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NEWS FOCUS 9
News
LDA launches £ 30m funding for community groups
The London Development Agency( LDA) has launched the second round of funding for charities, voluntary and other local groups, worth £ 30m. Primarily aimed at skills and regeneration projects, the Opportunities Fund Round Two is in its second year. The three-year Round Two fund will help those in disadvantaged groups overcome barriers to find work or learn new skills, while also supporting the regeneration of deprived areas including neglected industrial estates. Projects should be based on four themes.
These are: Skills and employment support for equalities groups including people with disabilities, BAME groups and women; Opportunities for engagement in London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games for London’ s diverse communities; Improving the working environment of industrial estates including business, training and environmental improvements; Capacity building, such including increased training and networking, for minority-led organisations.
Last year, the first ever Opportunities Fund( Round One) attracted 766 applications and the LDA is expecting even more interest after each former applicant was contacted about the new three year fund- along with 1,200 other organisations. Over the next three years, more than 20,000 people and 6,000 businesses will benefit from Opportunities Fund Round One, which includes 14,000 women, 5,000 people with disabilities and 15,000 people from black and minority ethnic groups.
Interested organisations have until October 6 to complete a short expression of interest form via the LDA website at www. lda. gov. uk.
Olympic 2012 business opportunities now online
Businesses hoping to get involved in the forthcoming Olympic Games are being encouraged to register on the official London 2012 website. The Games’ organisers want to reassure companies they have‘ not missed the boat’ on the multitude of business opportunities that the Olympics will provide.
A new business section has been added to the London 2012 website to keep firms
Fund launched to conquer equity gap
The government has completed the first of its new Enterprise Capital Funds in a multi-million pound scheme aimed at narrowing the equity gap for small businesses. The Department of Trade & Industry’ s( DTI) new £ 30m Enterprise Capital Fund, Seraphim Capital, began on 11 September with a primary focus on UK firms looking to raise equity in the region of up to date on tendering opportunities, contacts and important news about the Games. The organisers say that they want local businesses to benefit from the‘ once-ina-lifetime opportunity’ that the Games represent and say there will be opportunities for companies of all sizes.
The new business section can be found at www. london2012. com / business.
£ 500,000 and £ 2m.
Seraphim is thought to be the first UK-wide“ angel-led” Enterprise Capital Fund, with £ 10m private equity and £ 20m government funding.
The DTI announced the introduction of five additional funds, which it expects to launch during the next six months, bringing the total funds available for investment to £ 162.5m.
Women lead the way for gadget use
Women are the most popular users of hi-tech technological devices in both the home and at work, a new survey has suggested. Research, conducted by Canon, suggests that contrary to belief the stereotype of the‘ gadget mad’ male is often misleading. It also found that women are not shy when it comes to using new technologies. Also women are 13 % more likely to try and fix a gadget or machine when it malfunctions.
ISSUE TWO 2006 engage