October 22, 2013. Sverdlovsk Region Business Support Fund by now stopped accepting applications for upgrades and leasing subsidies. The money is allocated within the framework of the state-run SME support program that offers over 30 different support mechanisms, the Fund’s press service reports.

205 leasing subsidy applications were submitted by entrepreneurs from Yekaterinburg, Kachkanar, Kamensk-Uralsky, Verkhnyaya Pyshma, Novouralsk, and other local towns during the second selection round. Also, the fund received 102 upgrades compensation applications, most of which came from Beloyarsky, Alapayevsk, and Sysert. All in all, the Fund is planning to direct 43m RUR to subsidize modernization and 47m RUR to subsidize leasing operations.

The maximum one can get to purchase new equipment with production upgrade in mind is 10m RUR; the maximum one can get to support one’s advance payment on a leasing contract is 10m RUR if the company employs 30 people or more and 3m RUR if the company employs under 30 people.

The results of the first round of the application process were announced in early September, and it was decided to allocate a total of 474m RUR worth of subsidies for upgrades and 51m RUR worth of leasing subsidies. All in all, 615m RUR were allocated from Sverdlovsk Region’s and the federal budget, so the second round of the application process was announced to distribute the rest.