Grant Aid, Background to Grants


Home About Us The Team Our Services Grant selection Grant application Grant administration Business planning Matched funding FAQ's Background What is a Grant? How many grants? Eligibility criteria Main Purposes Size of Business Is size important? What is an SME? Industry Qualifications What type of industry qualifies? Does Location Matter? Do I need a consultant? How much can I get? Contact Us
FAQs
Background What is a Grant? Free Money? How many grants are there? Eligibility criteria Main Purposes Size of Business Is size important? What is an SME? Industry qualifications What type of industry qualifies? Does location matter? Do I need a consultant? How much can I get?			Background What is a Grant? Free Money? No, under no circumstances. A grant, in the strict sense, will be an outright gift of cash, but it is given on condition that agreed criteria, particularly purposes and objectives, are met. "Grants" may also be taken to mean: - Soft loans which will have, typically, an interest rate rebate and/or a capital repayment holiday and/or a reduction in collateral requirements. Subsidized services or the provision of free information and advice. Tax credits e.g. for rate relief or R&D are also a form of grant. How many grants are there and what are they worth? For the United Kingdom we have some 1,250 different grants on the database provided by UK national organizations or European Union sources. In addition, there are some 3,000 "grants" provided by local councils, economic development units, enterprise agencies and other specific local bodies. Nobody, to our knowledge, has ever calculated the total value but the European Union Research & Development Programme ‘Framework 7’ running from 2007 to 2013 has a total value of 14 billion Euros!