The RDAs approach to economic development is primarily business–led. This is for one simple reason: high performing, innovative businesses are the key to generating economic wealth.

Whether addressing under–performance or building on success to help businesses compete against the best in the world, each RDA has its own business development priorities based on their Regional Economic Strategy. The RDAs promote enterprise activity, support business growth and competitiveness, attract inward investment, foster innovation and scientific advance and help create the right skills to match local business needs.

Over the past five years, the RDAs have created or safeguarded over half a million jobs, helped set up or attract 56,300 new businesses and assisted 1,265,940 people develop their skills. From 2005, the RDAs have also helped 124,000 people to get a job and helped 364,650 businesses improve their performance.

Read examples of RDA activity on enterprise & business, innovation and skills or visit your RDA.

Business Support

The RDAs manage the Business Link service — the primary access channel for business support and advice. If you are considering starting a business or are already involved in a business and you want further information about any of the services below, contact Business Link. The RDAs are working with national and local government through the Business Support Simplification Programme to ensure that all business support services are easy to access, represent value for money and are of direct benefit businesses. Over 95% of the users of the Business Link service have or would be willing to recommend the Business Link service to others.

They are also working with regional partners to improve access to finance for start ups and growing businesses. If you are a small or medium sized business (SME), the best place for you to find out what funding is available for your specific business is to contact your local Business Link. Funding through Select Finance for Regional investment is also available for businesses that are looking at the possibility of investing in disadvantaged areas, but need financial help to go ahead.

RDAs also invest in internationally competitive sectors in their regions. They invest in cluster strategies which link groups of organisations in related industries to develop higher value activity, improve productivity and identify future growth opportunities.

Access to Finance. The RDAs are working with regional partners to improve access to finance for start ups and growing businesses. If you are a small or medium sized business (SME), the best place for you to find out what funding is available for your specific business is to contact your local Business Link

Delivering manufacturing excellence

The RDAs support the Manufacturing Advisory Service, which has proven to be very successful in delivering hand–on advice and assistance from experts across manufacturing disciplines. From 2002-07, MAS has generated over £460 million in value-added for client firms.

Inspiring an entrepreneurial culture

New businesses create competition, which leads to greater innovation and productivity. The RDAs set targets in their regional economic strategies to raise the number of business start–ups and generate a vibrant entrepreneurial culture through their activities. The strategies focus on raising the level of start–ups from underrepresented groups such as women, some black and minority ethnic groups and people with disabilities and in disadvantaged areas, as well as supporting high growth start–ups and the formation of social enterprises.

Science and Innovation

RDAs encourage innovation across the regions providing specialist advice and increasing collaboration between universities and the business community.

Companies of all sizes can all apply for assistance to support the research and development of new products, systems and processes to encourage innovation.

Inward investment

RDAs are directly involved in attracting inward investment and helping businesses develop new markets. Successful overseas marketing, in collaboration with partners such as UK Trade and Investment, is adding value to high growth business sectors.

Regional Skills Partnerships

RDAs have a key role in ensuring that training, education and skills development is meeting the needs of employers and individuals. This will ensure that each region remains competitive and that businesses have the skilled and motivated workforce they need to be productive. RDAs achieve success by working with other key partners through the Regional Skills Partnership (RSP).

Regional Response to Economic Shocks

In response to economic shocks, such as the devastating flooding and the foot & mouth outbreak seen this summer, RDAs assess the needs of business and establish emergency recovery schemes to help businesses remain viable in the immediate period following the shock. Regional flood response

For further information