Is my SME eligible

Is my SME eligible?

Your business/organisation can make an application if:

It meets the Small to Medium Enterprise (SME) criteria:
The basic eligibility for the Scheme is described by the European Commission’s definition of a Small and Medium Sized business – SME. To be eligible your business must be a trading entity. So a Sole Trader is eligible and so are not-for-profit organisations and charities so long as they meet the SME definitions. People who are employees are not eligible. Your business must:

Employ fewer than 250 people or volunteers

Have a turnover of less than €50m and/or have a balance sheet of less than €43m

Have received less than €200k in public grants in the last 3 years (the “de-minimis” limit)

It does not operate in one of the following sectors:
Fishery and aquaculture sectors supported by European Fisheries Fund

Primary production, processing and marketing of agricultural products, supported by European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development

Coal

Steel and shipbuilding sectors

The synthetic fibres sector

Generalised (school age) education

Banking

Insurance companies

A public sector organisation:

a school funded by DFE

a privately funded school operating over the ages of 3-18

an organisation solely involved in offering provision under the requirement for young people to remain in education or training until their 18th birthday
It doesn’t have a parent company or linked enterprise which does not meet the eligibility criteria
It has not already had the type of voucher you want to apply for
It’s trading address is within the Sheffield City Region boundary
The connection or innovation will be at the registered or trading address
It is a tenant of a business park or a commercial property landlord and will get the approval of your landlord to proceed with the work
The cost of the new proposed connection is above £1000 and/or the cost of the innovation is above £5000 (excluding VAT)
It’s new proposed connection:
- Meets the ‘step change’ rule
- Is to a 30mbps or above service
It wants the voucher to pay for eligible expenditure
The Innovation is enabled through the use of broadband technology
It has no outstanding debts to the Local Authority such as Business Rates
It has not already received de-minimis aid that, together with this voucher, would exceed the threshold of €200k over a three-year fiscal period
It is financially viable at the time you apply
It has not already entered into contracts, commitments or expenditure prior to receiving a formal offer of a voucher
It is willing to abide by the terms and conditions of the scheme, follow the guidance, supply all information requested and sign the funding agreement
It will provide fully itemised quotes from three suppliers for connection applications and innovations applications over £25,000
It will provide a one fully itemised quote from your chosen supplier for innovations under £24,999

The vouchers are available to SMEs whose trading address falls into the Sheffield City Region.

As of 01/06/2018 vouchers are only available to SMEs whose trading address falls into Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham or Sheffield

Download – “Guidance for Applicants – Connection Vouchers”

Download – “Guidance for Applicants – Innovation Vouchers”