The North Yorkshire UKSPF team’s update on the North Yorkshire UK Shared Prosperity Fund includes some key information for voluntary organisations and community groups.

Small Business Grants programme is paused

The team have been exceptionally busy with the Small Business Grants programme over the last few weeks. With over 400 applications received since the launch in November, they have now paused the programme to work through all applications and make some reflective adjustments to the programme before re-opening in April 2024.

Need help with an application?

As well as the Small Business Grants, there has been a high level of interest in all of the other open grant programmes. The team are now focussed on processing and appraising as many applications as they can. If you are currently in the process of applying, then please feel free to get in touch for any further guidance. If you have applied, then you’ll hear about your application soon.

Web page refresh

The North Yorkshire Council fund webpage (UK shared prosperity fund | North Yorkshire Council) is currently undergoing a redesign. Following feedback from users (especially potential applicants), the council is working on the presentation and navigation of the site to make things easier for everyone seeking to get involved. In February, plans are to transform the webpage into a simple landing page (where key updates, news and background information will be posted), leading to two areas focussed on 1) opportunities for businesses, and 2) opportunities for community organisations. This should help users to quickly and easily find the right information about the programmes, grants and support they are most interested in.

Changes to the Local Enterprise Partnership

As a central UKSPF delivery team, you may be aware that the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is contracted to manage the programme on behalf of North Yorkshire Council (who remain the Lead Authority for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund in North Yorkshire). As of 1 February, the LEP will no longer exist and its functions and staff will be transferred into the new Combined Authority ahead of the mayoral elections in May 2024.

New contact details for getting in touch

These are exciting times for the York and North Yorkshire region with the creation of a new strategic body to work alongside the two local authorities.

The UKSPF work will not change as a consequence of this development, and the central UKSPF delivery team will all remain in place!

Contact details have changed (from 1 February) to UKSPF@yorknorthyorks-ca.gov.uk.  Please don’t worry if you have recently sent an email or forget to add the new address to your contacts. The the North Yorkshire UKSPF team will continue to receive emails sent to both addresses for the immediate future.

Keep checking in for further updates

Please keep looking at the UKSPF information online (UK shared prosperity fund | North Yorkshire Council). There are a number of open opportunities at present, and over the next two months, plans are underway for a raft of new opportunities for the third year of the programme (running from April 2024 to March 2025).

The North Yorkshire UKSPF team will be in touch again soon with further updates and information. In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact them for any information or guidance.