-friendly project idea.
Commenting on this new support for businesses, Horsham District Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery Cllr Jonathan Taylor said: “As identified in our Climate Action Strategy, businesses play a key role in enabling Horsham District to collectively transition to a sustainable, net zero, and resilient economy.
“We have listened to local businesses, who have identified grant funding as key for supporting them to achieve their climate ambitions.”
Cllr Joanne Knowles, Horsham District Council Deputy Cabinet Member for Local Economy and Place, said: “We look forward to seeing what the new Green LEAP grants will enable our local businesses to achieve, whether they are at the beginning of their journey to become more sustainable or taking their next steps to build on what they have already delivered.”
The first round of Green LEAP funding opens to applications on Tuesday 2 April and will close on Tuesday 30 April 2024, with businesses being notified of their application’s outcome within 6 weeks of submission. A second round will be launched in June.
Find out more about Green LEAP and how to apply on the Council’s website at: www.horsham.gov.uk/leap. You can access more information about the Horsham Business Climate Hub at: www.horsham.gov.uk/netzerobusiness.
Green LEAP has received £130,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Inclusion in the Kinder Business Directory will be free to suitable businesses within the area who offer sustainable products or services to other businesses. Kinder Living will also be launching a Business Network offering face-to-face networking and promoting collaboration, mutual support and education for businesses on their sustainability journey.
Discover more here: https://kinderliving.co.uk/kinder-business/.