Grant for Business Investment (GBI)

How much GBI can I apply for?

The amount of support you will be awarded will depend on the specific needs of your project, the quality of the project and its impact on productivity and skills.

The greater part of your project’s funding should be provided by your business or come from the private, commercial sector. GBI should be the last piece of the financial jigsaw. This funding could include, for example, bank borrowing, hire purchase or lease finance. It may also include equity or loan finance from existing or new shareholders in your business.

Grants are awarded as a proportion of the project’s total investment, paid in instalments on reaching targets which are set out in a formal offer of support.

It is worth noting that there are slight variations in the scheme depending on where you are located and the size and type of your business. The minimum grant that can be applied for is £10,000. In the East Midlands’ Assisted Area, the maximum grant that emda can award is £2 million. Higher awards can be made by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Across the rest of the region, the maximum grant is £140,000. However, higher awards may be considered for projects of exceptional quality.

The maximum proportion of GBI grant can be summarised as follows: