Is my business eligible for LCEI support?
Eligibility Criteria:
- Businesses must be based in the Liverpool City Region
- Businesses must not have received more than the set threshold of Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA), either directly or through any organisation/group it is a member of, in the current and previous two financial tax years.
- The project will focus on SMEs but we are able to work with businesses of all sizes across the region, depending on need and impact.
If you’d like to discuss eligibility, contact the LCEI team via email.
What is the registration process?
Get in touch via email to arrange an initial chat to discuss eligibility and how the project can best support your business.
Once we have confirmed eligibility, you will need to complete and sign a registration form. The LCEI team can support this where needed. All LCEI documentation is signed digitally via Adobe Sign.
What happens once I have registered?
Once registration is complete, the team will work with you to develop an Action Plan outlining how LCEI will support your business. The Action Plan will include an MFA (Subsidy Control) estimate and declaration.
Next, LCEI’s researchers will produce a bespoke report based on the work agreed in the Action Plan.
This could be exploring a particular area of sustainability for your business, a more in-depth student research project, or a carbon report that will support your grant application, where applicable.
Is there a lot of paperwork involved?
There is paperwork involved in the registration and grant process that is unavoidable. As LCEI is managing the distribution of public funds, we have to follow guidelines and procurement regulations. But we promise it’s not that bad!
There are several stages but it’s all straightforward, and the team is here to help at every step.
How much grant can I apply?
LCEI offers grants up to £25,000, depending on business need and outcomes. Final grant awards are agreed by an independent Grant Panel.
How much does my business need to contribute?
LCEI grants must be matched by a business contribution of minimum 50%.
What can the grant fund?
Technologies and equipment that will help your business to reduce carbon emissions. Examples include:
- Solar panels
- Rainwater harvesting systems
- EV charging points
- EV grid connection
- Electric vehicles
- Insulation
- Wind turbines
- Air source heat pumps
- Ground source heat pumps
- New, more energy efficient machinery (to replace outdated models)
- LED lighting
This list is not exhaustive. Talk to the LCEI team to see if your intended purchase is eligible.
Can the grant fund electric vehicles?
Yes. Electric vehicles can be supported by the grant, as long as the EV is purchased outright and not via an asset lease arrangement. There must be a sound business case for the EV purchase.
Can I access research without applying for a grant?
Yes. We offer carbon reports looking at specific low carbon interventions and also more in-depth student projects.
How can I make sure my grant application is strong enough?
You will be asked to outline your intended funded project and how it will benefit your business commercially and environmentally.
You will need to provide a specification for the item you wish to purchase, and an estimate of carbon savings (this will have been calculated for you by our researchers in their carbon report), alongside estimated costs and timescales.
Businesses will also need to evidence the ‘additionality’ the grant can bring, such as business growth and job creation, and how the purchase fits into your wider sustainability goals.
The LCEI team will support you every step of the way, helping you build a strong application to present to the Grant Panel.
How are grant applications assessed?
Applications are appraised by the team and final grant decisions are made by the independent LCEI Grant Panel. Each application will be considered on its individual merits and its potential impacts for business productivity/growth and carbon reduction.
If my grant application is declined, is there any other way of accessing funds/collaborating with the universities?
Wherever possible we will signpost you to other projects or sources of support. There are many ways you can collaborate with the universities such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships or student internships.
What happens after the grant is approved?
If your grant application is approved, you will be provided with a formal offer letter and procurement guidance. You will also need to sign a Business Grant Agreement.
You should then begin procurement for your item. You will need to follow formal procurement guidelines, but full support and guidance will be provided by the LCEI team.
Will the grant be paid before I make my purchase?
No. You must fully defray all costs and then claim the grant. You must be able to pay the costs and have enough cashflow to support your business until the grant is paid out.
What is the procurement process for my purchase/install?
There is a formal procurement process which must be followed.
For purchases under £25k (including VAT), you will need to secure three quotes from relevant suppliers and complete an evaluation form, showing the rationale behind your final decision.
For purchases over £25k (including VAT) you will need to complete a formal tender exercise. This means you must advertise your requirements for a minimum of two weeks to attract suitable quotes. LCEI will host your tender advert on our website and it will also be placed onto the Growth Platform website. Once the tender closes, you must assess and score each quote, showing the rationale for your preferred supplier.
Once you have completed your procurement and all evidence has been approved by LCEI, you can then appoint your supplier and begin your installation.
I already have quotes for the equipment I want to buy
Unfortunately, no. Under the grant guidelines, you must not begin procuring your item until after the grant is approved. This means any quotes that pre-date your grant approval will not be valid for the purposes of this grant.
You will need to start procurement after grant approval and once you have signed a Business Grant Agreement, and secure quotes from suppliers according to procurement guidelines.
I already know which supplier I want to use, is this OK?
Unfortunately, no. Procurement regulations mean that you will not be able to begin procurement for your item until after your grant is approved. You will need to follow the formal procurement process as outlined by the LCEI team, to ensure a fair and transparent assessment of quotes/suppliers and to allow all relevant suppliers the chance to quote.
This means that you cannot use a pre-selected supplier that has not been part of the formal procurement process.
How do I choose a supplier for my purchase or installation?
You must follow a formal procurement process to choose a supplier. LCEI will provide full guidance on this.
Some suppliers may request a site visit/additional information to help prepare their quote, particularly in the case of solar installations, and it will be your responsibility to facilitate this if you think it beneficial. You must ensure the supplier you choose can meet your specifications.
The LCEI team will support you through the procurement process, but the decision on which supplier to appoint is completely down to you.
Once you have completed your procurement and all evidence has been approved by LCEI, you can then appoint your supplier and begin your installation.
What if there is only one supplier that can provide the item I need?
As long as you have followed the procurement process, if only one supplier responds to your request for a quote, then that is acceptable.
How long will it take for the grant to be paid?
Once you have provided all install and defrayment evidence to LCEI, we aim to complete the grant payment within four weeks.
Is there any deadline for claiming the grant?
Timescales are outlined in your grant agreement and must be adhered to.
The LCEI project comes to an end March 31st 2026, and all installs must be complete by February 2026 at the absolute latest to allow time for the grant payment to be processed.
Where a business has been awarded a grant but does not follow agreed timescales, LCEI reserves the right to re-allocate those funds to our applicant reserve list.
What evidence will I need to provide to claim the grant?
You will need to provide evidence that the install is complete – usually this is in the form of photos and/or a site visit from our team.
You must also show that you have paid for the install/item in full – LCEI will need to see invoices from your supplier, your PO to them, and bank statements showing the payment(s) to the supplier.
Once your evidence has been approved, LCEI will raise a PO for you via the LJMU finance system, and you can then invoice LJMU for the grant amount.
Can we fund the purchase with a bank loan/other grants/other funding streams?
Yes. You must fund the purchase upfront and then claim back the grant amount. As long as you can meet the cost, whether this is via company funds or a bank loan, you can claim the grant. You cannot use asset finance or lease the item. It must be purchased outright.
If you are accessing other grants/funding alongside the LCEI grant to buy your item, that is acceptable. As long as you have the funds in place to make the purchase.
Can I use asset finance for my purchase?
Unfortunately, no. You must purchase the item outright.
What if my installation or equipment delivery is delayed?
Wherever possible you must stick to agreed timescales, however LCEI understands that some things are out of a business’s control. If any issues arise, please contact the team as soon as possible and we will support however we can.
I'm interested in solar panels - what do I need to be aware of?
If you lease your building, you may need to get permission from your landlord to install the panels. You may also need to do a structural check to ensure the roof can withstand the weight of the solar installation.
You may also need to check building control regulations.
You will also need to apply for a DNO permission. This ensures the grid can manage the electricity flow from your solar panels. There is an additional cost to this and the process can take several months. The solar supplier you appoint for your installation will often manage this for you.
Our LCEI researchers can advise on the most suitable size, type and position of a solar install on your building.
What areas can your research cover?
Our research can cover a particular area of sustainability or carbon reduction you are interested in exploring for your business.
Student Projects can provide whole-business carbon assessments, looking at Carbon Scopes 1, 2 and 3, to determine where you can make the biggest impact in reducing your business’s carbon emissions. Student projects can also focus on R&D, prototyping and testing.
Will the LCEI grant preclude me from applying for other funding?
LCEI grants are delivered under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Subsidy Control rules apply, under the Minimum Financial Assistance (MFA) guidelines.
Minimal Financial Assistance (MFA) allows public authorities to award low value subsidies without needing to comply with the majority of the subsidy control requirements. MFA has a financial threshold, so no recipient can receive more than £315,000 over the applicable period. Any funding received under the EU State Aid regime, De Minimis, SAFA or SPEI in the applicable period should also be included in this calculation.
The applicable period is:
- the elapsed part of the current financial year (i.e. from 1 April); and
- the two financial years immediately preceding the current financial year. (The financial year means a period of 12 months ending 31 March.)
At the conclusion of our support with your business, you will be informed of the final MFA received, including financial and non-financial support. You will need to declare this if you apply for further funded support in the future. As long as you are within the threshold, you will be able to apply for further funding.
I've already received other funding; can I still apply for this grant?
During registration, you will be asked to declare previous MFA received by your business within the elapsed part of the current financial year and the two financial years immediately preceding the current financial year.
If your business is part of a corporate group, any subsidies provided to other companies in this group should also be detailed.
As part of your Action Plan, you will be provided with an MFA estimate and asked to declare that the MFA you will receive from LCEI will not push your business over the threshold of £315,000 in the applicable period outlined below.
As long your MFA is within the set thresholds, you will be able to apply for the LCEI grant.
The applicable period is:
- the elapsed part of the current financial year (i.e. from 1 April); and
- the two financial years immediately preceding the current financial year. (The financial year means a period of 12 months ending 31 March.)
