 A reminder that there is still one remaining qualifying period of the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) Addendum scheme available, which is for the period from February 16 to March 31 2021. If you qualify, the amount you will receive depends on the rateable value of the property as follows:
- £2096.00 for businesses with a rateable value of exactly £15,000 or under
- £3143.00 for businesses with a rateable value over £15,000 and less than £51,000
- £4714.00 for businesses with a rateable value of exactly £51,000 and above
Applications for this grant must be submitted by May 31 2021.
 If you are a new business startup or an existing SME looking to grow, and you have the support of the people of Portsmouth to back your business development idea, then you may be eligible for our Small Business Grant Scheme. We've already worked on some amazing schemes across the city, and are always on the look out for more.
To receive matchfunding from us, your project must:
- Be within the city (within postcodes PO1 to PO6)
- Be formally constituted in the UK, with a bank account
- Help residents into /closer to employment, or brings economic benefit to the city
- Priority will be given where the project is for an existing independent, small or medium sized enterprise seeking to grow
- For applicants applying as a result of Covid-19 - demonstrate how you have been adversely affected by COVID-19. For example, showing evidence of declining cash flow /loss of bookings
- Demonstrate strong local support, shown through a vibrant crowdfunding campaign
- Achieve 25% of your crowdfund target, from at least 10 unique backers, before a pledge from Portsmouth City Council is considered
- If you receive a pledge from Portsmouth City Council and it does not take you to your target, then you must continue crowdfunding until you reach your target in order to collect the pledge from the council.
 Another significant milestone for the Southsea Coastal Scheme this week with 5,600 tonnes of Anorthosite rock from Norway delivered and offloaded east of the Spur Redoubt.
A coaster (named Liamare) was used to ship the rock and anchored in the Solent, while a barge (named Mormaen) and tug brought the rocks closer to the shore.
Work now starts to layer the rocks in order to dissipate the force from waves. This includes excavating the area in front of the east pile line.
The Southsea Coastal Scheme has been shortlisted as a finalist in the 2021 Construction Excellence SECBE Awards.
 The online service for the fourth grant SEISS grant is now available. The grant covers February 1 to April 30 2021.
To be eligible for the fourth grant you must be a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership. You cannot claim the grant if you trade through a limited company or a trust.
You can check your eligibility and claim through the government pages.
Your business can now apply for a Clean Air Fund grant to help you upgrade or replace your 'non-compliant' vehicles ahead of the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) launching in November 2021.
For the Portsmouth charging CAZ, non-compliant vehicles are Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), buses and coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles that:
- Do not meet Euro 6 emissions standards (so are Euro 5 or older) if they are diesel
- Do not meet Euro 4 emissions standards (so are Euro 3 or older) if they are petrol
If you’re not sure what Euro standard your vehicle is, please check your vehicle logbook.
HGVs, buses and coaches will need to pay £50 a day and taxis and private hire vehicles will need to pay £10 a day to drive in the zone.
A number of clean air zones will soon be in operation across the UK, with Bath's zone launched on 15 March, and Birmingham's due to launch in June. There are different classes of CAZ that charge different vehicle types - find out more on the government webpage.
The Portsmouth charging CAZ will launch in November 2021, so it's important that you respond quickly. This this will help us direct funding to those most in need. Once you've replaced or retrofitted your vehicle to Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol standard, you'll avoid paying the CAZ charge.
 Capify’s £50 million Small Business Fund has been created to support established companies that require additional finance to help them recover from the latest coronavirus lockdown.
The fund is open to businesses operating across a range of sectors that:
- Have ambitions growth plans.
- Want to maintain existing success.
- Are preparing to reopen as COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.
Business owners can access loans up to £1 million and can be used for any business purpose. For example, purchasing new stock, refurbishing premises, buying a new piece of equipment, or undertaking something completely different.
 The government has updated and added an FAQ document to its UK Community Renewal Fund page. The fund will provide £220 million pilot project funding to support local areas to trial imaginative new approaches and prepare them to take full advantage of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund when it launches in 2022. The scheme is designed to replace EU funding.
As a Lead Authority, Portsmouth will be submitting a shortlist of projects on the 17 June 2021 and we are inviting partners to submit pilot projects by 4 June 2021.
Full details will be shared and an engagement event will be held after the May local elections.
In the meantime partners are asked to look at the UK Community Renewal Fund page, in particular the:
- Prospectus
- Assessment criteria
- Application form
- Technical note for applicants and deliverers.
- FAQs
If you have any questions you can contact bidmanagement@portsmouthcc.gov.uk, you can also register for further updates via this address.
Made By Sport ‘Clubs In Crisis’ grants are now available for grassroots sports clubs and community and voluntary organisations across Hampshire. Grants of £2,021 will support groups working with young people between the ages of 5–25, within the ‘sport for development’ sector (this includes any physical activity), which can demonstrate that:
- the Covid-19 pandemic has adversely affected them, either operationally or financially
- they require funding to save, resume or adapt their activity
Groups must also actively be working towards one or more of the following social outcomes: using sport to help build a better future through developing life skills, improving mental health, developing employability skills, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and building strong communities. Apply before 17th May 2021.
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