Digital Enterprise Scheme
The Digital Enterprise Digital Growth Voucher Scheme provides 40% grants of up to £5,000
to SMEs within the Yorkshire region for investment in digital services.
What is it?
Running until March 2019, the Digital Enterprise scheme aims to support the growth and development of SMEs in the Yorkshire region through investment in digital projects, services and skills.
Digital Growth Vouchers are available from £1,000 up to a maximum of £5,000 and need to be matched by funding from the business. The scheme offers funding of 40%, towards the total value of an investment, with the remaining balance of 60% funded by the business.
The scheme is a partnership programme which is partly funded by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund), the West Yorkshire Combined Authority/Leeds city region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the 9 local authorities which form part of the Leeds city region.
What can you use the digital vouchers for?
The Digital Enterprise scheme is designed to help small to medium sized businesses achieve higher levels of productivity, competitiveness and innovation through the investment and better use of digital solutions including:
- Website Design & Development
- E-Commerce
- Online & Social Media Marketing
- Digital Marketing Strategy & Consultancy
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
- Mobile Optimisation
- Data Analysis & Website Analytics
For Example
A manufacturing business in Huddersfield is aiming to grow by selling its products online through the commissioning of a new e-commerce website. The business owner expects to see turnover increase by 10% in year 1 after the investment has taken place, with a further increase of 15% in year 2.
The website has a total cost of £5,000 (excluding VAT) – which includes costs relating to its integration. The firm would be able to apply for a Digital Growth Voucher worth £2,000 (40% of the total value) providing it funds the balance of £3,000 (60%).
What businesses are eligible?
Businesses that will be eligible to apply for digital growth voucher grants are growth focused SMEs (Small to Medium-sized Enterprises) with the following characteristics:
- Businesses based in the Leeds city region – which includes Leeds, Calderdale, Kirklees, Bradford, Selby, Craven, Harrogate, York and Wakefield.
- Employing fewer than 250 employees
- With turnover below €50 million p/a (approximately £43 million)
- With a balance sheet total below €43 million (approximately £37 million)
- Firms which have received less than €200k (£185,000) of State Aid in the last 3 years
How can we help?
Vizulate Digital is already an approved supplier on the Digital Enterprise scheme. We offer a range of digital services and solutions for businesses that could be part funded through Digital Growth Vouchers, including web design & development, e-commerce, digital marketing, SEO, video & animation, and digital integration solutions.
We were also an accredited supplier on a previous national grant Growth Voucher scheme in 2014 and have experience in the application process that could help speed up your application and secure your funding by providing accurate quotations and detailed proposals for your digital project.
