Merseyside-based organisations are being urged to bid for a share of £190m of EU funding which is now available.
Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) aims to help organisations understand the latest EU developments and has sent out the call to local firms.
The LEP held a special information day for more than 200 delegates on April 2nd, with the emphasis initially on projects related to research and innovation, business support, low carbon and employment and skills; all highlighted in the Liverpool City Region European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) document.
LEP executive director Alan Welby said:
“I am delighted that the new EU funding is available across the City Region to support new business growth and new jobs.
“This programme has been designed by the LEP and local partners to ensure that our economy gets the biggest boost possible from this investment.
“Although this is a significant programme we have received noticeably less funding than from previous EU programmes. This means we are looking at fewer projects, with partners, to make bigger impacts.
“With this in mind, I would advise interested organisations considering submitting a bid to read the Liverpool City Region ESIF and think about developing collaborative, large scale projects that work across the City Region geography.”
The calls have been developed to align with City Region strategies to enhance and accelerate the competitiveness and growth of the economy.
LEP Executive Director Alan Welby called on organisations across the City Region to bid for the funding:
“I am delighted that the new EU funding is available across the City Region to support new business growth and new jobs.
“This programme has been designed by the LEP and local partners to ensure that our economy gets the biggest boost possible from this investment.
“Although this is a significant programme we have received noticeably less funding than from previous EU programmes.
“This means we are looking at fewer projects, with partners, to make bigger impacts. With this in mind, I would advise interested organisations considering submitting a bid to read the Liverpool City Region ESIF and think about developing collaborative, large scale projects that work across the City Region geography.
“We are here to help you through this process and I would urge anyone interested in developing a project to talk to us for support and guidance.”
In the first stage of the £190m programme, a tranche of £73m of funding has been made available to organisations including: £6m to increase SME growth; £6m to increase entrepreneurship; £31m employment and skills; £15m for research and innovation and £15m for Low Carbon.
Further EU funding will unfold across the Liverpool City Region LEP area over the next six years to organisations, including those from voluntary sector, universities and councils all of which are now eligible to apply for funding.