C4G helps 350 businesses

A GRANT scheme that has helped 354 businesses in Lincoln and the surrounding area has to come to an end, Since 2016, Lincoln Business Improvement Group (BIG) has worked in partnership with Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce to provide Collaboration 4 Growth (C4G), a project involving providing business support to new and existing SMEs that trade on a business to business (B2B) basis. Funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), C4G was described as invaluable by Charlotte Watson, Deputy Chief Executive at Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce.

“The C4G project has been an invaluable opportunity to support business growth for SME’s in West Lindsey, North Kesteven and the City of Lincoln. The variety of business support, free workshops and grants provided have proved a successful and required tool to help local SME’s take the next step and grow.”

A large part of C4G was the revenue and capital grants available for micro, small and medium businesses with 123 businesses receiving £605,130.57 in grant money, providing 60% of the total cost of staffing, equipment, and support.

Alongside the grants, C4G provided 242 businesses with 12 hours of support, this involved free business advice on a one-toone basis, or in the form of workshops and networking opportunities.

The project aimed to create new opportunities for SME’s and successfully created 68 new job roles and 13 new enterprises. Yvette Mills, Lincoln BIG’s Project Manager said: “It has been a lot of fun and very rewarding supporting the businesses both through the grant scheme and also through workshops.”. Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce and Lincoln BIG are now looking for other opportunities and projects available to support businesses and help them grow.