The Business Growth Voucher Scheme issues vouchers of up to £1000 to eligible businesses in York which can be used to procure services from a list of approved York-based providers.
The scheme is funded by the final £1.4 million instalment of the Additional Restrictions Grant from the government and is expected to help support over 450 businesses. Over half the funding is already earmarked with 250 vouchers having been allocated.
The Business Growth Voucher Scheme aims to help York’s small and micro businesses navigate the challenges of the pandemic and provide additional support to stabilise their business models.
Since the launch last month, the scheme now has over 100 approved businesses that can provide these support services to businesses in possession of a voucher:
- web design and branding
- business planning
- accountancy and financial planning
- marketing
- social media
- website update or refresh
- e-commerce
- search engine optimisation (SEO)
- copywriting
- photography and filming
- leadership and management training
- health and wellbeing support
Businesses are encouraged to apply for the scheme as soon as possible as the scheme is operating on a first come, first served basis. Business Growth vouchers can be redeemed until March 18, 2022.
For further assistance and queries, contact our delivery partner UMi on telephone: 01904 933731 or email: cityofyorkbusinessgrowthvoucher@weareumi.co.uk
Councillor Andrew Waller, the council’s Executive Member for Economy and Strategic Planning, said: “The council’s Business Growth Voucher Scheme has been received positively by York’s businesses. As the number of vouchers provided under this scheme are limited by the amount of funding that we have, we encourage York-based businesses to register for the scheme as soon as possible.
“We have selected a wide range of business service providers to deliver quality services to businesses in possession of the vouchers. The aim of the scheme is to ensure that local businesses can get the specialist support they require from other businesses across the city – not only helping those in receipt of the vouchers, but also generating income for local businesses providing the advice.”
The scheme aims to encourage businesses to use local expertise to support their resilience and growth. The delivery of a York-based Business Growth Voucher Scheme will continue the council’s innovative approach to business support, building on the success of the council’s Micro Business Grants Scheme which saw grants of up to £1,000 provided to 1,114 small, micro and one-person businesses during the early stages of the pandemic.
