UKSPF Herefordshire Research and Development Grant Programme

Funding Information

• Revenue grants are available for businesses, for up to 75% of the total eligible project costs.
  • Minimum grant £5,000 – project costs must be at least £6,666
  • Maximum grant £24,999 – project costs must be at least £33,333 (a higher grant may be considered in exceptional circumstances)
  • Start-up businesses trading less than 12 months but more than 6 months, maximum grant is £10,000 (project costs must therefore be at least £13,334)

Eligible Costs

• Revenue grant funding is available to pay for external costs such as consultants / expert technical advice and other revenue costs (excludes in-house costs, including staff time).
• Eligible costs can include, but are not limited to:
  • Specialist support for developing and testing new products or services, including prototyping
  • Support for acquiring and protecting intellectual property/trade marks
  • External market research/market analysis
  • Product launch
  • Feasibility studies
  • Access to test bed facilities
  • Clinical trials costs
  • Attending trade events for new products or to establish a new geographical market, for example, a new region/country for the business (Department of Business and Trade approved events)
  • Costs associated with the commercialisation of ideas
  • Data analysis projects

Inelgible Costs

• This list is not exhaustive.
  • Capital items including equipment, purchase of land, buildings, vehicles
  • In house costs such as staff time, overheads and internal costs
  • Day to day running costs, for example consumables, stationary, employee salaries
  • Stock items
  • Training
  • Software
  • Corporate responsibility items – health and safety
  • Items purchase through hire purchase agreements
  • Upgrading existing systems
  • Software licences, websites (including upgrades)
  • The purchase and integration of market proven web-based products/services

Outputs and Outcomes

• A successful application must be able to deliver one or more of the following by 1 March 2026:
  • New/improved products or services to the market (by the business)
  • New to the business technologies or processes adopted
  • Engagement in new markets, such as, a new product market or a new geographical market
  • Creation of new jobs
• Supplementary outputs
  • Must be in addition to outputs above.
    • Safeguarding of jobs (will be lost within 6 months if project does not go ahead)

Who can apply?

• Businesses physically trading and located in Herefordshire
• Businesses that have been actively trading for more than six months
• All sectors, excluding businesses involved in primary production (farmers)

Who is not eligible to apply?

• Businesses involved in primary production (farmers).
• Start-up businesses (trading actively for less than six months by EOI submission deadline date which is 20 July 2025)
• Public authorities
• Town and parish councils
• Voluntary groups
• Social enterprises that are not involved in economic activities
• Businesses where the majority of income comes from public sources due to subsidy control constraints
• Franchise businesses/national chains
• Non-economic activities
• Gambling/betting establishments
• Any business activity that is illegal or deemed unsuitable for public support by Herefordshire Council
• Businesses whose registered address is in Herefordshire but no trading activity is in Herefordshire
• Businesses with a religious focus, where the project or activity does not benefit the wider community and includes religious content
• Any business that is in arrears with business rates or Council Tax payments or otherwise in legal dispute with Herefordshire Council

For more information, visit Herefordshire Council.