Grants for Business Investment (GBI)

Boosting productivity, skills and employment

Grants for Business Investment supports investment projects which wouldn't otherwise happen and which have the potential to improve the region's economic performance.

Typically, a grant is offered to support the acquisition of key assets, such as buildings, plant and machinery and to support the creation of new jobs or to safeguard existing ones. It can be used for projects to:

• launch a new business
• modernise, expand or re-organise an existing business
• upgrade a business by introducing innovative new technology or processes
• take a new product from development to production

Who is it for?

• Businesses of all sizes can apply,
• but large enterprises (ie not SMEs) can only apply if the projected investment is located within an Assisted Area (certain areas of Luton and Dunstable). Increased grants may be available in Assisted Areas.

Eligibility criteria:

• Most industry sectors are eligible for support. However, specific industries are excluded by national and European rules (e.g. agriculture, farming and fisheries, the coal, steel and synthetic fibres industries, transport, tourism and shipping)
• There must be no commitment to the project costs, and applicants must demonstrate the project will have regional/national benefit. Grant payments are phased, paid in arrears and upon achievement of targets.

"If you obtain any Government funded subsidised loans (e.g.: Carbon Trust loans) that will relate to the GBI project costs, this will effect the level of GBI grant allowable.  Please contact the GBI Appraisal Officer for further information".

Application process:

Applications can be made all year round. The first step is to complete and return a pre-application questionnaire (available to download below). Please send to monitoring@eeda.org.uk or post to: Monitoring Team, East of England Development Agency, The Business Centre, Station Road, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9LQ 
 
This will be checked against any initial restrictions that may apply. Following this, a full application must be completed and returned with various supporting documents. A checklist is provided at the end of the application form.

Applications in excess of £100,000 will be referred to the East of England Investment Advisory Panel. 

Queries

If you have a query or want to discuss your project informally you can e-mail businessfinance@eeda.org.uk or alternatively you can contact Dionne West or Kirsten Masson on 01223 713 900


More information:

	GBI regional brochure	(PDF 1MB)
	GBI guidelines	(PDF 888KB)

Application Forms and Supplementary Information:

Pre-application Forms			Full Application Forms
	GBI pre-application form	(DOC 208KB)		GBI application form	(DOC 597KB)

	Guidance on Key points when applying for GBI	(DOC 32.5KB)
	GBI sector restrictions	(DOC 61KB)
	GBI Flowchart	(XLS 49KB)
	GBI Business Plan Template	(DOC 64KB)
	GBI claim form	(DOC 316KB)
	GBI Template Offer Letter	(DOC 211KB)
	CV Template	(DOC 54KB)
	GBI financial appendicies	(XLS 141KB)
	GBI Financial appendicies guidance	(DOC 41KB)
	Equality and Diversity Form	(DOC 50.5KB)
	Priority Sectors List	(DOC 30KB)
	The new EU SME definition user guide	(PDF 1MB)
	GKN Aerospace case study	(PDF 1022KB)

GBI forms part of 'Solutions for Business' - a highly targeted, publicly funded suite of products and services offering solutions to real business needs and tackling market failure.