Six new projects which will support communities to learn new skills and help them to improve local economies and the environment will launch in Glasgow.
Glasgow City Council said it has approved the projects which will receive £1.78m from the UK government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and be delivered by the council.
Funding worth £100,000 will go to the Communities Mobilisation Programme which will encourage the transition to the green economy through arts and cultural activities for local communities. Organisations can apply for grants of up to £10,000, while money will also go towards exploring how citizens can adopt new economic models which can aid the transition.
£150,000 will go towards Tech Community Support work to repair the fractured tech ecosystem and attract investment through new events, such as a tech conference. Online tools to measure and promote the regional start-up and scale-up of the system could also be developed.
The council has confirmed £600,000 Ecosystem Growth funding will support tech SMEs through grants and will help partners to develop and accelerate projects.
Digital Development Grants of £125,000 from the UKSPF will help more businesses to access the Digital Boost programme and the further support they require. Only limited spots are available and costs are often prohibitive, as the programme offers three days of expert support to a maximum value of £1,425, with further aid at the recipient’s expense. The funding will help businesses to access the further support they need.
£305,000 will aid the development of Glasgow’s Climate Investment Pipeline, including Greenprint for Investment projects, offering support to schemes that reduce emissions, particularly those which can’t access funding elsewhere. The Pipeline will also leverage private investment, generate revenue and deliver social, economic and environmental benefits.
A further £500,000 will boost the already successful Business Start-Up service which provides grants to Glasgow residents who are trying to start a business. The programme will focus on growing social enterprises and supporting deprived communities, women-led businesses, single parents, minority ethnic communities and those suffering from long-term health conditions. Current rates of £250 will be retained along with further tiers of £750 and £1500 to reflect higher start-up costs.
Cllr Susan Aitken, Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: ‘This funding will allow us to further support the development of businesses in the tech and green sectors, both of which are crucial to our economic growth. In addition, there is now an opportunity to involve local communities in new ways of making the transition towards a Net Zero city and economy.’
Photo by Ben Wicks