Green Business Grant Scheme

Green Business Grant Scheme

Green Grant Scheme from Folkestone & Hythe District Council

Folkestone & Hythe District Council have introduced a Green Business Grant Scheme to help smaller businesses become more energy efficient. Grants of up to £10,000 may be available to your business (up to £25,000 in exceptional circumstances). The scheme will currently run until 31st March 2024 (assumes funds remain available for this duration).

The Aim

The aim of the Folkestone and Hythe Green Business Grant Scheme is to help small businesses to save carbon, become more energy efficient and, in turn, to save the business money.

Location Eligibility

The Folkestone and Hythe Green Business Grant Scheme is available to businesses currently located in or seeking to establish new premises within the area (subject to successfully securing the premises via a deed or signed lease arrangement). If requested, you must provide evidence of building ownership or a signed letter of approval for the project you propose to install from the property owner.

Who can apply for a Grant? 

Small businesses (up to 50 employees) are eligible to apply for a Green Business Grant if:

  • you are the freeholder or leaseholder (with at least 5 years left on the lease) of the commercial property
  • limited to one application per business owner
  • the property is over 10 years old
  • The project will have a positive impact environmentally

How do I apply for a Grant? 

To apply for a grant, you must submit:

  • A completed ‘Grant Application Form’ – within this form the applicant must explain what they propose to do and what difference this change is hoped to make. This change should, to some extent, be measurable. The application form can be saved by clicking here:  FHDC Green Business Grant Scheme – Application Form
  • Evidence of procurement for your project (e.g. quotations) Please note: Any project over £5,000 will require 2 quotes.

Upon submission of your application form, you will be required to undertake a commercial Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), at the discretion of Folkestone & Hythe District Council (if you do not already possess a valid date valid one). The cost of this will be reimbursed in the event of a successful grant award.

Upon completion of the application form, together with all relevant documentation required for a valid application you will be contacted to confirm a successful application has been lodged. Each application is subject to a scoring and evaluation process whereby your application will be assessed. An Officer may also to inspect the premises. All evidence and information will be collated, scored and evaluated. This will be forwarded to the decision panel for a final decision. A grant cannot be applied for retrospectively. An application must be approved by the Grant Panel before any part of the project has been installed or paid for. Any works installed before this will be not be paid for. Applications will not be considered for funding where there is any non-commercial gain e.g. benefit to a residential dwelling. 

Grant Amount

  • The scheme will normally provide grants of up to £10,000 (but up to £25,000 in exceptional circumstances.) Grants are required to cover up to 40% of the total project cost, with the remaining 60% coming from other grant schemes or from the company’s own resources, including bank loans.
  • The grant payment excludes VAT.
  • The Green Business Grant is a one-off grant specifically to support the proposals set out by the applicant. If funding is required for an energy audit, this can be applied for in the first instance prior to a further application based on the outcomes to a maximum grant total.
  • Please note: Upon confirmation that a Folkestone and Hythe Green Business Grant is awarded, the organisation will need to have sufficient money to fund the project up-front. Upon completion of these works and submission of invoices the grant money can be allocated in line with the submitted invoices. No grant monies can be claimed until the full project has been completed.

Projects already installed or paid for

  • Projects that have already been installed or paid for, in part or in whole, before the grant has been awarded, are not eligible for funding. This includes the payment of any deposit. No retrospective applications or claims can be made.

Other funding and sources of finance

Other sources of funding can potentially be used towards a part of the cost of a project. Please enquire for more information.

  • The project must be paid for outright. A grant cannot be provided to pay for just a deposit or if an asset has been financed on a hire purchase agreement for example.
  • An item cannot be purchased and financed through a hire purchase agreement.

What type of projects are eligible for a grant?

  • Grants are available towards capital projects that will help your business save carbon, become more energy efficient and save money.
  • Examples of projects that are not eligible for funding include:

-Replacement laptop or desktop computers, tablets or mobile phones.

– Projects that will increase on-site fossil fuel consumption, even if there is a net greenhouse gas emissions reduction              (e.g. replacing electric heating with gas heating).

– No mobile items to be purchased with the support of this grant.

Green Business Grant Scheme Application Form:

FHDC Green Business Grant Scheme – Application Form

If you have any questions regarding the scheme, contact Andy Markwell, Business Support & Grants Officer andy.markwell@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk

Links to EPC Websites:  

https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate

https://www.gov.uk/get-new-energy-certificate

Please Note: 

Folkestone & Hythe District Council does not endorse, nor is it affiliated with any external businesses offering grant application writing services for a fee.

 

 

 

 

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