Productivity Support Scheme Grant

The Productivity Support Scheme Grant is currently closed, but we will update this page with any new information. In the meantime, why not talk to us about your productivity project contact us.

The primary purpose of this productivity support scheme grant is to support individual business innovation, efficiency and productivity improvements, ensuring healthier and more sustainable businesses which are fit to meet the challenges of the future. 

The objective of the support is to stimulate and kick-start the changes required in individual businesses to help them to become more innovative, efficient and productive. 

To apply for the productivity support scheme grant, the business will need to identify a project that will improve productivity within the business and have a detailed and fully costed project delivery plan.

If you think to meet the eligibility criteria and you’d like to find out more, Jersey Business is holding information sessions on 31st August, 7th September, and 19th September to give more clarity on the grant scheme.

See the section below for the full qualifying criteria that an application must satisfy including:

The project

• Project Plan and Management – a clear project plan with identified management and allocation of business resources to complete the project alongside a comprehensive risk assessment.
• Project Justification – a clear explanation of why the business and this project needs Government funding. This should consider the suitability of alternative options, what would happen if the project does not go ahead and any relevant examples from similar projects.
• Project Measurables – a positive impact on value areas such as the cost base, output and revenue, or process efficiency.
• GVA per FTE – projects will ultimately lead to an increase in productivity of at least 5% over a pre-agreed period (of no more than 3 years).
• Wages – applications will assess all current wages and committed increases to wages as a result of the project. This should be considered against any seasonal employment trends, the minimum wage and the Living Wage.

The Productivity Support Scheme Grant will support projects that can demonstrate a positive impact on areas such as:

• Input Costs
• Process Efficiency
• Output and Revenue

Projects are likely to fall within one of the following categories:

• Technology applications
• Process Improvement (e.g. equipment)
• People performance (excluding skills development)
• Introduction of new or improved products/services
• Introduction of new markets or increase market share
• Develop or expand export opportunities (excluding attending trade shows or off-island business travel)

The maximum funding available:

• 50% of the cost of the project.
• The estimated total project cost must be between £10,000 and under £100,000.
• The grant available is between £5,000 and £50,000.

Grant funding for productivity improvements forms part of a wider package of support available for businesses through Jersey Business, including 1:1 business advisory and mentoring work and a Business Improvement Programme

Step 1: Read and understand the declarations and make sure you are eligible

Conditions apply to this scheme that you MUST read and understand before making an application. See the section below for the conditions.

Read the guidance and the terms and conditions carefully to ensure you are eligible for the scheme and meet all the conditions before you take the next steps in the process.

Government of Jersey Productivity Support Scheme Guidance Notes

Step 2: Make an initial expression of interest with Jersey Business

Make an initial expression of interest using the button below, but before you do this make sure you have:

• Confirmed the business is eligible for the scheme.
• Identified a project that will improve productivity.
• Have a description of the project with a fully costed project plan.
• Have up-to-date financial accounts.

Jersey Business will ask you for these documents in order that we can work with you to:

• Confirm eligibility.
• Undertake a Business Health Check.
• Review the proposed productivity project and financial plan to assess the projected costs and practical and financial impact of the project.

Step 3: Submit an application to the Government

Once we have completed Stage 2 we will help you complete the Government of Jersey’s application process which will require you to provide:

• A completed application form.
• A signed declaration Statement.
• A Board Resolution or personal declaration if you are a sole trader.
• A recommendation from Jersey Business.

Applications will be submitted by Jersey Business to the Government of Jersey

Step 4: Confirmation of grant support and claim process

Once your application is received in the Government of Jersey it will be assessed to confirm eligibility and completeness. If your application does not pass those checks, it will be returned to you with a request for more information.

Once these checks are confirmed, your application will be:

• Evaluated by the Accountable Office in Government to approve or reject the application. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate the highest level of productivity improvement.
• If your application is successful, you will receive an Offer Letter outlining the details of the award.
• If your application is unsuccessful, you will receive a communication detailing the reasons for this.

Applications will primarily be considered against the criteria;

• Project Plan and Management – clear project plan, management and allocation of business resources to complete the project alongside a comprehensive risk assessment.
• Project Justification – clear explanation of why the business and this project needs Government funding. This should consider the suitability of alternative options, what would happen if the project does not go ahead and any relevant examples from similar projects.
• Project Measurables – a positive impact on value areas such as input cost base, output and revenue, or process efficiency.
• GVA per FTE – Projects will ultimately lead to an increase in productivity of at least 5% over a pre-agreed period (of no more than 3 years).
• Wages – applications will assess all current wages and committed increases to wages as a result of the project. This should be considered against any seasonal employment trends, the minimum wage and the Living Wage.

The decision of the accounting officer is final.

To qualify for this scheme businesses will need to satisfy, amongst other things, the following key criteria;

• The applicant's business must have been operating for at least 18 months.
• The applicant's business is registered and controlled in Jersey.
• The applicant business holds a Business Licence under the Control of Housing and Work (Jersey) Law 2012.
• Where an applicant business has been in receipt of government funding for productivity support in the previous 3 years, for example via the Rural Initiative Scheme, they must demonstrate that the project being proposed for new PSS funding support is materially different from any other productivity improvement project(s) undertaken and will not duplicate all, or any part of, previous or ongoing government-funded projects.
• Applicant business must not already be in the process of applying for government funding for productivity support through a separate scheme (with the exception of specific Covid-related assistance) for the same project.

The following entities/projects are excluded from the scheme:

• Government departments, States-Owned Entities, Arms-Length Organisations, charities and not-for-profit organisations.
• Single-person entities.
• Upskilling and skills development projects where support is available through Skills Jersey or other Government of Jersey-funded initiatives.
• Redundancy costs.
• Projects entirely managed and provided by external consultants.
• Companies that have already made a successful application to the PSS in 2021 or 2022 for the same project.

The following conditions also apply to the scheme;

• Successful applicants will receive an initial payment of 25% of the estimated project costs (as outlined in the Offer letter).
• The second half of the grant will be paid on receipt of supporting invoices for actual expenditure on the whole project, to the maximum grant agreed.
• If the final project costs are below the original estimated costs, the second half of the grant will be adjusted down accordingly so that the full grant in total is no more than 50% of the actual project costs.
• If the project costs overrun, they must be met by the grantee, the grant will only be paid to a maximum of 50% of the estimated project costs.
• Signed accounts for the financial period(s) covered by the project (when available) must be provided on request.
• Applicants must make legally binding declarations as part of the application process to access the Scheme:
• For corporate applicants an extract of a minute of a board meeting of the company evidencing that the company has considered and agreed to the rules of Scheme and has duly delegated authority to a director or other individual to make the declarations required under the Scheme on behalf of the company will be required
• For non-incorporated businesses a personal declaration by the registered business owner that they have considered the rules of the Scheme, agreeing to procure that the business will comply with the rules of the Scheme will be required. The business owner will make the additional declarations required under the rules of Scheme
• Failure to comply with the rules of the Scheme will result in all monies paid under the Scheme becoming immediately repayable and any further access to the Scheme will be denied
• The applicant business must declare that it is a going concern and not in immediate danger of insolvency, winding up or ceasing to trade on a permanent basis.
• In order to support businesses via this Productivity Support Scheme the processing of personal data received in connection with an application to the Scheme will be processed in accordance with Schedule 2, Part 1, Paragraph 4 of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018, which permits the processing of personal data by public authorities, when performing public functions.
• The applicant business agrees to be audited to verify eligibility and compliance with the rules of Scheme, and to open its financial data to government auditors and officials connected with the scheme for that purpose.
• Successful applicants will be required to provide quarterly milestone reports over the lifetime of the project and a detailed annual report for every four quarters the project continues. This requirement ceases as soon as the final project report is submitted which measures and forecasts key performance indicators and should also describe any other benefits and feedback on the scheme. There is a further update required 12 months after the final report to compare expected and realised benefits.

I don't have a completed project and implementation plan.

If you do not have a completed project and implementation plan, you can use the template below to start developing your project.

Project plan and business case

Once you have completed this template you can make an initial expression of interest using the button in the next section.

I have a fully developed project plan.

Contact us to discuss further.

I'm not sure what to do next.

Contact us to discuss further.