/ Business Fund
Kristiansand municipality's business fund will contribute to increased competitiveness through restructuring, development and strengthening of the Renewable Region.
The business community in Kristiansand shall maintain and strengthen its competitiveness at a time when the ability to develop and restructure is necessary. The Business Fund shall contribute to increased competitiveness through restructuring, business development, increased activity, employment and value creation.
The overall strategic initiatives that form the basis for the business fund are defined in "Fornybarregionen: Strategy for value creation in the Kristiansand region".
About the business fund
The Business Fund shall preferably support measures that are of importance to larger parts of the business community in Kristiansand. The measures shall contribute to creating growth and positioning business development in the region. For example, support may be given to collaborative projects involving private enterprises, clusters, business organizations, academia and public bodies. Agriculture and the fishing industry are included.
Guidelines for Kristiansand municipality's business fund
Allocations from the business fund will support the six focus areas in the Strategy for value creation in the Kristiansand region. The focus areas in the current plan are:
- Energy industries
- Infrastructure and commercial space
- Experiences
- Jobs and expertise
- International competitiveness
- Innovation and transition to a sustainable low-emission society
- Particular emphasis is placed on whether the measure promotes increased activity, employment and sustainable value creation in Kristiansand, including that the measure supports the UN's sustainable development goals.
- The action must be of a high quality and have good support from any participating parties in terms of involvement and project funding.
- The measure owner must have a realistic plan for implementation and be able to demonstrate that sufficient financial and human resources have been allocated to ensure success.
- Support is not provided for ordinary operations. Exceptions may be made for measures considered to be of particular strategic importance.
- Funding is not provided for projects already completed.
- Grants are not normally awarded to individual companies. Exceptions may be made for measures that are considered to be of particular strategic importance and of interest to the wider business community.
- The funding should not be used for the municipality's own projects without the approval of the Enterprise and Ownership Committee
- The size of the grant is limited by the funds available, other allocations and State aid rules.
- Grants can be awarded for a maximum of 3 years.
- The funds can also be used for the municipality's share of costs in actions where the municipality chooses to be a partner or co-organizer.
Processing of submitted applications is done continuously in the municipality's business department, Business Region Kristiansand. When recommending project support over NOK. 750,000, the case is presented for political consideration in the Business and Ownership Committee, which makes a decision.
Grants are paid in arrears. However, the grant may be paid in part as the grant recipient documents progress in the implementation of the measure. If necessary to get the project started, up to 20 percent of the grant may be paid at the start of the measure.
The Local Government Act, the Public Administration Act and the Freedom of Information Act form the basis for grant management. The EEA rules on public aid (state aid rules) will determine which measures can be awarded funding. Information on the regulations at regjeringen.no.
