THE deadline is approaching to apply to a new £2m Worcestershire Growth Fund, which aims to help local expanding businesses create more jobs and boost productivity.

Grants of up to £100,000 are available, although higher levels of support may be considered in exceptional circumstances. Successful applications must result in increased business productivity, generate new, sustainable jobs based in Worcestershire, provide match funding of at least 50 per cent and comply with State Aid regulations.

Gary Woodman, executive director of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Worcestershire Growth Fund will have a positive impact for many expanding businesses in Worcestershire, boosting productivity and creating jobs within the county."

Application to the fund is a two stage process with expressions of interest for the first round open until Friday, December 18 and successful applicants will be invited to submit a full business case. The fund will run until March 2018, subject to availability.

The Worcestershire Growth Fund follows the success of previous programmes such as the Worcestershire Expansion Programme which supported 22 businesses with grant funding. One of the businesses able to gain funding from that programme was HotelshopUK, a travel company from Droitwich, which has been able to completely modernise and redesign its IT systems allowing for information to be stored on an integrated cloud system following funding from the Worcestershire Expansion Programme.

Vivienne Findlay, managing director of HotelshopUK, said: “We have developed a very aggressive growth plan for the next five years and having this help has undoubtedly given us the courage to finally take the leap and to push forward knowing our growth will be supported by solid technological foundations.”

Cllr Simon Geraghty, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for economy, skills and infrastructure and WLEP board member, added: “I would encourage any businesses interested in the Worcestershire Growth Fund to enquire at the earliest opportunity. HotelshopUK is just one of many businesses to have drawn success from funding schemes and this support forms part of our Open for Business priority, to create new jobs and boost the local economy.”

For further information on the Worcestershire Growth Fund, including dates for future rounds and how local businesses can apply, visit the Worcestershire.Business.Central. website at www.business-central.co.uk/worcestershiregrowthfund