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Welcome to the latest edition of the SVBS newsletter.
This week, we're focusing on our new dedicated webpages, featuring lots of opportunities for businesses. Full details can be found below.
We're also promoting Makespace Oxford's South Abingdon Arts & Culture Project, new grant funding for communities in South Oxfordshire, OxLEP's Net Zero landing page, selling to the councils, Low Carbon Hub's launch webinar for UKSPF funded energy audits, and ALP Synergy's 'My SME Business - 10 Steps to Net Zero' webinar.
There are lots more opportunities, events and resources to get stuck into this week, but as always, if you'd like to suggest content for the SVBS newsletter, please get in touch with us.
- South and Vale's Economic Development team
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We’ve awarded UKSPF funding to several organisations to create free sustainability opportunities for local businesses.
- Energy assessments
Low Carbon Hub are providing 22 businesses with a free energy assessment at their site, and a bespoke decarbonisation plan. The surveys are carried out by experienced experts who will review site and energy data, and provide recommendations across a wide range of topics, including insulation, lighting, renewables and electric vehicle chargers.
- Decarbonisation Business Support programme
ALP Synergy Ltd are carrying out a free Decarbonisation Business Support pilot programme, helping South and Vale businesses to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.
The programme will consist of Net Zero webinars and workshops, and will support 25 businesses to create a carbon reduction plan, providing them with a set of specific actions they can take to start or progress their sustainability journey. Tailored 1:1 support to explore new processes or technologies will also be provided.
- Green Skills courses
We’ve teamed up with Abingdon & Witney College to offer free places on a variety of Green Skills courses to local businesses and residents.
We’ve funded 82 places for ‘green’ building and construction courses from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, under the intervention E39: Green Skills. Taking place at Abingdon & Witney College, the courses include Understanding Domestic Retrofit, Heat Pump Systems, Airtightness and Weather Sealing, Domestic Solar Photovoltaic Systems and more.
- No Limits programme
OxLEP's 'No Limits' programme, in a dynamic partnership with SOFEA, empowers residents through green skills training and employment opportunities.
This initiative offers comprehensive support, including free laptops and mobile phones for digital skill development, and travel grants, to assist those in financial need to access work, school or college.
- Business Decarbonisation Grant
Our Business Decarbonisation Grant is now open for applications. Organisations can apply for a minimum of £1,000, up to a maximum value of £10,000.
The scheme closes for applications at 3pm on Monday 7 October 2024. Capital funding is provided to support purchase of equipment, premises adaptations and establishment of net-zero infrastructure that helps to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and to support businesses to lower greenhouse gas emissions through adoption of new processes and/or technologies.
Full details on the above opportunities can be found on our South and Vale websites.
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Makespace Oxford South Abingdon Arts & Culture ProjectThe councils have awarded UKSPF funding under the E6: Support for local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities intervention, to Makespace Oxford to create the Abingdon Arts & Culture Project.The project is based out of the Abingdon hub, The Charter Studios, with a focus on responding to the health and social inequalities in South Abingdon. It explores the potential of informal arts training and skills sharing between local artists, organisations, community groups and schools.Activities carried out so far include transforming a bike lock-up with a painted mural, artist workshops for families and a local primary school, transforming green spaces and inspiring creativity and play.Read the update in full here and check out the South Abingdon Arts Trail Map on the Makespace Oxford website.
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Over £600k available to help support communities in South OxfordshireThe Revenue Grant Scheme, run by South Oxfordshire District Council, aims to help voluntary and community organisations build and support thriving communities and improve the quality of life of people across South Oxfordshire. As well as covering essential operational costs, this funding can also be used to help voluntary sector organisations become more financially sustainable and have a long-lasting impact in the communities they support. For example, organisations may consider using this funding to support training staff in new skills or to invest in new income streams to help diversify their fundraising. The closing date for applications is midday 1 November 2024. Full details can be found on the South Oxfordshire District Council website.
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Check out OxLEP's Net Zero landing pageAs communities across the world continue to grapple with the environmental challenges brought about by climate change, more and more SMEs in Oxfordshire are looking to join the global drive towards net zero emissions by 2050. To achieve net zero, however, can seem like a daunting task. To help, OxLEP has put together a one-stop-shop for Oxfordshire based organisations to help you on your net zero journey – whatever size of business you are, sector you are in, or stage you are at. The website contains inspiring stories from businesses already acting on net zero, a guide to local and national funding, advice on net zero jargon, calculating your baseline and more. Full details can be found via OxLEP's dedicated webpage.
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Selling to the councilsThe councils buy goods and services from a variety of contractors, ranging from someone who is self-employed to national organisations. There are lots of opportunities to supply your services or goods to us, either direct or as a sub-contractor. The councils have published several guides to help you get started, including:
- Current contracts
- What we need from you as a supplier
- Ethical considerations and legal requirements
- Standards of conduct
- Climate and ecological impacts
- Procurement Act 2023 update
- Adding social value
If you are interested in selling to the council, you will need to register on the South East Business Portal. Visit the South Oxfordshire District Council website to get started.
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Helping your business save energy
We've awarded funding to Low Carbon Hub to provide fully funded energy assessments to organisations in South and Vale (worth a minimum of £1,500 each).
If your organisation wants to find out how it could lower energy bills, cut carbon emissions and make buildings more comfortable for users, come along to a free lunchtime webinar to find out how you can get involved.
Thursday 12 September | 12.30pm - 1pm
Come and meet the team, find out if you are eligible for one of the free energy assessments, and hear about possible funding routes to help you install energy-saving measures.
Register for your free place here.
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My SME Business - 10 Steps to Net Zero We've awarded UKSPF funding to ALP Synergy Ltd to carry out a Decarbonisation Business Support pilot programme, helping South and Vale businesses to lower their greenhouse gas emissions.The programme is free for South and Vale businesses, and consists of Net Zero webinars and workshops. Each person who attends will receive a carbon reduction plan, providing them with a set of specific actions they can take to start or progress their sustainability journey. Tailored 1:1 support to explore new processes or technologies will also be provided.The next webinar in the series is 'My SME Business - 10 Steps to Net Zero', helping businesses to understand carbon issues and the critical first steps on their Net Zero journey.Tuesday 17 September | 1pm - 2pmAttendees will come away from the session with an understanding of how to complete a typical carbon calculation for their business, and will know how to access more help with carbon reduction activities.To register for your free place and to view all webinars in this programme, visit ALP Synergy's Eventbrite page.
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