Supply Chain North East and Scaleup North East are delivered by RTC North. We can accept separate applications from companies based in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham (NE LEP area) for eligible projects.
Please note: This is a competitive process and a limited amount of funding is available. As a result, we have to prioritise companies and projects which can demonstrate significant potential for sales growth, new job creation or for new products and services which will be taken to market. If you are unsure if your application is suitable, please email enquiries@rtcnorth.co.uk or call +44 (0) 191 5164 400 and speak to an RTC advisor. Please note that RTC staff are now working remotely, therefore your query is likely to be dealt more quickly by using the enquiries e-mail.
Eligible companies must be based in Tyne and Wear, Northumberland and Durham with plans to grow turnover and/or employ more staff, be trading and classed as an SME, which means must employ fewer than 250 people and have a turnover of less than €50M.
Companies in the following sectors are not eligible for grant support:
- Agriculture
- Forestry
- Fisheries and aquaculture
- Processing and marketing of agricultural products
- Shipbuilding
- Primary, coal, steel, or synthetic fibre production,
- Banking and insurance services, including brokage services
- Retail/hospitality (for capital grants)
Revenue projects
Revenue grants of up to 40% are available for projects costing from £2,500 (net). The maximum project value may vary according to budget constraints but is unlikely to exceed £6500. Eligible expenditure is for external costs to deliver support, as detailed below:
- Leadership Development
- Marketing/Market Research
- Business Planning
- Communications/Brand Strategy
Ineligible costs include:
- Internal salary/staff costs
- Recruitment costs
- Ongoing advertising costs
- Website development
CAPITAL projects
Capital grants are up to 40% of project costs and to a maximum grant value of £22,000, however this may change subject to budgetary constraints. Eligible costs include:
- Purchase of capital plant/equipment
- Improving or constructing new premises
Ineligible costs include:
- Routine building repair/maintenance
- Normal business running costs
- Land/Building acquisition costs
- Computer equipment/software used in the general running of the business
- Recurring licence fees, subscriptions, and service charges
- Relocation costs