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Grant for R&D

Grant for R&D is designed to help individuals and small and medium-sized businesses research and develop technologically innovative products and processes.

The following help is available:

• Micro Projects are simple low cost development projects lasting no longer than 12 months.  The output should be a simple prototype of a novel or innovative product or process. A grant of up to £20,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
• Research Projects typically involve planned research or critical investigation lasting between 6 and 18 months. The result of the project could be new scientific or technical knowledge that may be useful in developing a new product or process.  A grant of up to £100,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
• Development Projects involve the shaping of industrial research into a pre-production prototype of a technologically innovative product or industrial process.  A grant of up to £250,000 is available for businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
• Exceptional Projects involve technology developments which have higher costs.  These projects are likely to generate much wider economic benefits and must have strategic importance for a technology or industrial sector.  A grant of up to £500,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 250 employees.

Grants for R&D are available from Regional Development Agencies (RDAs).  RDAs are responsible for appraising applications and deciding which projects to support in their region.   They also pay grant claims and monitor the progress of supported projects.