Digital Growth Grant

All eligible UK-based organisations will be able to apply. We will also welcome applications from eligible consortia.

WhoGuidance canfor applypotential bidders

This competitionsection isresponds opento frequently asked questions. Applicants should review updates to applicantsthis section regularly to take account of additional information provided. If you have questions about the Digital Growth Grant which are not answered in this section, please contact us using the details below.

The successful bidder would need to deliver on all of the objectives listed above. As such, it does not comprise individual grants for individual tech companies. The successful bidder will act as a provider of support services to tech startups and consortiascaleups within the UK economy as a whole.

The grant can be used both to amplify existing activity and to create new programmes. For example, if a bidder already delivers existing accelerator, incubator or growth programmes for startups and scaleups, this grant can support those activities as long as they meet the objectives.

The activities to be delivered under this grant should cover the whole of the UK in order to  meet the objective of stimulating UK-wide regional growth of tech ecosystems.

To prevent duplication with other digital skills support schemes and funding availableavailable, the intention is that this grant would provide signposting towards existing skills programmes and initiatives rather than designing new, competing skills packages.

We welcome bidders proposing strong argumentation for activityparticular takingsectors placeor sub-sectors (such as agritech, quantum, cyber, etc.) that they feel warrant support as part of their proposal. It should be noted however that the specification will not be prescriptive about sectors.

UK-based organisations registered entities that can meet the criteria that will be set out in the UK.grant specification are eligible to apply for this funding.

ApplicantsPublic maysector takeorganisations are not eligible to receive this grant funding (for the formpurposes of solethis legalgrant, entitieswe do not consider universities or mayhigher wisheducation institutions to combinebe public sector).

This grant funding is designed to formfurther consortia,stimulate jointthe venturesdevelopment (JVs),of unincorporateda associationscommercial market for tech startup and scaleup support services. We expect reliance on this grant would reduce over time as we would expect bidders to demonstrate how commercially sustainable they are or partnerships.will Consortiabecome as part of their application.

As for any government grant, we will conduct due diligence on shortlisted bidders before agreeing to release funding. The successful party will be required to cooperate with mandatory checks which would include but not be limited to the provision of data usually contained in financial accounts.

The grant will be awarded to a single organisation but we welcome applications from consortia. Consortia would need to specify who their lead applicant.applicant is and how they would divide the delivery of the grant objectives. The lead partner will be the prime recipient of grant funding. They will be responsible for managing the consortium’s delivery and for allocation of grant funding to other consortium members through a collaboration agreement or equivalent.

Individual organisations are not permitted to apply as part of more than one consortium.consortia.

Applicant(s)The mustprocess alsofor this grant competition will be registereda corporateone-stage entitiesprocess and havewill afollow significantthe UKCabinet presenceOffice’s andguidance deepfor knowledgegeneral ofgrants. theWe UKare techworking sector.

Publicto sectorensure organisations arehave notas eligiblemuch opportunity as possible to receiveapply for this funding. Applications will be assessed by a panel of assessors who will independently judge each bid against known criteria to determine the grant recipient. These criteria will be set out in the specification.

IndividualThere peopleis areno notrequirement eligibleto applicants.

Howhave match funding in order to apply

Stepsubmit 1:a Readbid thebut invitationif a bidder did put forward a proposal to applicationmatch documentfund, below:it would be taken into consideration through the bid assessment.

3. Expenditure

Digital

DCMS Growthwill Grant:have Invitationlimited tocontrol over how the funds will be spent and will remain at arm’s length from the delivery partner and its outputs. The grant agreement will be focused on ensuring the proper application

PDF, 424of KB,the 23funds. pages Terms and conditions will focus on broader aims/milestones and categories of expenditure.

StepThe 2:grant Readagreement will require the grantpreparation fundingof a delivery plan, prepared by the delivery partner and agreed with DCMS. The delivery plan includes: a forecasted budget; detail on the proposed programmes; a risk assessment; and benefits coming from the grant. The grant agreement below:letter will set out the terms and conditions of the grant, including monitoring/evaluation and eligible expenditure. DCMS will meet monthly and quarterly with the delivery partner to monitor their progress.

Digital

The Growthfull Grant:list Grantof fundingeligible agreement

PDF,and 303ineligible KB,expenditures 26will pages be published as part of the grant specification in June. However, as with most government grants, there will be permissible overhead cost coverage where this directly relates to the delivery of grant activities.

StepWe 3:understand Completethat TUPE liabilities may be material to bidders’ decision making process. Any information about the application formof below:TUPE and associated anonymised data will be made available when the specification goes live in June to help bidders make an assessment.

4. Subsidy control

Digital

This Growthgrant Grant:constitutes Applicationa form

ODT,subsidy 78and KB as such subsidy control rules apply regardless of the type of organisation that is being grant-funded or supported via grant-funding.

Before awarding the grant, DCMS will need to ensure that the grant is compatible with all subsidy control requirements which are in force. This filewill include the requirements in the new Subsidy Control Act 2022 if it is in anforce OpenDocumentat format the time. If DCMS is not able to satisfy ourselves that the grant is compatible with our legal obligations, we would not award the grant.

StepStandard 4:grant Completeterms and conditions require the financegrant formrecipient below:to ensure that the activities funded by the grant are compatible with, and do not put DCMS, in breach of, the subsidy control rules. In practice, this means, for example, changing any part of the agreed project/funded activities in a way that would make the grant non-compliant with the subsidy control rules. DCMS can tell grant recipients on what basis the grant has been assessed to be compliant with the subsidy control rules. DCMS will provide guidance on what the recipient should not do and what records need to be kept to show compliance with the subsidy control rules. If bidders/grant recipients want independent legal advice on this, they are free to seek this themselves at their own cost.

5. How this funding relates to Tech Nation

Digital

Tech GrowthNation’s Grant:six Financeyear form

ODS,funding 230period KB

Thishas filenow come to an end. Over the last six years, the tech sector has flourished in the UK and we believe this is the right time to assess the tech ecosystem to ensure our support is tailored to the growth of the UK’s tech sector and to ensure value for taxpayer’s money. We have designed a robust and open competition, inviting a wide range of organisations to compete for the funding in anline OpenDocumentwith format the standard process for Government grants, and are consulting the market to ensure the objectives and activities of the grant are appropriate and aligned to the current and future needs of the sector. There is no set requirement to continue with specific programmes that Tech Nation currently provides. We are interested to hear about new and innovative approaches to delivering the objectives set out in the guidance.

PleaseWe returnhave yourmade applicationpublic andthe financeassessment formof the previous grant to DCMSdigitalgrowthgrant@dcms.gov.ukTech Nation, there is an annual review bythat middaywe onundertook 15last Augustyear 2022.that is publicly available.

Contact

Please contact dcmsdigitalgrowthgrant@dcms.gov.uk if you have any questions.