NEP priority areas

The priority areas for the Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership (NEP) are as follows. Below each priority area is a list of individuals within the voluntary and community sector who are interested in working in partnership to deliver collaborative projects within the priority area.

If you would like to get in contact with one of these individuals to discuss working in collaboration with them or if you would like to be added to one of the lists email information@one-em.org.uk.

Some organisations on the lists below are looking for partners to collaborate in delivering specific projects. For further information on these projects click on the organisation’s name.

For further information on LEPs and to view their strategies visit www.oneeastmidlands.org.uk/leps.



  1. Innovation
  • Intensive diagnostic support to assist SMEs to understand and articulate their innovation potential and requirements including entrepreneurial and leadership capabilities to do this.
  • Development of appropriate access to finance and grant mechanisms for businesses to access financial support, advice and intelligence from qualified, accredited specialist providers to implement innovation, new processes and products in their operations.

Mark Lees

ENCS

Yemi Olowoyo

New Ark Foundation

Ian Revell

Northamptonshire YMCA

2. ICT

  • Provision of innovation and ICT facilities and activities aimed at SMEs, including development of leadership and management capacity to stimulate demand for innovation, technology and the efficient use of ICT in companies.

Andria Birch

Workers' Educational Association

Mark Lees

ENCS

Yemi Olowoyo

New Ark Foundation

3. SME Competitiveness

  • Finance readiness and business support to create finance ready and sustainable businesses leading to successful start-ups, business growth and sustainable job creation. Loan finance to viable but unbankable start-ups and micro-enterprises.
  • Building on what already exists within Northamptonshire, the Northamptonshire Enterprise Hubs programme will expand the reach of the Enterprise Hub support to cover the whole county. The offer is the provision of tailored business support, including pre-start-up and start-up programmes, to stimulate the creation of new businesses, including knowledge based businesses.
  • NEP would like to see a countywide coordinated approach to support businesses within the key Northamptonshire sectors providing access to a tailored and coordinated package of diagnostic, advisory and coaching and mentoring services to accelerate the creation and growth of sustainable growth ventures.

Mark Lees

ENCS

Yemi Olowoyo

New Ark Foundation

4. Low Carbon

  • Social Housing Retrofit programme with activities to include improving existing homes and building new sustainable homes; tackling the economic, environmental, climate and social challenges affecting neighbourhoods; and providing local employment, training and apprenticeships (ESF) integrated into capital investment projects, e.g. new construction / retrofit (ERDF).
  • Low Carbon and Energy Revolving Fund based on a model similar to the Growing Places initiative, this activity looks to support the establishment of a revolving fund for retrofit for environmental benefits for commercial space. These modifications would help companies lower energy consumption and carbon usage.

Matt Easter

Sustrans

Mark Lees

ENCS

8. Labour Mobility

  • Activities under the Access to Employment Programme to assist those who are economically inactive to access employment opportunities and link areas of regeneration need to economic opportunities, both in peripheral parts of the county and disadvantaged communities. Activities to include tackling barriers to work in a holistic and integrated way, including through supporting early action before problems become entrenched, outreach activities and access to locally provided services, which may include addressing issues such as care responsibilities, debt and money management, digital inclusion, reducing drug and alcohol dependency etc; and community grants of up to £12,000, which enable small voluntary and community organisations to reach out to some of the most disadvantaged and excluded people, with the grants having a local focus and seeking to move people closer to the labour market.
  • The Return to Work programme will fund projects that deliver a range of activities for workless individuals to help them access the labour market. Activities include work experience placements and job search help, advice and guidance.

Suzanne Binley

Relate Northamptonshire

Andria Birch

Workers' Educational Association

Adam Brookfield

CAN

Ann Comerford

Aimhigher Northamptonshire Ltd

Gill Correa

KCU

Su Davies

East Northamptonshire Council

Matt Easter

Sustrans

Ian Hanton

EASI4communities

Mark Lees

ENCS

Alex Loham

Northamptonshire Association for the Blind

Carrie Masters

Victoria Centre

Alexis McLeod

Enable

Peter Nalder

South Court Environmental

Rutendo Nyatsine

Zimwomen Association Northamptonshire

Elaine O’Leary

Northamptonshire ACRE

Ian Revell

Northamptonshire YMCA

Pam Tomalin

Northamptonshire Dyslexia Association

Suzy Van Rooten

C2 Charitable Trust

9. Social Inclusion

  • Local Impact Fund will offer support for investment readiness to support social enterprises and the social economy. There will be a grants and loans mix on offer through the fund. The objectives for the fund are to maximise economic of the fund by investing in social enterprises that are capable of creating / safeguarding jobs; maximise social impact by making investments in good quality organisations that aim to achieve a positive and profound change in their communities; and sustainability for the fund with the aim of ensuring that the NEP can continue to make new good quality investments in organisations that deliver economic and social impact.
  • There is an opportunity for economic growth through the Destination River Nene initiative. These include help to convert existing buildings to better meet with the changing nature of the rural economy; supporting the development of entrepreneurialism amongst women within this rural area of the county; supporting traineeships and apprenticeship support within the tourism industry and amongst farms that are undertaking diversification; and ensuring access to employment through overcoming barriers to employment within the rural area, such as transport, add to the nature of activities that would be supported through additional funding to the Local Government Association if it is successful.

Suzanne Binley

Relate Northamptonshire

Andria Birch

Workers' Educational Association

Vince Carroll

Bridge

Ann Comerford

Aimhigher Northamptonshire Ltd

Gill Correa

KCU

Su Davies

East Northamptonshire Councils

Matt Easter

Sustrans

Hugh Fenton

 

Ian Hanton

EASI4communities

Julia Hardcastle

Autism Concern

Christine Kent

Aquarius

Mark Lees

ENCS

Alex Lohman

Northamptonshire Association for the Blind

Alexis McLeod

Enable

Peter Nalder

South Court Environmental

Yemi Olowoyo

New Ark Foundation

Suzy Van Rooyen

C2 Charitable Trust

Kate Williams

Groundwork Northamptonshire

10. Skills Development

  • Northamptonshire has a number of priority sectors, which have identified specific, such as mechanical engineers and electricians, and generic skills issues, e.g. leadership and management. Support offered under the Key Sector Skills Programme will include industry specific skills provision within the rural areas EAFRD; support for apprenticeships and traineeships; skills support for the workplace, which is employer responsive; support for intermediate and high level skills development for industries driving growth in local economies in support of other relevant priorities; and digital and ICT skills at all levels.
  • The Youth Support Programme will support young people aged 15 to 19 who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) and those at risk of becoming so. Young people up to the age of 24 would also be eligible for support under this programme. The key areas of support include creating a young, skilled workforce to strengthen and sustain local economies; growing the local economy through an enterprise programme tailored for young people; and linkage with schools as the key growth sectors for Northamptonshire are not necessarily careers of choice and more needs to be done to attract younger people to the sectors.

Danny Bateman

SERV OBN Blood Bikes

Suzanne Binley

Relate Northamptonshire

Andria Birch

Workers' Educational Association

Adam Brookfield

CAN

Ann Comerford

Aimhigher Northamptonshire Ltd

Gill Correa

KCU

Su Davies

East Northamptonshire Council

Trish Dewar

Groundwork Northamptonshire

Ian Hanton

EASI4communities

Christine Kent

Aquarius

Mark Lees

ENCS

Carrie Masters

Victoria Centre

Alexis McLeod

Enable

Peter Nalder

South Court Environmental

Rutendo Nyatsine

Zimwomen Association Northamptonshire

Yemi Olowoyo

New Ark Foundation

Pam Tomalin

Northamptonshire Dyslexia Association