Innovate UK – Automotive Transformation Fund Re-Opens

The UK Government has opened the Automotive Transformation Fund to support the industrialisation of a high value, electrified automotive supply at scale in the UK.

Managed through Innovate UK, this fund will provide support for projects involving the latest technology in batteries, electric motors and drives, power electronics, fuel cells, and recycling.

It offers a share of up to £1billion of funding for capital and associated industrial research projects.

This is an expression of interest (EoI) competition, which is the first stage in a two stage process. Your EoI application outlines your proposal and potential benefits to the UK. If your application is successful, you will be invited to progress to a full application for the ATF competition.

To lead a project your organisation must:

  • be a business of any size
  • carry out its project work in the UK
  • exploit the results from or in the UK.

This round of funding will be open to single applicants and collaborations. There are no restrictions on the number of applications a business can lead or collaborate on. Previous applicants can submit a maximum of two applications.

The fund will be open to expressions of interest from 9.30am on the 6th December 2021 until 11:00am on the 12th January 2022.

Further details – https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/automotive-transformation-fund-expression-of-interest-round-17/

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Social Enterprise Funding

The Social Enterprise Support Fund is now open for applications. Social enterprises in England can apply for grants to fund their activities and support communities affected by COVID-19. The fund will also help organisations overcome acute financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic.

Most grants will be in the range of £10,000 to £50,000. These funds can be used to sustain or refocus current services. Priorities of the fund include:

  • Reaching the most marginalised communities and promoting inclusion.
  • Supporting social enterprises to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
  • Supporting communities to recover from the impacts of the pandemic.

Priority will be given to social enterprises which:

  • Support the most marginalised communities in England.
  • Are led by or work with disabled people and/or those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) and/or LGBTQIA+ communities.
  • Are led by people with direct experience of the issues they are trying to support.

There will be two application rounds.

Round one opens at 13:00 on 25 November 2021 and closes at 13:00 on 21 December 2021.

To see the full guidance notes, eligibility criteria and the online application form, go to the Social Enterprise Support Fund website https://socialenterprisesupportfund.org.uk.

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£10m to Support England’s Natural Environment

The Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund supports organisations seeking investment to fund nature projects. The scheme aims to stimulate private investment to tackle climate change, create and restore habitats, or improve water quality.

From an overall budget of £10 million, grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 are available. The aim is to establish a pipeline of projects for the private sector to invest in to improve and safeguard the natural environment.

The Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund is open to help businesses, not-for-profit organisations, environmental groups and local authorities. Funds can be used to develop nature projects to a point where they can attract private investment, bring their eco-friendly business ideas to market and develop new funding models that can be replicated elsewhere.

The competitive grant scheme, which is being delivered by the Environment Agency on behalf of Defra, will help organisations get specialist advice, engage investors and build capacity to develop their project.

Projects must protect or enhance the domestic natural environment in line with one or more of the Government’s 25 year environment plan goals in the context of the following natural capital asset types:

  • Urban or areas of transition from rural to urban land uses (peri-urban).
  • Enclosed farmland.
  • Mountain, moor and heathland.
  • Freshwaters and wetlands.
  • Woodland.
  • Coastal margins.
  • Marine.
  • Semi-natural grassland.

All costs must be directly associated with developing the investment readiness proposal to be eligible for funding.

Applications are accepted from not-for-profit organisations in England, including charities, community interest companies and environmental non-governmental organisations. Public bodies such as local councils, national park authorities and academic institutions are also eligible, as are businesses, including sole traders.

The deadline for applications for the second and final round is 3 February 2022.

Further details: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-grant-from-the-natural-environment-investment-readiness-fund/how-to-apply-for-a-natural-environment-investment-readiness-fund-grant

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