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Details as of July 2008, subject to change.  wirralbiz grant opportunity is one of very few available in Merseyside for new business starts. The amount of grant is £500 to help towards helping start up your new business.
Additional Business Finance Opportunities for SMEs
What is an SME? An SME is a Small or Medium Sized Enterprise as defined by the European Commission. This is important as certain grant or loan schemes are only available to businesses that qualify as SMEs. The definition of an SME is broadly as follows:
An SME is defined as a "small or medium-sized enterprise" and is any entity engaged in economic activity, irrespective of its legal form - including self-employed people, family businesses, partnerships and associations provided that it: - employs fewer than 250 people
- has a turnover of less than €50 million (about £35m) per annum or net balance sheet assets of less than €43 million (about £30m)
- is an enterprise with less than 25 % of the capital or voting rights owned by another enterprise (or enterprises) which is not itself a SME. This threshold may be exceeded if the capital is held by public investment corporations, venture capitalist or institutional investors. An enterprise with 25 % or more of its capital or voting rights controlled by a public body is not a SME.
You may still be ranked as autonomous even if the 25% threshold is reached or exceeded by any of the following investors: - Public investment corporations, venture capital companies and business angels.
- Universities and non-profit research centres
- Institutional investors, including regional development funds
- Autonomous local authorities with an annual budget of less than 10million euro and fewer than 5,000 inhabitants
Details and explanations of the new SME definition which took effect on 1/1/2005 are available in a User Guide published by the European Commission and can be accessed on their web site www.europa.eu
Some grant or loan schemes only apply to SMEs. This guide groups together the most popular assistance schemes under key headings to make it easier to identify the most relevant source of help available. Please note that some schemes have geographical limitations and others are restricted by type of business. The list covers the main and most commonly available schemes only.
Please click on the links below to read the following titled sections: Northwest Regional Development Agency Links
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