Net Zero: Business Grants Programme​

The Net Zero Business Grants Programme ran until April 2025 and aimed to support small and medium size businesses (SMEs) and CICs with installing decarbonisation works to help move towards a net zero North Somerset area.

Businesses could apply for a capital grant of up to £30,000 to perform energy efficiency measures, such as LED replacements, draught proofing, installation of air source heat pumps and renewables.

Match funding of up to 70% was offered for businesses depending on the size, location and type of project.

Click here to find out more about the Green Business Grants Programme in Year 4 of UKSPF

Broadway Lodge: Aftercare Service

Broadway Lodge offered an Aftercare Service in Weston-super-Mare for anyone in abstinence-based recovery from addiction who was economically inactive and looking to work towards employment.

The service was provided by a counsellor and a key worker to facilitate therapy groups, workshops, and 1-1 counselling sessions. The aim of the service was to support people in early recovery to build and maintain abstinence-based recovery, build recovery capital, and access education, training and employment support.

Centre for Sustainable Energy: Home Energy Advice Helpline

UKSPF part-funded a freephone home energy advice service for households in North Somerset and the surrounding areas. The advice line offered free, impartial advice to all households, particularly to those in or at risk of fuel poverty.

The advice line provided energy advice and support covering various topics, including energy-saving measures, income maximisation, grants and benefits, and renewable energy technologies.

Although no longer funded by UKSPF in 2024/25, the hotline remained open to North Somerset residents.

Business Support Unlocked (BSU)

Delivered through the hive, the Business Support Unlocked programme was a free at the point of access pre-start, early growth, and business resilience programme that provided North Somerset businesses with a package of flexible and accessible support to help them overcome challenges and succeed well into the future.

Support included:

• A 3.5 day Starting in Business Course
• Advice Sessions delivered through face-to-face appointments, by phone, or via online platforms
• A series of workshops that focus on up-to-date information on key priorities and sectors

Click here to find out more about BSU which continues in Year 4 of UKSPF

West of England Combined Authority - Growth Hub

UKSPF funded North Somerset’s buy-in to the West of England Growth Hub in 2023/24. It provided tailored support, expert guidance and access to finance and support programmes to small and medium-sized businesses across North Somerset.

Support included:

• Triage and Diagnostics Service
• The Good Employment Charter
• Intellectual Property Support
• Thrive at Work
• Workforce for the Future
• The Create Growth Programme

UKSPF funding for the Growth Hub ended in April 2024, however businesses can still access the Triage and Diagnostics Service and other business support offered by the Growth Hub.

Visit West

Visit West (VW) is the officially accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnership (LVEP) for the visitor economy in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucester, and North Somerset.

UKSPF funded North Somerset’s membership of Visit West. This membership enabled local visitor economy businesses to join a network of more than 700 like-minded businesses, working together to develop and market the region to consumers, travel trade, and the business events industry. This grew North Somerset’s visibility and connected member businesses with routes to market, business support, industry insight, unique marketing opportunities, exclusive member events, networking and more.

Click here to find out more about Visit West.

Grants to local communities and partners.

Grants of up to £10,000 for single organisations or £30,000 for partnerships were distributed through an open competitive process led by North Somerset Council (NSC) to deliver the following interventions:

• E6: Local arts, cultural, heritage & creative activities
• E9: Impactful volunteering and/or social action projects
• E11: Capacity building & infrastructure support local groups
• E12: Community engagement schemes, local regeneration
• E14: Relevant feasibility studies

You can see which projects were funded in 2023 and 2024 on North Somerset Council’s dedicated webpages.

Capacity building for organisations

This project built on the CRF-funded Innovation Plan to support community groups, social enterprises, not-for-profit organisations, and charities interested in developing asset-based projects. It offered capacity-building and performance improvement support to increase organisational capacity.

The project focused on addressing local challenges like utilising vacant buildings for community and SME space, driving local wealth building, and improving high streets. It supported emerging, locally-led enterprises to unlock vacant units for community and local economic use, increasing their sustainability by utilising assets.

Click here to find out about the outcomes from the project.

Care leaver employment and training support

A specialist Education, Employment, and Training (EET) Coach supported young care leavers (aged 16-25) into sustainable education, employment, and training. This helped them with the transition to independence and adulthood.

The council worked with local organisations and businesses to develop new partnerships and provide work placement opportunities, helping both the care leavers to build their employment skills and businesses to increase their capacity.

This work was later delivered through the Moving Up North Somerset project.