Mayor David Skaith has launched the £27 million Mayoral Challenge Fund. The fund will support programmes across four key themes: boosting adult vocational skills, revitalising our region’s high streets, strengthening key business sectors, and reducing greenhouse gases.
The Mayoral Challenge Fund comes as a part of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority’s devolution deal with the Government. Three grant schemes have launched in February, with a fourth launching in March.
The Skills Innovation Fund is a £2,357,000 grant fund to support skills development in York and North Yorkshire, aiming to increase the number of adult learners engaged in priority sectors.
Carbon Negative Challenge Fund
The £10m Carbon Negative Challenge Fund seeks to support the development and delivery of innovative projects that can help York and North Yorkshire become England’s first carbon negative region.
Vibrant and Sustainable High Streets Fund
The purpose of this £10m fund is to rejuvenate high streets across our region, with key objectives including boosting the resilience of town centres and high streets and increasing the attractiveness of high streets to both residents and visitors.
The £5m Business Innovation Fund aims to achieve greater progress, and at a faster rate, in delivering economic opportunity across York and North Yorkshire by providing the right conditions to attract new investment and support our businesses to be more innovative, productive and resilient.