Supporting the development of a full funding bid to the Strength in Places Fund

Having supported the University of Liverpool and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) in their successful Expression of Interest to 2019’s ‘Strength in Places Funding’ Call, Steer Economic Development was re-commissioned to provide drafting and consultancy to support a Full Bid for funding.

The Bid centred around providing Chemical Industry businesses in the Liverpool City Region/Cheshire and Warrington/Greater Manchester Corridor with better access to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital technology tools to support their manufacturing processes. By so doing, the intention was to drive faster, cheaper, and smarter innovation in product discovery, design, and testing.

The bid-building process included conducting market analysis and making the case for funding by demonstrating a clear need for intervention, and demonstrating that the implemented bid would make a significant contribution to improving sector productivity. Steer Economic Development led on developing the economic impact case for the bid, drafting the underpinning logic model for the submission, and provided support in building a strong consortium for the project.

As well as demonstrating a strong understanding of the North West and Greater Manchester economies, this project highlights Steer Economic Development’s ability to identify the right information with which to build a compelling case for intervention. Our insights added value to data through insightful analysis and ensured that at all points the design and content aligned with the underpinning logic model. We ensured that the submission was fully compliant with Bid Requirements, and provided an extensive ‘critical friend’ role to ensure the bid was prepared to time and to the highest standards.