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Innovation Vouchers

Please note that the Northwest Regional Development Agency is not accepting any new grant applications, or processing existing ones, at the present time.

Government has required us to substantially reduce our expenditure and as a result we have embarked on a comprehensive project review, including how we provide financial support for the region's businesses.

We appreciate this may cause some uncertainty, particularly if you have an application underway; if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact your usual Agency contact. More information is available on the NWDA website.

As you may be aware the Government has imposed spending cuts on the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), this has required the NWDA to substantially reduce their expenditure. The NWDA have embarked on a comprehensive project review, including how they provide financial support for the region's businesses.

An unfortunate consequence of these budget cuts is that the proposed final round of innovation vouchers in August will not proceed.

Due to changes in criteria of Innovation Vouchers in February 2010 all Innovation Voucher brochures are now out of date. The information on this website is up to date, is final and binding and overrides information in the brochure.

Innovation Vouchers are designed to help Northwest businesses owners, entrepreneurs and social enterprises to purchase a knowledge provider's expertise to develop innovation and enhance business.

The scheme provides vouchers of £3,000 and £7,000 to growing businesses and social enterprises and was set up to encourage and make it easier for more people to engage with the knowledge base.

The key benefits are:

  • Access the wealth of knowledge from our knowledge base, including public and private sector research and technology organisations
  • Resolve a business issue, quickly, efficiently and through a source not previously utilised
  • Easy to apply and 'spend' the voucher
  • The scheme is funded by the NWDA and ERDF, so is a credible and stable way to fund your organisation's growth.
  • A voucher up to the value of £3,000 voucher is a 100% grant from NWDA excluding VAT.
  • A voucher up to the value of £7,000 is a 70% grant from NWDA and businesses must contribute 30% of cash to the project cost.
  • Businesses must also pay VAT on the total cost of all innovation voucher projects.

Due to continuing demand from businesses only one application per company is accepted. Applicants will be allowed to apply for a £3,000 and £7,000 in any one round provided the focus of each knowledge question is completely different.

Priority will be given to applications from companies who have not previously received an innovation voucher.

Discover how Innovation Voucher recipients have used theirs.