The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is a central pillar of the UK government's Levelling Up agenda and a significant component of its support for places across the UK. The programme will invest £2.6 billion by March 2025, with all areas of the UK receiving an allocation from the Fund.

Sunderland have been allocated £14.94m up until March 2025 with funding focused on supporting three Investment Priorities.

1.     Communities and Place: Investing in local communities and enhancing pride in place.

2.     Supporting Local Business: Boosting economic growth and supporting businesses.

3.     People and Skills: Improving life chances through skill development and support.

Under Investment Priority 2, £5.8m of UKSPF grant is allocated to supporting local businesses via a range of support programmes, with the objective of boosting local enterprise, entrepreneurship and innovation, and transitioning towards a net-zero low carbon economy.

Under Investment Priority 3, £4.27m of UKSPF grant has been invested in projects that are addressing key employer and local labour market skills needs, enabling local people to progress into new opportunities, and gain new skills and qualifications that enhance career progression. A significant portion of this funding has been allocated to support the development of Sunderland based enterprises and their employees through the Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme led by the University of Sunderland.

A further People and Skills project, led by the Wise Group, is focused on supporting residents who are economically inactive and seeking work. Enterprises seeking to recruit new employees can find out more about this project here.

A third project is focused on piloting new apprenticeship positions within the advanced manufacturing sector, led by the North East Automotive Alliance.

Below are details of all projects being delivered under Investment Priorities 2 and 3 in Sunderland. Should you require any further information, please contact the Business Investment Team on business@sunderland.gov.uk.

Supporting Local Business:

BIPC Local Provision

Delivery Organisation: Business & IP Centre North East (BIPC)

Our project aims to support the creation and growth of micro, small and medium sized enterprises, social enterprises and not-for profit organisations within Sunderland.

Business & IP Centre North East will continue to deliver free to access support to businesses, pre-starts and not-for-profit organisations via the 'BIPC Locals' situated at Sunderland Software Centre and Hope Street Xchange Services include 1:1 advice from BIPC's 40+ Experts in Residence, access to market intelligence & business information databases, Intellectual Property support, and a bespoke programme of practical events and topical workshops. The BIPC team also deliver 1:1 Intellectual Property appointments on the 1^st & 3^rd Friday of every month at the North East Business & Innovation Centre.

As part of this project, BIPC North East's Experts in Residence will be supporting eligible Sunderland SME's through the Citylife Business Support Programme, which includes providing a grant to SMEs enabling them to access an additional 12 hours of fully funded support from any one (or divided between two) of our Experts in Residence to help create and safeguard jobs as well as support with an important piece of work or a priority project. The support would be delivered via a grant direct to the SMEs, enabling them to access Citylife Expert support.

Contact: Sarah Turnbull

Telephone: 07971036494

Email address: Sarah.Turnbull@newcastle.gov.uk

Weblink: https://www.bipcnortheast.co.uk/

Business Renewables Energy Efficiency Scheme (BREEZ)

Delivery Organisation: Sunderland City Council

The UKSPF project will deliver a tailored energy efficiency grant support programme for an initial target of 67 enterprises/community groups in the Sunderland area by February 2025, achieving 500 tonnes of greenhouse gas savings (GHG). The grant scheme will offer grants at a 50% intervention rate (total project grant budget £500,000).  The grant will contribute towards the cost of installing improvements which deliver energy and carbon savings to eligible enterprises (such as lighting & heating improvements, more efficient plant & equipment, renewable energy technologies and improvements to the building fabric).

In partnership with Sunderland City Council's Business Investment Team (BIT), BREEZ will provide ongoing energy advice and non-financial support to an additional 70 enterprises and VCS organisations across Sunderland, available to all beneficiaries through the dedicated BREEZ website with a range of online resources, workshops, training, guidance and peer network opportunities

Contact: Graeme Stephenson

Email address: graeme.stephenson@sunderland.gov.uk

Weblink: BREEZ - Business Renewables Energy Efficiency Sunderland - Sunderland City Council

Regional Business Growth Fund

Delivery Organisation: UMi Commercial Ltd

The Business Growth Fund is a £3.5m programme of investment funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund that supports Business growth that supports business growth across the areas of Sunderland City Council, Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council and the North Of Tyne Combined Authority.

​The primary aim of the fund is to create employment and stimulate business growth. It will foster innovative processes to drive productivity, resulting in increased profitability, wage growth and employment growth in businesses, strengthening our economy and creating better jobs.

​The Fund will attract £11.5m of private sector investment and aim to create a minimum of 268 new jobs in the areas.

Telephone: 0191 716 1007

Email address: businessgrowthfund@weareumi.co.uk

Weblink: www.businessgrowth.fund

Enterprising Sunderland

Delivery Organisation: North East Business & Innovation Centre

Delivery Partners: Back on the Map, Sunderland BME Network, Transmit/Smarta, University of Sunderland, Princes Trust, SB International Centre, Sunderland City Council

Enterprising Sunderland is a project designed to unlock the potential of future entrepreneurs within our communities and to support businesses from all sectors to grow and innovate.

Starting a Business: Delivered by a consortium of partners working together to inspire residents to consider self-employment and provide opportunities for everyone to access free 1:1 tailored advice, workshops and online resources.

Growth Lab Sunderland: a series of monthly events where local business owners share insights on how they overcame the common challenges of growing a business. Participants also benefit from practical expertise to design a bespoke innovation and growth roadmap.  

Business Growth through Innovation

Innovation grant support for businesses who want grow by developing a product, process or service new to the business or new to the market.  Open to businesses, with less than 250 employees, based in commercial premises in Sunderland local authority area.

Contact: Kelly Marshall

Email address: info@ne-bic.co.uk

Weblink: www.ne-bic.co.uk/starting-your-business/

Esports Business Cluster

Delivery Organisation: British Esports Federation

Delivery Partners: Sunderland Software City

The Esports Business Cluster (the first and only in the UK) aims to create and support businesses already actively working or seeking to work within the esports sector.

The project will be delivered from our NEPC campus at The Place in the centre of Sunderland in partnership with partners from Sunderland Software City (SSC) who will bring their expertise to deliver the incubator/accelerator activity.

There will be a number of specific interventions to support entrepreneurs and SMEs including, a business accelerator, workshops to help businesses from across the north east engage/develop new business opportunities within the sector and networking events allowing local SMEs to connect with esports businesses, partners and investors.

Contact: Gary Tibbett

Email address: gt@britishesports.org

Local Automotive Business Support - Sunderland (LABS-S)

Delivery Organisation: North East Automotive Alliance

Local Automotive Business Support - Sunderland (LABS-S) is a tailored package of support for Sunderland businesses wanting to grow and thrive within the automotive sector.

The LABS-S project is delivered by the North East Automotive Alliance (NEAA) who have a proven track record in delivering business support programmes to the automotive sector. LABS-S, which will run until March 2025, will facilitate the collective needs of the automotive supply chain and support some of the key deliverables of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to stimulate economic development in Sunderland.

What are the opportunities?

LABS-S is delivered by an experienced team of industry specialists who can provide the tools and specialist support to access sector knowledge, best practice and new opportunities within an evolving and growing sector.

Whether you are already in the automotive supply chain, or looking to diversify, the LABS-S project will provide a package of support to navigate industry transitions such as new vehicle technology, industrial digitalisation, automation, future skills and localisation, to accelerate business growth and ensure the region remains globally competitive.

Get in touch with the NEAA team to discuss your tailored package of support.

Email address: enquiries@northeastautomotivealliance.com    

Website: www.northeastautomotivealliance.com/neaa-projects/labs/

North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP)

Delivery Organisation: North East Screen

Short Project Overview: The North East Screen Industries Partnership (NESIP) is a vehicle established to facilitate the strategic development of the TV & screen industry in the region, including screen industries and FE / HE organisations building creative talent in the region. NESIP was formed by Combined and Local Authorities from across the region to level up the regional film and TV industries by more than doubling its 2019 share of the UK production market and delivering an annual economic impact to the regional economy of £88m.

NESIP jointly invests £11.4m over a five-year period to deliver a new Screen Industries Development Programme maximising opportunities for significant growth within the screen industries sector and developing a thriving and sustainable ecosystem. NESIP represents all North East Local Authorities working in partnership, including Sunderland City Council.

Email address: Hello@northeastscreen.org

Weblink: https://northeastscreen.org/about/nesip-page/

Sunderland Innovate and Grow

Delivery Organisation: University of Sunderland

Delivery Partners: Sunderland Culture

Sunderland Innovate and Grow (SIG) brings together a range of complementary activities to catalyse and support innovation and business growth in the city.

The programme will benefit Sunderland-based companies by improving business practices, products and profits. Activity will support all steps of the innovation cycle through:

• Identifying and promoting new technologies to stimulate innovation in process, product and business model via subject innovation specialists (Arrow);
• Addressing gaps in business capacity and capability to innovate through active engagement and grant support, and student and graduate placements (Arrow and Innovation Placements);
• Spotting innovative ideas and bringing them to market through engagement with commercial partners (Northern Accelerator);
• Addressing innovation needs in the creative sector by engaging sector - specialists (Sunderland Culture Unlock Programme);

Contact: Tim Pain

Email address: Innovateandgrow@sunderland.ac.uk

Wear Together Initiative

Delivery Organisation: North East Business & Innovation Centre

Wear Together provides social entrepreneurs in Sunderland with access to business support and grants assisting them with start, development, and growth of social businesses.  The programme helps individuals to explore their social enterprise ideas through the development of business plans / Business Model Canvas and financial forecasting as well as exploring legal structures and funding opportunities.

The programme supports established/post start social businesses to increase their sustainability, develop new products and services, create jobs, and grow their businesses and inevitably their social impact in Sunderland. To do this, social businesses are supported with a wide range of advice including business planning, financial forecasting, marketing planning, legal and governance reviews and investment readiness. Support will be offered 1:1, small groups or through workshop programmes.

Wear Together brings the sector together through the Connect for Good network and encourages peer to per support mentoring and ideas exchange helping to develop sector resilience and collaboration.

The project also offers small grants.  This pot supports startups (under 12 months old) with grants of £1500 to help them to create jobs, take their products/services to market and grow their market presence. This pot also supports established social enterprises (aged 12 months plus) with funding up to £5000 to create jobs or develop a new product/service.  The first round of grants will launch on the 6th February.

Contact: Michelle Booth

Email address: socialenterprise@ne-bic.co.uk

Telephone: 0191 516 6138

Sunderland Business Support Fund

Delivery Organisation: Northumberland Business Services Limited

The Sunderland Business Support Fund will help local growing businesses to access high quality external expertise to deliver business improvement projects. SBSF will provide up to 40% funding for projects that cost between £3,000 and £6,000 (VAT costs cannot be funded).

The project can support consultancy, design or development projects. Examples include: Web design / development, Video production, Development of Animations, Marketing planning, Business Growth Planning, Developing Quality Management Systems and Strategy Development

Contact: John King

Email address: john.king@nbsl.org.uk

Weblink: https://growwithnbsl.org.uk/sunderland-business-support-fund-overview/

Supply Chain Sunderland

Delivery Organisation: RTC North

The Supply Chain Sunderland project will strengthen Sunderland's local entrepreneurial ecosystem by improving business resilience and growth, boosting survival rates, driving innovation, and enhancing market readiness for new supply chain opportunities.

Assistance will be provided to Sunderland SMEs in the manufacturing and service sectors to:

• Assess core capabilities and strengths.
• Identify areas for productivity enhancement, resilience building, and innovation.
• Access opportunities to grow market share and diversify income.

Delivery Strands:

Strand 1: Awareness Raising

• "Meet the Buyer" events for sectors like Aerospace, Defence, Rail, and Energy.
• Online 'Supply Chain Exchange'.
• Sector-specific events with partners like NEPO, NOF Energy, NEPIC, and MAKE UK.

Strand 2: Account Management, Diagnostic, and Action Planning

• Capability review, market summary, growth aspirations, new market opportunities, and GAP analysis.

Strand 3: Low Intensity Support

• Interventions, events, and workshops on global supply chain trends, procurement, industry standards, bid writing, and innovation management.

Eligibility:

• Sunderland SMEs in the manufacturing and service sectors.

Contract Dates: July 2024 - March 2025

Contact: Lesley Hawke

Email address: lesley.hawke@rtcnorth.co.uk

Expo Sunderland

Delivery Organisation: Siglion Developments LLP

Delivery Partners: Innovation SuperNetwork, Sunderland City Council

In partnership with Innovation SuperNetwork, Expo Sunderland is aiming to stimulate the development of start-ups and scale-ups on Wearside with the opportunity to co-develop solutions around Expo Sunderland's three core themes:-

Future Homes including how we might deliver greener, affordable homes for all Sunderland residents, and which solutions and initiatives may play a role in supporting this ambition.

Future Living including how we might support happier, healthier, more connected lives for Sunderland residents, with communities and community led initiatives at the heart of solutions developed.

Future City including how we might realise the potential of Sunderland, utilising assets such as its position as a connected, smart city as well as its existing industrial base, infrastructure and environment.

By creating a challenge for local businesses to provide solutions that are at the heart of the city's net-zero goals of creating a flourishing, healthy, sustainable city, we can show that we are rising to the challenge, ensuring the city is gathering pace, working with government, its people and businesses and the opportunity to showcase these innovations at Expo events in 2024 and 2025.

Contacts:

Sarah Gilley: sarah.gilley@sunderland.gov.uk 

Sarah Cox: sarah@supernetwork.org.uk

Weblink: https://www.exposunderland.com/

People & Skills

Support for Residents who are Economically Inactive and Seeking Work

Wise Group Relational Mentoring (Sunderland)

Delivery Organisation: The Wise Group

Delivery Partners: Pallion Action Group, Springboard Sunderland Trust, Humankind, Foundation of Light

The Wise Group is now delivering its free-to-access, holistic, and evidenced Relational Mentoring support to economically inactive people with multiple barriers to employment in Sunderland City Council area. By working with people across a diverse set of 15 needs, ranging from housing, wellbeing, health and heating, multiple barriers can be tackled at once to give people the foundations to move forward with their lives.

Customers are matched with a locally based and experienced mentor, working compassionately and 1:1 to support them in identifying their specific barriers, developing a bespoke plan with key interventions, and creating a personalised journey with individual goals. Customer benefit entitlements are not affected by participation in the service.

Each journey is unique but examples of support can include:

• Access to counselling and mental health support
• Help to improve physical health and wellbeing
• Advocacy and support with finance, benefits and debt
• Basic and life skills and training, including Maths & English qualifications
• Involvement in fun social inclusion events
• Personal wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence-building activities
• Energy advice and advocacy, including access to crisis funding
• Housing support and guidance
• CV writing, job search, volunteering and work experience
• Signposting to other suitable services in the community

Eligibility:

Economically Inactive customers in receipt of any disability/sickness benefits, carers, lone parents in the non-work group, people not in receipt of benefits.

Must be a resident in the Sunderland City Council area.

Wise Group Relational Mentoring (Sunderland) leaflet

Link to referral form: https://forms.office.com/e/PJDiNwqHDs

People & Skills

Improving skills to progress in work and responding to local skills needs

Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme (SSIP)

Delivery Organisation: University of Sunderland

Delivery Partners: University of Sunderland, Access Training Ltd, British ESports Federation, Media Savvy CIC, MTC Training, NBSL, SETA, Sunderland College, Sunderland Software City, TDR Training, Training in Care Ltd, Uplift Training

The Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme (SSIP) responds to an identified need to upskill Sunderland employees and businesses, addressing low productivity, lack of competitiveness, high levels of in-work benefits and missed opportunities for Sunderland residents to contribute fully to the economy. The aims of SSIP are threefold:

• To respond to employer skills needs across priority areas identified in the Local Skills Improvement Plan, driving productivity and competitiveness in key sectors for the Sunderland economy;
• To develop business management skills amongst SMEs in particular, and especially focusing on digital technologies, supporting SME's to develop and grow;
• To support inclusion of diverse groups within the economy, through support for employers and employees to maximise the benefits of a diverse workforce.

SSIP includes a wide range of consortium partners, selected to reflect a range of specialisms, employer and community connections, as follows:

• University of Sunderland (consortium lead) providing:

- higher level skills in Artificial Intelligence, use of advanced technology in manufacturing and creative industries

- business strategy, leadership and marketing

- desktop applications, business and management and leadership training through MTC Training

- equality and diversity masterclasses and short courses with a particular focus on LGBTQ+

• TDR Training and SETA providing a complementary range of technical skills for the engineering and manufacturing industries
• British E-Sports delivering digital skills to support careers in e-sports, with a strong inclusion dimension
• Sunderland College providing skills support for construction, manufacturing and low carbon industries
• NBSL delivering digital marketing and business operations to small companies
• Sunderland Software City providing digital training and experience through customised work placements
• Access Training Ltd delivering leadership and management with a digital focus, supported by mental health and disability support
• Media Savvy CIC supporting the hospitality sector with a focus on health and wellness and entry level digital skills
• Uplift Training delivering inclusion programmes and health and wellbeing including ESOL
• Training in Care Ltd supporting specialist provision in the health and social care sectors.

Contact:

Mike Jurowski: mike.jurowski@sunderland.ac.uk

Bev Trees bev.trees@sunderland.ac.uk

For general enquires please email skills@sunderland.ac.uk

Training for Growth

Delivery Organisation: North East Automotive Alliance

Delivery Partners: Education Partnership North East

The Training for Growth pilot aims to create a comprehensive framework to boost the number of technical apprenticeships in Sunderland.

Why the need?

Local technical skills availability represents a significant risk to business productivity and is a potential constraint to future growth.

This initiative is designed to address the future investment needs of the area by enhancing the skill levels of the local workforce. Through this pilot, residents will gain greater access to advanced apprenticeship programmes, which in turn will lead to higher qualifications, better job prospects, and increased wages. This systemic approach is intended to foster sustainable economic growth and improve the overall quality of life in the community.

This pilot is directly aligned with the priorities outlined in the North East Local Skills Improvement Plan (NELSIP) and has been shaped by comprehensive analyses conducted over several years by local stakeholders.

The opportunity

The Training for Growth pilot brings together businesses, employer bodies, and training providers to address the critical shortage of technical skills in Sunderland and the wider North East region, particularly within the advanced manufacturing sector and net-zero technologies.

The pilot will provide financial support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sunderland to enable them to take on technical apprenticeships (Level 3) as part of the September 2024 intake. This support will contribute to the additional costs that employers will incur in the first year of the programme.

Contact: Joe Routledge

Email address: jroutledge@northeastautomotivealliance.com

Weblink: https://northeastautomotivealliance.com/neaa-projects/training-for-growth-pilot/

Read the announcement news article here Sunderland business support programme announced - MySunderland