Funding Boost Worth £6M For English Steel Regions

UK Steel Enterprise has launched a new £6m scheme dedicated to supporting businesses committed to expansion and sustainable employment within England’s steel regions. The newly launched Equity Growth Fund has been backed by the government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF). A subsidiary of Tata Steel, UK Steel Enterprise is inviting applications from companies interested in accessing funds of up to £1m to help drive growth and deliver job opportunities within their local communities. The finance will be available to support a… Read More >

Social Finance Fair reveals £1m Key Fund is heading to the West Midlands

A new £1m social investment fund for the West Midlands has been unveiled today at the biggest Social Finance Fair outside London. More than 140 delegates at the Social Enterprise West Midlands (SEWM) event heard how the ‘Key Fund’ is expanding into the region for the first time and is now looking to provide a crucial finance offer for social organisations that have been turned away from conventional funders. Chief Executive Officer Sam Tarff outlined his vision for shaping new… Read More >

West Midlands Businesses being asked to pay upfront fees

West Midlands Businesses are appearing to be increasingly targeted by unscrupulous companies requesting that they be paid up front for assisting local West Midlands based businesses gain access to business grants. Some of the most recent calls to the offices of Grants West Midlands (Grants WM) are highlighting that whilst some of the general business grant information being offered by such companies to many unsuspecting local West Midlands businesses is correct. Part of the information which is being saved until such… Read More >

Business lender (ART) sees increase in loan applications

Business lender, ART (Aston Reinvestment Trust), has seen the volume of loan applications logged by West Midlands based businesses reach record levels in the first quarter of 2014/15. Further good news from the West Midlands business lender is that it has seen actual loan delivery also increase by some 47% in the year 2013/14. As a direct result such increases it has led the business lender to seek to recruit an additional Loans Manager to cope with the workload. Business lender, ART (Aston Reinvestment… Read More >