Businesses urged to apply for funding in Wolverhampton through grants scheme

Small firms and micro-businesses in Wolverhampton can apply for funding from a £2.3 million pot– if they have been ineligible for other help.

The funding is being handed out by Wolverhampton Council through its Discretionary Grants Fund on a first-come, first-served basis.

Now businesses in the city have been urged to lodge their application before the deadline – or before the cash pot is emptied.

Councillor Harman Banger, cabinet member for city economy, said: "We’ve had a great response so far from businesses to the new grants scheme and I would encourage others to act fast to submit their applications before the deadline.

"These grants are to help those small and micro-businesses which have been hit hard by the impact of coronavirus but have previously been unable to access other Government grants.

"Many of these sorts of firms have very small numbers of employees and often operate out of shared premises with other similar businesses.

"They are often start-ups, the entrepreneurs who provide energy and innovation to our economy and which grow to become bigger employers and wealth creators."

Businesses need to lodge their online application before the deadline at 11.59am on Monday.

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, added: "We know these small and micro businesses, many of which have had to shut their doors or massively scale back their activities due to coronavirus, are desperate for help towards some of their costs.

"I’m delighted that Wolverhampton Council has launched a scheme to help this sector which is so important for the recovery of the local economy."

For full details visit www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/dgf