Anglia Ruskin University

Low Carbon KEEP Small Business Funding

The Low Carbon KEEP (Knowledge-East of England-Partners) programme aims to support East of England businesses to innovate and grow through University partnerships and knowledge transfer. By improving internal capabilities and implementing a low carbon approach to business through academic guidance, companies can increase profitability and competitiveness. Typical Low Carbon KEEP projects run for 4-18 months however the benefits of such collaborations far outlast the length of the project.

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Low Carbon KEEP grant will cover 40% of eligible project costs as well as fund up to 40% of the costs of purchasing capital items, such as essential equipment or software, which are fundamental to the success of a Low Carbon KEEP project. The average contribution expected from the participating business varies from project to project, but on average amounts to £20,000-£24,000 per year. Please have a look at our sample budgets for more information.

The project is managed and delivered by an experienced graduate, working either full or part-time within a business. The graduate acts as a conduit between an academic expert and a company, ensuring that the latest research and expertise is available to the business.

In addition, the Low Carbon KEEP Programme has recently introduced Low Carbon KEEP Innovation Vouchers which allow SMEs to purchase academic expertise from the region's Universities and Colleges to support innovation and business improvement.The Innovation Vouchers cover 40% of the costs of purchasing specialist support for a value of £1,000 to £5,000, which will provide up to 12 days of bespoke assistance

For more information, have a look at our Low Carbon KEEP FAQs, as well as our Documents section.

Key Benefits

Some of the key benefits resulting from a Low Carbon KEEP project as reported by SMEs who have participated in the programme are:

• Substantial cost savings
• Increased profitability
• Product and service improvements
• Development of new products and IP
• Staff up-skilling

Key Statistics

As of June 2013 the Low Carbon KEEP programme has funded over 45 projects. Some key statistics include:

• Total value of investment so far - £2,772,008
• Total value of ERDF funding provided so far - £1,108,309
• Total SME match attracted so far - £1,453,269
• Total amount of knowledge transfer financed so far - 53 years equivalent

Are we eligible?

The SME Partner's eligibility under the programme is assessed prior to application by the completion of an SME Eligibility Questionnaire (EQ) which accompanies the application and can be found in our more information and guidance section. The programme operates to standard ERDF eligibility criteria. Most business sectors are eligible including charities and not for profit organisations, although the coal, agricultural and fisheries sectors are excluded due to European funding regulations. To be eligible the SME Partner must:

• be based in Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire (this means their head office address OR that at least 75% of their economic activity is in the East of England i.e. operational activity, spend and staff)
• employ fewer than 249 people, or
• is no more than 25% owned by a parent company, or
• has received no more than 200,000 euros of state aid in the last three fiscal years

What is the capital grant scheme?

The Low Carbon KEEP capital grant scheme allows SMEs to recoup 40% of the cost of purchasing capital items, such as essential equipment or software, which are fundamental to the success of a Low Carbon KEEP project or Low Carbon KEEP Innovation Voucher. The capital grant funding can be used to purchase more than one item on more than one occasion. All capital items purchased utilising Low Carbon KEEP capital grant funding will remain in the ownership of the SME partner. Should the Low Carbon KEEP project or Innovation Voucher come to a premature conclusion, the amount of the capital grant awarded will be proportionally reduced. If you decide not to apply for capital funding at the beginning of your Low Carbon KEEP project or Innovation Voucher, but change your mind afterwards, you can still apply at a later date, provided your project has not come to an end.

For more information on the capital grant scheme, have a look at our Capital Grant Scheme FAQs Document.

What are the project timings?

• Project length is at the discretion of the company, in consultation with the participating academic partner, and can be between 4 and 18 months
• Projects must be completed before April 2015
• The project graduate can work either full or part-time, they can be recruited specifically for the project or already employed by the university or business

How do we hire the graduate?

Graduates are hired by the university partners thus removing the burden of employment liability from the business. The university Human Resources department will have a standard procedure for hiring in staff, though you will be fully engaged in the selection process.

How do I apply?

For an informal chat and a copy of the application form please contact a member of our delivery team. Alternatively please visit the Contact A University page. This is not a formal part of the application process, but provides us with the information that we can help to match your project with an appropriate academic partner.

• Carole Randall, Programme Manager carole.randall@anglia.ac.uk 0845 196 4310
• Georgi Mirazchiev, Programme Administrator georgi.mirazchiev@anglia.ac.uk 0845 196 2840

All Low Carbon KEEP project proposals are subject to approval; applications are jointly prepared by the company partner and the knowledge base partner. Approval decisions take typically 3-4 weeks after submission of a proposal.

Business Testimonials

Below you can watch a video highlighting some of the key benefits to SMEs resulting from a Low Carbon KEEP project as presented by the SMEs themselves.

Other questions...

What if we have never worked with a university before?

The Low Carbon KEEP programme management team will help you identify an academic with the desired expertise using the Ask Uni East service. The programme is designed to encourage future collaboration and will provide your business with a chance to build relationships with academic institutions.

What if I know the graduate I want to use?

It is possible to name the graduate that you would like to work on the project on the application form. It is also possible to name a graduate that is already working for your business, and employ them through part of the funding. In this case the associate will spend a larger proportion of their time working with the knowledge base. While these are not the typical routes for the programme, should you want further information about this contact the Low Carbon KEEP team.

What if my business doesn't have a project but has a problem?

Again, get in touch! The Low Carbon KEEP team is here to help and guide you. We will help you turn a problem into a project, and hopefully a successful idea for an application for funding. We have a breadth of expertise in areas from renewable, sustainability and low carbon technology to less technical areas like corporate social responsibility. The best way to find out how your business would benefit from this funding is to give us a call.