The second round of a grants programme has opened for Dudley businesses, including support to reduce energy bills and boost activity.

Around £200,000 has already been awarded through the Dudley SME Grant and the Dudley Decarbonisation and Net Zero Grant, which are backed by the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The latest round of grants has been expanded to include start-ups in Dudley borough that have been trading for less than 12 months, offering between £1,000 and £7,500 to help entrepreneurs to get their business off the ground.

The grants remain open to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the borough that have been trading for more than 12 months.

Before applying for a grant, businesses will need to complete a business diagnostic with Business Growth West Midlands in Dudley. Growth advisers will support businesses to prepare growth action plans, develop their investment projects and access funding opportunities.

Businesses that are interested in the Dudley Decarbonisation and Net Zero Grant will be supported by their growth adviser to access a free energy audit or on-site carbon reduction survey prior to applying.

Eligible businesses will be able to apply for capital grants of £1,000 to £100,000. Businesses will need to match fund the grants by at least 50 percent.

Councillor Paul Bradley, deputy leader of Dudley Council, said: "Our second round of grants aims to help even more SMEs from across Dudley borough to fulfil their aspirations, whether that’s creating more jobs for local people, improving their facilities, or increasing their energy efficiency.

"4We’ve widened the criteria to bring more businesses into the programme and our advisers will be on hand to help them to make the best use of this funding once their eligibility has been confirmed.

"4This is a significant investment opportunity for our borough’s hard-working and innovative businesses. I encourage them to take a look at the many ways in which we can support their continued growth."

One of the many local firms who have accessed support through the programme so far is award-winning pork pie producers T.C. Morris Ltd, who have used funding from the Dudley SME Grant to purchase a large industrial oven for their factory in Netherton.

Charlotte Tennant, owner and director of T.C. Morris Ltd, said: "The grant has been absolutely fantastic for our business.

"The investment in the new industrial oven has enabled us to relocate to bigger premises in Dudley, which has not only secured the future of T.C. Morris, but also secured the future of all the people that continue to work with us.

"We are proud of our 80-year heritage and accessing the SME Grant has enabled us to make the investments necessary to prepare for the future."

For businesses that are unfamiliar with the process of applying for funding, there will be an in-depth workshop on writing grant applications on Wednesday 9 October at the Black Country & Marches Institute of Technology in Dudley.

Advisers from Business Growth West Midlands in Dudley will offer a step-by-step guide, breaking down the terminology of grant proposals and providing tips on how to write clearly with impact.

The workshop is aimed primarily for businesses who are preparing to apply for the two new Dudley SME Grants, using their application process as a blueprint.

Places on the workshop can be booked in advance via the Business Growth West Midlands in Dudley Eventbrite page.

More information on the Dudley SME Grant and the Dudley Decarbonisation and Net Zero Grant is available on the Dudley Business First website.