eScalate grants

We have grant funding available for Oxfordshire SMEs via our eScalate programme - specifically targeting scale-ups and Social Enterprises. Our grants fund activities and projects will ultimately lead to business growth and job creation in Oxfordshire.

Please note the key information below:

• Grants are available to social enterprise and scale up businesses
• Grants of between £1000 and £25000 are available
• SME applicants can receive up to a maximum of 50% of eligible expenditure. For example: in order for a start-up to receive a grant of £1,000 you would need to spend a total of £2,000 excluding VAT.
• Grants are not to be used for retrospective purchases
• Grants can be used to support job creation
• Grants are only available once per business

Who can apply?

• Businesses with less than 250 employees based in Oxfordshire
• Eligible sectors
• Businesses who have sufficient funds for the match requirement

Grants could potentially be used for:

Access to finance consultancy

• Preparation for access to finance sector focused events
• Analysis of potential financing routes for businesses
• Investment readiness reviews and action plans
• Accountancy advice incl. SEIS, EIS to help access finance

 Specialist consultancy to help get business investment ready

• Business plan
• Feasibility study
• Market research
• Competitor analysis
• Partners and suppliers research
• Viable growth-forecasts and research
• Robust cash-flow projections
• Legal Advice incl. company structure, employment law, GDPR, IP
• Coaching/mentoring support to build an investment ready leadership team

 In addition, Social Enterprises could use a grant for:

Specialist consultancy, projects and / or support related to:

Increasing sales

• Consultancy/design of a new website;
• Website search engine optimisation;
• Business strategy to improve sales and commercial performance;
• Company branding, logo design and marketing collateral, including brochures, leaflets, etc.
• Market research and data management, including purchase of CRM database;
• Fit-out costs for vehicles and showrooms of less than £5,000 to increase sales potential and product range.

Improving productivity and profitability

• New software (or hardware under £5,000) to speed up productivity and performance, e.g. CRM systems and accounting packages;
• Purchase of equipment costing less than £5,000 aimed at improving productivity.

Improving business processes

• Software that will improve business processes, e.g. CRM systems, accounting packages, business planning packages and operational software specific to an industry.

 Creating jobs

• Advertising for hard-to-fill posts;
• Costs associated with working with a specialist recruitment consultant;
• Psychometric profiling and recruitment software.

Our Grant rounds are now always ‘open’, and eligible businesses can apply at any time. We also offer grant workshops to help SMEs with the application process.

Please note that our panel sits regularly to review grant applications; submit your application before a 'grant panel application deadline' to ensure that you are considered in the next round.

How to apply:

Call us on: 01865 897181 and express your interest in applying for a grant.

Email us at business@OxfordshireLEP.com

Download our grant workshop presentation slides