North West ISBP Action Plan - Introduction

Please note, this programme has now completed.

The North West Innovation and Specialist Business Support Action Plan is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and aims to meet key objectives of the North West Objective Two Single Programming Document (SPD):

• To develop a competitive and sustainable economy which offers income and employment opportunities of all ages, abilities and gender.
• To create and protecting jobs and income by investing in new entrepreneurial business.
• To improve the business performance of existing SMEs.

The main aim of the Action Plan is to ensure that there is regional coherence in the delivery of thematic innovation and specialist business support services across North West Small Business Service boundaries. The Action Plan will complement both the regional Knowledge-Based Action Plan, led by the CONTACT Partnership, and the twelve Priority One (Business Support) subregional and local action plans by providing specialist support and encouraging innovation amongst SMEs.

To achieve these aims the Action Plan Partnership seeks to support activity of strategic importance across the North West in terms of scale and scope to complement activity which is more appropriately delivered sub regionally / locally.

The Northwest Development Agency is acting as the accountable body of the Action Plan whilst its management has been subcontracted to Manchester Enterprises Limited. The Action Plan Management Team is employed by Manchester Enterprises.