Business Grant Scheme (Lot 1) and Business Support / Mentoring Services (Lot 2)

Overall Summary
In north Kent, Gravesham Borough Council is seeking proposals to deliver a personalised, demand-responsive business support service, delivered as flexible mentoring support for small businesses that are pre-start, new and aiming for growth.

Linked to business support, the Council is advertising an opportunity to administer and deliver a small grant scheme to early stage and growing businesses (with a trading history), to make small investments in support of their growth.

The economic development team is looking for a high quality, creative and flexible approach to in-person and virtual delivery over a 12-month period, that is informed by a provider’s experience and ability to deliver a local service that is responsive to the needs of a diverse community.

Delivery will be able to make use of community and other business locations secured through the Council and other local organisations.

Lot 1 – Business Grant Scheme
For early-stage businesses, a small grant scheme to assist a diverse range of micro businesses to make small investments that will help them grow through new capital equipment, workspace or other revenue projects with a clear business case.

Successful outreach into geographies and demographic groups that tend to have lower rates of business formation and survival, will be an important focus.
The preferred solution will provide a simple, clear application process and would ideally be linked to the Business Support / Mentoring service in order to incentivise take up of advice and also to allow for independent assessment of the likely impact of a grant.

Lot 2 – Business Support / Mentoring Services
The availability of good quality, visible and independent advice for small businesses is a key ingredient of creating a supportive eco-system to promote the health of local economies.

Gravesham Borough is seeking innovative proposals for a blend of personalised (highly flexible) in-person and virtual advice and guidance to pre and post-start businesses looking to establish and grow.

A number of specialist areas of business support knowledge are suggested, to be delivered in a mentoring format that is responsive to the needs of individual enterprises, including social businesses.