Businesses in Harborough battling back from Covid are being offered new grants to help them recover

Businesses in Harborough battling back from the Covid crisis are being offered new Government grants to help them recover.

The four new Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) schemes are set up to kickstart recovery, growth and innovation for local entrepreneurs.

The cash aid is to be handed out by Harborough District Council on behalf of the Government.

And it comes after £35 million worth of Government support grants has already been given out to businesses in Harborough by the council.

The local authority has just staged a webinar attended by more than 200 businesses.

The council hosted the event to help them understand the new initiatives and how to apply for support.

It also enabled the council to “develop simplified proposals”.

Three projects will focus on backing businesses to either:

- Go Digital – supporting digital technology solutions to improve business performance and encourage wider, online access to customers

- Go Green – helping businesses cut their carbon footprints, increase energy efficiency and reduce fixed costs

- Innovation – encouraging the adoption of sustainable and innovative solutions, by reviewing product or service delivery to improve operations or service provision.

The Government also aims to provide “funding of last resort” to prop up companies hit hard by Covid-19 restrictions and not able to get support from other sources.

Cllr Phil King, who heads up Harborough council, said: “These grants will help boost recovery, growth and innovation as well as enable businesses to become greener and more digitally connected.

“These grants will build on the £35 million worth of Government support grants which we have already allocated locally.”

If you would like to find out how and where to apply you should visit the council’s grants page here: https://www.harborough.gov.uk/info/20021/council_information/319/coronavirus_information/10And if you would like to speak to the council’s grants and funding officer you can email them here: [email protected]