BUSINESSES in West Devon now have an opportunity to secure up to £20,000 grant funding to assist business growth and diversification.

The Greater Dartmoor LEAF Local Action Group is operating a new grant fund that is available for small businesses with fewer than ten full-time staff and an annual turnover of under £1.7-million.

One company that has benefitted from an identical grant scheme is outdoor events company, Endurance Life. It recently held a multi-day marathon on Dartmoor and is active across the region.

Their new initiative Trail Blaze which allows participants to complete courses in their own time and log their results via automatic recording devices positioned along the route, has received funding of £10,000.

Andrew Barker of Endurance Life said: The local action group grant funding gives us the capacity to move this project from being a concept to a reality. What we are doing also has wider benefits for Devon so we are really excited about it.

Endurance Life was assisted in its application by grant funding specialists Biscuit Group.

Edward Anderson-Bickley of Biscuit Group said: The Greater Dartmoor LEAF grant for businesses should attract a lot of interest. It is rare for private enterprise to be supported by grant funding in this way.

Referring to the problems many applicants for grant aid encounter, he said: Giving time to completing a quality application tends to be the greatest problem. Grants should not be seen as free moneysuccessful applications are the result of time and attention to detail.

Dartmoor LEAF Business Growth and Diversification fund is a grant scheme which aims to help businesses to grow and diversify by investing in both capital and revenue activities. The grant will assist with up to 50% of eligible costs, with a minimum grant of £1,000 up to a maximum grant of £20,000.