Application Process

To help you with the grant application process we’ve provided a high-level overview below so you can understand what to expect at each stage.

Applying for support

If you’re successful in your registration and application, you will receive emails from us throughout the process that contain detailed and comprehensive guidance.

Please be aware that we can only fund new projects which have not already started. It is critical that you obtain a funding agreement signed by both you and us before making any payments, even a deposit, as this would render your grant offer invalid and the whole, or relevant part of your claim will be rejected.

If you’ve come to this page, then hopefully you know:

  • The grants and support available
  • The approximate value of your digital project
  • Your business meets the eligibility criteria
  • That this is a competitive process, so although your business may meet the criteria it doesn’t guarantee a grant

 

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Application Process
1Registration and Eligibility Checks

You can register for Digital Enterprise 3.0 via our Client Portal.

The person registering for a grant must be the CEO, Founder, Director, or senior decision maker of the business, this is to ensure the person registering has financial responsibility within the business. We also want to engage with and support the diverse business community we have across West Yorkshire, by collecting equality and diversity data at the registration stage we’ll have a better understanding of the business communities that are aware of Digital Enterprise with the aim of ensuring that the applications we receive are representative of the business community.

Your registration will be accepted if you meet the DE programme’s basic criteria or declined if you don’t and you’ll be notified either way.

Once your registration is accepted, our team will carry out further financial due diligence checks. You may be asked to clarify or provide additional business information to determine your eligibility.

2Preliminary Assessment Call

If your business is deemed eligible, then a short call with one of our Advisors will be arranged. This call is to understand more about your proposed investment, which grant, and what level of Advisor support may be needed if your project is approved.

3Project Information Form

Following the preliminary Advisor call you will be notified which type of support we can offer, and we’ll email you a Project Information Form (PIF) to complete. You will be asked a series of questions about the project, the impact you expect the technology to have on your business, and how it will support the growth of your business.

You should provide as much detail and information as possible, as the PIF will form the basis of the Advisors Investment Appraisal and funding recommendations.

If you already know exactly what you need to purchase you may be offered the fast-track route, which requires that you submit three alternative quotes for your project together with your Project Information Form by signing into our Client Portal.

Alternatively, if you feel you would benefit from an impartial discussion with one of our Digital Growth Advisors regarding possible alternative solutions, you may submit your PIF without comparative pricing and a call or visit will be arranged to discuss further before you obtain quotes.

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Top tips for a strong applicationTo help you complete your Project Information Form (PIF) we’ve provided a few hints and tips that will help our Advisors assess your application
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4Investment Appraisal and Funding Agreement
Digital Accelerator Grant – Advisor support

For those accessing Advisor support in conjunction with the Digital Accelerator Grant, once your PIF has been completed and returned, a call will be arranged to discuss your project in more detail and what advice our team can provide.

Digital Accelerator Grant – Fast-track

For Fast-track applications, once your PIF has been completed and quotes uploaded to the Client Portal, your Digital Advisor will review and appraise your application.

High Impact Grant

For projects between £25,000 – £100,000, more detailed information such as company accounts and a Business Plan will be required. Further information regarding the procurement process will be discussed, and your Advisor will be on hand to guide you through the process from preparing the tender brief, advertising the project, through to reviewing and evaluating tender proposals.

Appraisal

Your project will be assessed by your Digital Advisor, who will score against a variety of metrics including Digital Transformation, Growth and viability of the business, and Economic impact your project will have. Your overall project score will determine what percentage of funding you’ll receive from Digital Enterprise (up to 50% subject to the cap of £10k for the Digital Accelerator Grant and £35k cap for the High Impact Grant respectively).

Funding Agreement

Once we have all the necessary information and you’ve uploaded the quotes for your project, we will issue a Funding Agreement. The Funding Agreement will need to be signed by yourself and us before you make any purchases in relation to your project. If any purchases or payments are made before the Funding Agreement is signed by both parties, then this will be classed as a retrospective claim and the whole, or relevant part of your grant will be rejected.

5Project Duration

Once the Funding Agreement has been signed by all parties, you can start your digital project. Your Digital Advisor will give an expected completion date for your project, this is typically 3 months from the date of the signed Funding Agreement, but it may vary depending on the size of your project.

Your Digital Advisor will keep in regular contact with you to see how the project is going and what, if any, further support might be needed.

6Making and Processing your Claim

As the Project Completion date approaches, you’ll be automatically issued with a Claim Pack. The Claim Pack will contain all the details and information you need to make your claim. Once you’ve completed your project and your supplier(s) has been paid you’ll need to upload the relevant project invoices and bank statements that list the corresponding payments to our Client Portal in order to submit your claim.

When uploading bank statements, they must show:

  • Account details, bank logo and date of statement
  • Highlighted project transaction(s)
  • Full payment of the invoice(s)
  • Opening balance

Once submitted we’ll review your claim to ensure we have all the necessary information to process your claim as quickly as possible. If not, we may be in touch to ask for further evidence.

Your Digital Advisor will approve your claim, which will then be processed, and payment will be made to you within 5-7 working days.

Our Partners and Funders

Digital Enterprise is funded by the UK Government and supported by the following organisations