Grant funding and COVID compliant accreditation for City SMEs

Small and medium-sized City businesses that provide an in-person service to the general public in the retail, hospitality, leisure, or medical sectors (e.g. physiotherapists, opticians and dentists), can apply for financial grants through the City Corporation’s recently-launched Business Recovery Fund.

In order to apply for the grant funding, businesses will also need to register with the COVID Compliant Accreditation Scheme (CCAS), if they have not done so already. The scheme is aimed at supporting businesses in the food, hospitality, retail, leisure and close-contact services in their re-opening, and in reassuring customers that they have systems in place to minimise risks associated with coronavirus and that their premises are safe to visit.

All participating businesses will be required to submit details of their COVID-Secure systems including:

• their current written COVID-Secure Risk Assessment
• any internal COVID-19 related procedure notes, such as cleaning schedules, etc.
• records of staff training specifically on COVID-19 protection measures

The City Corporation’s Environmental Health team will then make contact with the business to discuss these details and to arrange a site visit to verify them. Once verified, the business will be eligible to access the grant funding, as well as display signage that they are COVID compliant.

Applicants can also receive assistance in completing the form through the City Business Library.

To find out more details about the scheme, and to access the application form, visit the City Corporation website.