Partner Article

Regional Leadership+Management Advisory Service funds business growth

What is the Leadership and Management Advisory Service?

The Leadership and Management Advisory Service provides tailored support, including advice and funding for bespoke individual development provision, to senior managers and business leaders in SMEs and social enterprises that have potential for growth and are based in North East England.

The service (funded by D-BIS’s Skills Funding Agency) has been run by NBSL since 2004 and provides grant support giving businesses a fantastic opportunity to access specialist help, to develop their leadership and management capabilities, the profitability of their organisations and their potential for growth.

Background to NBSL and the programme

NBSL is a D-BIS (Department of Business, Innovation and Skills) approved and regulated Local Enterprise Agency. Under NBSL this programme has gone from strength to strength, engaging directly with more than 1,000 SMEs each year. In total well over 5,000 organisations have been supported over the years, some 8,000 individual managers have benefitted from the programme and well over £3 million have been awarded in the form of grants.

How does the programme work?

NBSL has now secured ERDF investment of £2.38 million to continue to deliver support to the North East’s private sector businesses employing between 2 – 249 employees, and funding is still available which provides matched grant support of up to £1,000 for business leaders who need to develop new strategies for growth. The programme enables them to work with outside consultants who can help them focus on the steps they need to take to develop their leadership and management capabilities and so grow their enterprises.

Business leaders and managers who have previously received funding of a similar nature in previous programmes are still eligible to re-apply for further support to develop their skills and capabilities under this new programme.

Client experiences of the application process

The application process is quick and easy, and funding is awarded swiftly and efficiently by the NBSL team. An evaluation of the programme was carried out in November 2011 and all clients who had been supported said that they would recommend both their training provider and the L & M programme to others. Comments made by clients about the process and their experience with NBSL included the following remarks:

- “Easy to deal with, very enthusiastic and professional, extremely helpful, great service”

- “Exceptional service in all areas”

- “Offered straightforward help and advice – Brilliant”

- “The application process was simple, quick and painless”

How to find out more

Funding is limited so to find out more about eligibility for these great benefits for business call us today on 01670 813322 or go to www.nbsl.org.uk and complete the simple online application form.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Phil Langton .