Funding: the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is used to tackle regional disparities across the European Union. The ERDF supports regional development through actions such as business innovation and support and local regeneration.

In the UK, the ERDF programme aims to strengthen the competitiveness and economic efficiency of all regions. To achieve this objective, management of the programme is undertaken at the regional level.

In London, the management of the ERDF programme is devolved to the Mayor and administered by the European Programmes Management Unit (EPMU) within the LDA. The London ERDF programme (2007-13) is worth £290m (comprising £139m ERDF and £153m matched funding which applicant organisations must source).

Funding is available to support activity under 3 Priorities:

• Priority 1 – Business innovation and research and promoting eco-efficiency
• Priority 2 – Access to new markets and access to finance
• Priority 3 – Sustainable places for business

The programme aims to:

• Develop and uses innovation in SMEs to create economic growth
• Leverage value from the knowledge base to benefit the London economy
• Enable access to appropriate investment finance to support SME innovation and growth
• Increase SMEs’ access to new market opportunities

Who can apply?

Applicants can be local authorities, statutory or non-statutory public funded bodies, voluntary/community organisations, some private sector organisations.

Any private sector organisation considering submitting an application should ideally be limited by guarantee rather than shares.

In October 2008, the second London ERDF bidding round was launched and £34 million was made available to fund local authority assistance with the growth and environmental performance of small and medium sized businesses in London.

Priority theme and actions funded by the call:
In Round 2 applications were invited for under Priorities 1 and 2 only. In addition applications were invited for Priority 4 Technical Assistance.

Type of project eligible for funding:
Small scale projects which aim to generate ideas and approaches. Projects should be new and innovative and last up to 18 months.

Who can apply:
Local authorities, statutory or non-statutory public funded bodies, voluntary/community organisations, some private sector organisations.

Budget:
A total of £34 million was available for this call with each applicant expected to apply for up to £150,000 per project.

Community contribution: 50%

Deadlines:16/01/09. There are no more calls for 2009, with the next expected call to come in 2010. When more information is made available, it shall appear here.

This call is now closed

For more information: www.lda.gov.uk/server.php?show=nav.00100l003001