Shared Prosperity Fund: North Wales

North Wales Regional Economic Framework.pdf

North Wales Growth Deal

North Wales Skills & Employment Plan (2023-25).pdf 

Mersey-Dee-Area-Prospectus.pdf

Applications for UKSPF funding in North Wales will follow a two-stage process:

Stage 1: submission of outline project application

Stage 2: submission of detailed project application

Local Authorities will prioritise and select projects on the basis of their stage 1 outline application.

Selected projects will be invited to prepare and submit a stage 2 detailed application, which will provide further information on the proposal.  Formal grant funding agreements will be issued following appraisal of the stage 2 detailed application.

• Consider the eligibility of your proposal by reviewing the UKSPF interventions, outputs and outcomes and its alignment with the needs and aspirations of the locality / localities in which you wish to operate. Regional and local teams are in place should you require any advice or guidance.
• Read the guidance for submitting a stage 1 outline project application and gather all the required information by reviewing the offline version of the stage 1 application form (the offline version is provided as an editable document to help you prepare).
• Click on the link below to complete and submit your stage 1 outline project application via our online portal before midday on Friday, 24 February 2023 (note that only applications submitted via the online portal will be considered).

The next steps once applications are received will be:

1. The application will be appraised by the relevant local Shared Prosperity Fund team (projects seeking to deliver in one Local Authority area only) or the regional Shared Prosperity Fund team (projects seeking to deliver in more than one Local Authority area).
2. Views sought form relevant stakeholders.
3. Local Advisory Panel (or Panels in the case of projects seeking to deliver in more than one Local Authority area) will assess and prioritise the projects to hand and make recommendations to Local Authority / Authorities.
4. Local Authority / Authorities decide which projects they wish to support.
5. Applicants are advised of decision.
6. Successful applicants are invited to prepare and submit stage 2 detailed project application.

• Submit your stage 2 detailed project application via our online portal. (The link to the portal will be emailed to you.)
• Once received, stage 2 detailed project applications are appraised and final due diligence of applicants completed.
• Local authority / authorities confirm final decision on application.
• Formal grant funding agreements, detailing the claims process, will be issued by regional team on behalf of the Local Authority.

The timescale for decision making will vary according to the process / procedure followed by each Local Authority.  Information on anticipated timescales for each local authority is available on their website.

• The timescale for delivery of the UKSF is short; in practice, all projects will need to be completed and final claims submitted by 31 December 2024, to allow time for closure of the programme.
• Considering the short period available for delivery, local authorities will be seeking to support a relatively small number of larger, strategic projects. All projects submitted must seek at least £250,000 of UKSPF funds; local authorities anticipate that, on average, supported projects will be seeking £1 million plus of UKSPF funds.
• To enable local businesses, organisations and communities seeking smaller amounts of support to access UKSPF funds; most local authorities will be looking to establish local intermediary funds, providing a simplified application, approval and monitoring regime. Information on these funds will appear on individual local authorities websites as it becomes available.
• As noted previously, although the UK Government has announced the UKSPF allocations for the period up-to 31 March 2025, the funding is only confirmed on an annual basis. The funding agreements provided by North Wales local authorities to successful applicants will reflect this.  Any applicant, committing to expenditure beyond the period for which funding is confirmed will do so at their own risk.
• The eligible period for expenditure under the UKSPF began on 1 April 2022. Applicants may therefore an element of retrospective expenditure within their applications.  Note that any expenditure incurred by applicants prior to signing a grant funding agreement will be entirely at their own risk.
• The UKSPF includes both capital and revenue funding. Applicants can choose to submit applications for capital only project, revenue only projects or projects seeking a combination of both.
• Operating in compliance with the new UK subsidy control regime which began on 4 January 2023, will be a key requirement for any project. All applicants should familiarise themselves with the requirements of the regime:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/subsidy-control-regime

• Given the constrained circumstances for the delivery of the UKSPF, confidence in the deliverability of submitted proposals will be a key consideration for local authorities alongside the capacity and capability of applicant organisations.
• In submitting an application, you will authorise the local authority/authorities to make the necessary enquiries to check any information that is required for the administration of the UKSPF programme. The information you provide may also be shared with others as stated in the Gwynedd Council Privacy Notice.