UKSPF: Supporting Local Business Priority - Intervention E23

<p>The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is the UK Government’s domestic replacement for the European Structural and Investment Programme (ESIF). The UK Government have set out their overall aim for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund: to support their wider commitment to level up all parts of the UK by delivering on each of the four parts of the Levelling Up agenda. &nbsp;The primary goal of UKSPF is to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, while recognising the acute challenges town centres and communities have faced during the Covid pandemic. This will be achieved across three Investment Priorities:&nbsp;<br>1. Communities and Place<br>2. Local Business&nbsp;<br>3. People and Skills</p>
<p>GMCA have been assigned by government as lead authority for the fund in Greater Manchester and will receive the area’s allocation to manage. GMCA will have overall accountability for the funding and how it operates, working closely with our LAs and key stakeholders in this role. The Investment Plan was developed in consultation with Greater Manchester’s ten local authorities and other key partners and stakeholders across the private, public and VCSE sectors. This engagement built upon extensive consultation previously undertaken for the Greater Manchester Strategy (https://aboutgreatermanchester.com/). The Strategy’s shared commitments form the priorities for core UKSPF activity in Greater Manchester. They agreed a small number of high level interventions, to then leave maximum flexibility in implementation. The Government was due to respond by October to the Investment Plan, and then release funding. A decision is still awaited but, in the meantime, work is getting underway on how to implement the plan. &nbsp;(Further background regarding UKSPF can be found on the GMCA website. www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/uk-shared-prosperity-fund&nbsp;<br>https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/what-we-do/investment/uk-shared-prosperity-fund/core-ukspf-and-multiply-investment-plans/</p>
<p>This notice only relates to Local Business Intervention - E23: Strengthening local entrepreneurial ecosystems and supporting businesses at all stages of their development to start, sustain, grow and innovate, including through local networks.</p>