Hambleton area graduate funding

To be eligible for funding you must: 

• be a small-medium enterprise in any sector with less than 250 employees (or full time equivalent) and a turnover under £50 million  
• have your organisation’s trading address in the Hambleton area and be paying business rates to our council. The business must have been trading for at least three months 
• have an internship for a minimum of six months and the organisation must be willing to pay at least half of the graduate’s gross wage 
• be employing the graduate for at least 30 hours per week. The minimum salary is £19,000 per annum 

• the scheme is open to graduates of any UK university who have completed their studies within the last three years 
• the graduate internship must be based in the Hambleton area 
• overseas graduates who have completed an additional UK qualification (undergraduate, masters level or above) will also be considered but their inclusion will depend on the employing organisation being able to provide sponsorship under UKBA regulations, including the ability to demonstrate there were no appointable candidates from within the EU 

The support grant could cover items such as: 

• the provision and adaptation of appropriate buildings, including building and conversion work or fitting out costs. It does not include the lease or purchase of premises 
• installation and provision of services to premises 
• purchase and installation of machinery and equipment (not lease) specifically related to the graduate post 
• additional training for the graduate 
• initial design and production costs for marketing (but not for costs such as printing or leaflets) 
• help towards the purchase of ICT equipment (hardware and software), and ICT development 

The grant will not cover consumables.

Grants can be up to £1,000 on a 75/75 match funding basis with the business contributing 25%. If a grant of £1,000 is awarded for equipment then the overall wage subsidy will reduce to £3,000.

• the maximum grant the Council can offer is £4,000 in any combination of wage subsidy or support grant for equipment 
• the minimum wage subsidy is £2,000, and the maximum £4,000 associated with a full time graduate placement and is dependant on the duration of the internship 
• there are no restrictions on the number of graduates that a business can take on and claim grant for, subject to the above conditions 
• in cases where businesses or individuals have outstanding debts to the Council, payment of funding will be withheld until these accounts are cleared. The business must give authorisation to the Council to enable it to verify any information provided and confirm that the Council can check the businesses’ accounts to ensure they are up to date (council tax, non-domestic rates) 
• the business will pay the graduate’s wage. The Council will pay the wage subsidy by BACS on receipt of a Grant Claim Form and proof of employment and expenditure (usually in the form of a wage slip). Staged payments will be made:  
  • first payment after three months - £2,000 
  • final payment after six months - a further £2,000  
• a payment will be made within 20 working days of receipt of the claim form and appropriate evidence 

Projects will only be considered once a detailed case is put forward by the applicant and the graduate has been in place for eight weeks.

When the application is made it should include:

• full details of the project 
• a detailed explanation of how the grant will assist the business and the graduate 
• two estimates of the specific costs for which a grant is sought 

Applications are currently paused

The following conditions must be met: 

• applicants who receive a grant must allow council officers access to inspect items that have been the subject of aid, at reasonable notice, or provide other information deemed necessary in order to monitor the effectiveness of the grant in generating new employment 
• after three months and up to 12 months depending on the project, we will ask the recipient to make a brief progress report on the use made of the grant and how the business has faired in meeting the goals and objectives specified in their application 
• if the graduate placement is terminated mid-term, the business will be liable to return, on a pro-rata basis, the wage subsidy support grant offered, based on the remaining percentage of the internship period