SMALL businesses across a range of sectors are vying for a share of a new £20,000 fund.

Firms specialising in live entertainment, hospitality and drinks, gifts, as well as the arts are among those seeking support from the York Go-Greener Fund.

Contenders have until May 31 to apply to First York, which launched the fund with support from the Federation of Small Businesses in York and North Yorkshire, and York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

It aims to help independents and small firms to make environmental improvements to the way they operate, and to their products and services.

The money can be used to invest in equipment, materials or technology, expand sustainable services or a product range and introduce innovation in waste management.

Applicants' ideas so far involve harnessing heat from manufacturing, specialist machinery for craft kits, improving experience attractions, eco-printing equipment, educating children in biodiversity and eliminating single-use and micro-plastics from supplies.

Fund organisers say eco improvements made by small consumer businesses to their operations, products and services will attract customers, and boost sales. And the changes can be simple, such as adapting products, reducing the amount of packaging, moving from plastic to paper, using suppliers with greener raw materials, and enabling customers to reuse goods.

Reusable goods and materials also build repeat custom and footfall, increases customer loyalty and offers cost savings to a business by reducing stock holding and overall costs.

Carolyn Frank, FSB development manager, said: “While reusable packaging or packaging which can be repurposed might be more expensive up front to a business or customer, repeat use over its lifetime reduces landfill and decreases cost per use.

“Sustainability is all about taking a longer term view and creating value for customers, which in turn increases business profitability.”

The £20k Go-Greener Fund aims to help support ideas and projects that create value in a business or inspire customers to change their behaviour to become more sustainable.

Ian Humphreys, managing director of First York, said: “We want to help small businesses in retail, leisure, hospitality, health and beauty and other consumer services encourage eco-friendly high street spending.

"All owners need to do is tell us what they plan to do with answers to four questions to be in with a chance of securing thousands of pounds to give their ideas a boost.”

Carolyn added: “This is all about savvy shopping or careful consumption and businesses working hand in hand with their customers to tackle the climate emergency and offer better choice and inspiration to ‘Go Greener’. The benefits to business are real and to customers too.”

Apply at firstbus.co.uk/yorkgogreenerfund. The successful firms will be awarded money in June.

What other help is there to be greener?

The FSB has created a sustainable business hub to showcase ideas for businesses.

There are also e-guides downloadable from the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Carolyn Frank, of the FSB, said a lot of government funding in this area is centred on business-to-business firms but the Go Greener Fund is solely focused on consumer businesses.

She said: “Small steps to go greener will help independent businesses build their brand, share their mission with customers, and ultimately increase their own sustainability and also profits.

“Research shows that customers, particularly the next generation, will pay more for a service or product that supports causes that they care about, and the environment is a key concern.”

Ways to think about going greener

• If products can be designed with greater circularity and less single use, this can make a real difference. Can products be made with new materials reducing single use plastic, or could a disposable product be made more useful?

• Waste is an obvious area to examine in a business and it is surprising how enterprising some are about sharing their “rubbish” with customers and recycling to create a circular economy. Could your business develop a collection or distribution point for useful waste? Educating customers about your brand sustainability values can help them feel part of your community and get them involved.

• Packaging reduction, or innovation, is an exciting area where new developments are happening all the time – a dispenser instead of many small bottles, a move from plastic to paper, reusable items, or packaging that can be repurposed for something else once its first use is complete.