grant business plan uk

Small Business UK

Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

Applying for a small business grant – everything you need to know

Funding call: here's what you need to know about applying for a small business grant

We'll take you through what type of small business grant you should apply for, how to prepare and how to increase your chance of success.

How to successfully apply for and spend a grant can be confusing for small business owners, especially those who are new to the world of grant funding.

Grants come from a variety of sources: public sector, private sector, universities and the government, to name a few. In fact, there are over 100 government grants available for small businesses UK-wide.

As most of the business population is made up of smaller companies, funding is in high demand.

In a challenging funding landscape, cash-strapped small businesses are looking externally for this much needed funding. The latest SME Finance Survey found that 19 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses are looking to apply for government or local government grant funding in the next 12 months, making up the largest share of those applying for external funding.

To get you on your way to securing your grant, we’ll be exploring how to decide what to spend your grant on and how to maximise your chances of success. Alternatively, you can hop to the section that’s of most interest to you.

What types of grants are there for small businesses?
Where do I find the right grants for my small business?
What type of grant should I apply for?
How to decide what to spend your grant money on
How to increase your chances of success
Preparing for your grant application
The reality behind winning a grant
What you could spend £2,500 on
Alternatives to grants

Public sector: Grants that are controlled and funded by the government.

Private sector: Provided by firms that are not affiliated with the government and are privately owned.

Local council/local authority: Provided by your local council or local authority with a view to creating jobs, high street regeneration, support during difficult periods or making environmentally friendly improvements to your business.

University: Grants supplied by universities for current and ex-students, usually for an innovation project with a research element.

Competitions: Competitions are run to give small businesses the chance to win a grant. Winners are selected based on a set of criteria or can be selected at random.

“It was an angel investor in the business who first sent me the link talking about the Xero Beautiful Business Fund,” said Layla Sargent, founder of The Seam , a platform that puts customers in touch with makers who can repair or tailor their clothing. “I then ended up meeting with her a couple of days later, and we spoke about it again. On the same day that I met with her, another friend of mine sent me the application as well. Then a couple of days afterward another friend sent me the application. In total, I received it from six different people.” The fact that she’d received it from so many contacts made it a no-brainer for her.

Sargent also contacts her network of entrepreneurs to find out if anyone else has experience of a particular grant and, more often than not, someone has applied for it before so can give her some pointers.

Though grant applications can be time consuming and off-putting, sometimes you just know that a grant is right for you and your business. Maybe it’s that it aligns with your values – like it did for Sargent – or perhaps it’s just a feeling or a practicality.

“I’d like to say that for each grant, we review them through a really structured process and we weigh up the pros and cons and the time that it should take and all of these things, but that wouldn’t be truthful. Instead, it’s much more instinctual,” she said. “[The Xero fund application] was also very short, which is important, because I’ve looked at so many funding grants and prize competition applications. When it’s long paragraphs of text, it can be really overwhelming and off-putting, whereas the Xero application was a video application and it was just 60 seconds long.”

You can see The Seam’s application video here

Do some research and find out if the company or body hosting the fund aligns with your values. “Last year we won the eBay Circular Fashion Fund. We decided to focus on that, because we understood that eBay’s intentions on a much broader level are aligned with The Seam.”

Sargent has email marketing for different industry publications, where they announce lots of funding, which helps a lot. She also follows government pages where they announce different types of grant funding. “I keep an ongoing list,” she said. “Lots of grants and competitions and funds are done on an annual basis. I try to just add to it every time I see something new come up.” She tries to stay as connected as possible, without drowning yourself in information. “Stay pinpointed in terms of the people that you follow – stay industry focused when it comes to email newsletters, for example,” she advised.

Anna Morrish, founder and MD of marketing agency, Quibble , had her network behind her in finding a grant after a long struggle. “It was a colleague and a friend of mine that told me about it said, ‘You want to try and grow the business. Is there anything that would be relevant for you as a service-based grant?’” There are other things she could have invested in, but it made sense for the business at the time.

In summary:

Stay in touch with your entrepreneur network
Research the funder’s values. Are they in line with yours?
Keep up with email newsletters and government funding pages
Find what you can, even if it’s not your primary funding project/goal

Have a think about what your business goals are and how much money you need. Remember that you don’t need to be wedded to one type of grant.

“We did apply for a mix of grants,” said Andrine Mendez, co-founder of GoPlugable , an app that lets people rent out their home electric car charging points to those living in shared accommodation. “Some of the university grants were more accessible, because you’re a student with an idea that you want to work on.” Queen’s [College, Belfast – where he and his co-founder studied] had a lot of programmes within the campus which supported these kinds of things. The other grants were based in Northern Ireland. Tech Start, which is funded by Invest in It allows businesses with an idea for a project to apply and there are different kinds of grants. There is a grant where you would validate your idea, which is £10,000. If you get that, the next stage is a £35,000 grant. “We actually got both, so it worked in our favour,” he said.

He added that depending on what business you’re in, there are a lot of government and local council grants that will be running programmes or competitions which small businesses are eligible for. “The competitions are called the cherry in the cake because you get the money upfront. As long as your business stands out and you have a business case, you get that money,” he said.

“I would say most of the grants and competitions are very upfront on their specifications. They tell you specifically what they’re looking for. There’s some fine print to read before you apply, for sure. When you’re applying for any form grants, look into that fine print – what exactly are the looking for?” he added.

Knowing where your business fits can narrow down an overwhelming search for funding. “We are a technology company. We know we fit into these grants. We are in the green tech mobility space, so there are a lot of conversations around that,” said Mendez. “If you’re a service company, or you’re selling something online, or you’re a traditional brick and mortar business, you need to understand which pockets you fit into.

“The competitions are called the cherry in the cake because you get the money upfront” Andrine Mendez

“If you look at any regions, there’ll always be those pockets. For example, there might be certain areas within the UK whose focus is only on marketplace businesses, or who only focus on female-led business, who focus on ecommerce businesses. Always try to latch on to those areas, try to leverage that expertise.”

He also advises you to find a mentor. “That’s my definite go-to strategy, because you might find someone who has done something similar to what you’re trying to do. They’ve tried and tested things, so they will know ins and outs. Entrepreneurs like to help. Don’t be hesitant, don’t be shy, reach out to people and say, ‘I need help’. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

Extra support and ease may be a bigger driver for your grant, as Sargent explains:

“If there are prizes or competitions that are associated with corporations within your industry, or link to your industry, then prioritise these ones,” she said. “As well as the cash, they also can offer you strategic partnerships, introductions, guidance. So there are a lot of them, and a lot of competitions from large corporations. I would definitely prioritise these types of applications more than others.”

Establish your business goals
Remember that you can mix and match grant types
Read the fine print
Know which categories your business fits into
Prioritise prizes and competitions that link to your industry
Find a mentor

It helps to have a specific project in mind that will improve your business. This could be improving your IT, hiring a new member of staff or developing a new product.

In the Xero competition, Sargent’s category was called Upskilling for the Future. “Inevitably, there are always going to be so many angles of the business and so much happening. But actually, the fund or the judges don’t want to particularly know about everything that your business is doing,” she said.

Bear in mind that you might be limited by industry, finances, geography, and more – location held back Morrish’s company, Quibble, based in Uppingham. “Usually, I struggled in the area that we were based in and it always seems to be on the county. [The grant] might be in Lincolnshire, or it will cover Leicestershire or Cambridge – we always get left out,” she said. “The grant I applied for was all about upskilling. There are a number of courses and online courses that our team were interested in. I was also looking at the time to get a mentor to try and get the company up to the next level. I was able to include the design of our new website which we’re in the process of building at the moment, with the design created externally. It was a 50 per cent [match funded] grant fund, so we had to pay 50 per cent and then they would fund the other 50 per cent.”

As mentioned earlier, a friend had come to her suggesting a grant as it might help her to grow her business. “As we’re left out on so many occasions, I thought that we might as well go for it and see if we get something. Something is going to be better than nothing, even if it’s a case of just being able to upskill the team. You don’t know unless you try these things,” she said.

So, what should fellow small businesses focus on? “It depends on what goals they have. Every grant has asked for results. For ours, they said, ‘You must be looking at hiring somebody’, so at least one additional person. Then they asked for various results afterwards, because they’re looking to your financials,” she told Small Business. “They only want to fund companies that have either been going for a certain amount of time so that they can see that there’s actually some financial growth there.”

Be specific about what you want to use funding for
Sometimes what you spend your money on can be restricted by location, industry or finances
Remember to honour what the funder is looking for

Grant applications can be taxing on a founder and their small business, taking their time and energy away from growing and nurturing their company. Never fear: there are ways around the practical side of applying.

Mendez found that, over time, applications have similar questions. After a few applications, it becomes a document, copy and paste job. “Between two founders, we have a document stored which has all these questions and all the answers,” he said. “We just grab it from there and go in.”

It also helps to find out which other companies got these grants, which is a good reference point to compare yourself to that business and figure out whether there’s a chance that you could get it.

“You need to have a good business model or a good idea, but you also need to have a story – it will attract that conversation,” said Mendez. “For us it’s about the team and the people behind it. What worked in our favour is that we had that background as students. My colleague was an engineering graduate, a female lead, which has a story of its own.”

How much you push the story out there counts as well. GoPlugable has invested a lot of time and money into having press and media interactions. “If you talk about the brand, or a person, chances are that the people who are going to read your application have already seen you, In its way, it’s validation,” he said.

Finally, get out there and meet these people if you can. “Whenever we apply for a grant, we don’t just wait for them to come back – we might reach out to those people, go back to them on LinkedIn and say that we’ve applied and we’re really curious or anxious about this thing. Don’t be pesky, but ask for help, be known,” said Mendez.

Of course, it’s useful to hear from the other side of the table. Small Business spoke to Alex Schirmeister, managing director of Xero UK & EMEA, and judge on the Xero Beautiful Business Fund competition, to find out more.

“It’s really tough out there for small businesses at the moment, so grants are an invaluable resource to help support their growth and innovation. We know how difficult it is to run a business, which is why we launched Xero’s Beautiful Business Fund to support small businesses in areas they want to grow, without having to endure the high cost of borrowing.

“Above all, we want to see applicants showcase passion and personality. Genuine enthusiasm really resonates with the judging panel. Likewise, sharing the personal story behind the business adds authenticity and can help your application stand out.

“Grants usually come with specific focuses, such as job creation, community enablement, innovation or sustainability – filling the gaps that traditional lenders don’t cover. Competition is high for grants, so my advice would be to do your research and select grants that fit your business ambitions – giving you more time to create a standout application.

“It’s also crucial to be clear what the funding will be used for and how this aligns with the chosen grant category. Not including this makes it really hard for the judges to understand what impact the grant would have, regardless of how great the rest of the application is.”

Have a bank of answers that you can use for multiple grant applications
Find out which other companies secured this grant to see if you could have a decent chance of winning it
Have a good story behind your business
Get in touch with the media to get your story out there
Reach out to funders if possible
Show passion and personality in your application
Apply for appropriate grants and be clear on how you’ll spend the money

At this stage it’s crucial to have your numbers sorted out. Your financials, as Morrish says, should be watertight. Your business plan should be solid too. Morrish didn’t have a business plan, so she had to get one together in a fairly quick fashion to make her grant application.

If you know anyone who has applied for this grant before, it’s time to get in contact. “We’ve worked with a number of clients that have went through the same grant that we did,” she said. “Luckily, because we’d already done it, we were able to assist them and say, ‘This is the stuff that is probably going to impact you the most’. If you don’t know the ins and outs, and the details in the recommendations, you might end up claiming for the wrong thing,” she said.

Also, if you haven’t done so already, establish how much funding you’re going for. Morrish says that the main problem she sees with other small businesses is that they go for too much grant funding. “At the end of the day, you still have to invest that money in your business, and you have to pay upfront as well,” she said. “When we applied for our grant, we had to say, ‘Okay, we’ve paid all this money, here are the receipts, now give us that money back’. We had to pay everybody that we were working with, in full, and then claim it back. You need to make sure that you’ve got that cash available and fluid, but also that you’re not asking for too much so that if that does happen, you’re not going to go bust.”

Have your financials sorted out
Have a business plan
Get in touch with a business that’s applied for this grant before to get help
Be careful about how much funding you apply for

So, you’ve secured grant funding. Fantastic! However, if you haven’t done your preparation, you may find yourself in a tough spot. This is especially true for match-funded grants.

“I’ve heard of people, I don’t know them personally, getting this grant money, and failing to meet the criteria and having to give it back,” said Morrish. “Then all of a sudden, you get this big bill at the end of it, because you’ve not fulfilled the criteria for the grant. It’s not just a case of free money. It’s so that you can grow your business, so you can create opportunities for people and grow the business and actually make a difference.”

Having the match funding is a non-negotiable, as Diane Gilpin, founder of Smart Green Shipping , knows all too well. As her business designs wind-powered shipping solutions, she applies for research and development (R&D) grants for the most part. The company has applied for funding from Innovate UK, the European Space Agency, and from Europe Horizon.

“I found grant applications very difficult initially as a small business owner, because I wasn’t able to get everything down to however many characters or words they needed it to be,” she told Small Business. “It was much more difficult for me to be succinct about it because I’m thinking everything is really important.”

Now she puts the questions into a PowerPoint presentation, then limits the number of bullet points that she can have in PowerPoint for each question. Then she can move the bullet points around. Like Mendez, she noticed a pattern within applications. “Generally, the first question is a bit of an overview, and then there’s a drill down,” she said.

The last grant that she applied for was an Innovate UK technology demonstrator. “I capitulated and then I spent however many dark nights doing all-nighters – but it was worth it because we won the grant,” she said. As Gilpin points out, most small business owners don’t do a lot of these types of applications. Universities and the larger blue-chip companies do, so they have a better eye for what will be successful. “You have to be very forensic about how your business does fit into the scope of the call. Otherwise, you can waste a lot of money,” she said.

The funding process tends to involve a briefing before Gilpin puts the questions in the PowerPoint, referring to the advisory notes from the organisers of the call to make sure she has all of the essential information in her application. “It will take me 10 days in total,” she said.

“It’s like filling in tax returns, squared” Diane Gilpin

However, 10 days is a lot of time for a small business owner to take out. The time limit to apply adds all the more pressure. “They’ll put the call up on October 1, and you have to have it in by mid-November. You’ve got six weeks. You’ve got to use that 10 days whilst doing the other work, which is why you end up having to do a few all-nighters, which is really difficult.”

The key challenge is the rarity of 100 per cent funding grants and it can be difficult to demonstrate that you have the match funding. “There is an assumption on the government side which says we give you a significant chunk of the project costs in a grant, it will be easy to get the balancing investment – and it isn’t,” said Gilpin.

She thinks that there should be more connection with what the likely impact is of the product or the service that you’re developing through the grant. “People are saying we’re looking for projects that are going to address the climate emergency, but then they still fund you in a very ‘cash return’ kind of way. That’s the price, so how much return on investment there will be is the primary driver, even though it’s framed as being climate emergency stuff.”

All of this can be extremely off-putting for small businesses without the time and resources to deal the application and maintenance. It certainly has been for Smart Green Shipping: “The key reason why we have decided not to apply for funds has been around cashflow. We’re a small company and all of the working capital comes from our savings or personal pension funds. We win a grant for £4m, which is 70 per cent of the project costs, we managed to find the match funding, but we don’t get paid any of the grant funding until we’ve spent it.

“So, we are spending £1m a quarter, say. We have to pay that then we have to make an application to the government to pay the 70 per cent of the grant back. And however long that takes, that’s money out of our bank account. So effectively, we’re bank rolling the government,” said Gilpin. “They try to be quite prompt, but you might make an application around Christmas or Easter, and quite a lot of the civil servants who are processing it are all on holiday. There isn’t anybody that can pick it up. Just normal stuff. And I don’t think there’s any awareness within the funding bodies. That really exposes an SME, that’s really painful.”

Being a name in the tech and innovation space has been advantageous for Gilpin, but she has greater concerns for younger entrepreneurs. “I’m thinking of a young university start-up – they’re great scientists or they’re great technicians. And they go, ‘We’ve got £700,000’ and then the reality hits you. When the first quarter comes along, there’s not enough money in the bank to pay the bills. Then you have to go and borrow money at a high interest rate. Then you’re spending tons of time on the admin and finance. The project gets away from you,” she said. “That’s the biggest issue that needs to be highlighted for small businesses. I’ve seen lots of small businesses tumble at that and we’ve nearly done it.”

The first project that Smart Business Shipping got funding for was £100,000 and they got a £70,000 grant. They had to show the funders that they could get £30,000 out of their private savings. But it doesn’t stop there, as Gilpin explains:

“After you’ve won the award, there’s a presumption that you’re trying to diggle the government, that you’re not genuine. It just seems like that. So everything that you send in is gone through with a fine tooth comb. I mentioned the 70 per cent. We put in a claim, but they want to see all of your finances, which is reasonable, because they want to make sure you’re not going to go belly up any minute.

“You fill in a form about the 70 per cent, but you give them the accountants’ report for the 100 per cent. So, in the 30 per cent, where the advertising bid was, there was a £1 discrepancy. Now we’ve spent, £1m say, and we’re making our application for the 70 per cent of that to be paid back. So that’s £700,000. We send in the documents – £700,000 – all perfectly legitimate. For a £1 discrepancy, they made us do the entire accountants report again. We have a very, very good accountant who turned it around because it has to be independent. You have to pay for it. We got on to them, and they did it in a week.”

For businesses who are trying to get funding for a project, this can be incredibly deflating. “It just feels like you’re forever justifying the fact that you’re existing, you’re having to demonstrate that you will not be cheating,” said Gilpin. “It feels like an asymmetric relationship, it feels like we’re begging them for money. They seem to be trying to catch us out all the time, which is what I refer to it as the ‘gotcha’ thing.”

So, what advice does she have for small businesses applying for match funding? “Go in with your eyes wide open. There are some good bits about it. I think if you are a small business, there are grants that are useful and there are grants that are less useful. You have to be very selective about what you choose.”

She advises against bid writers because they’re expensive and don’t know your business as well as you do.

“Look at when the cash comes in so that you have the ability to manage it – I think that’s the biggest danger,” she added. “And be aware of the amount of administrative requirement you’ve got in order to get to unlock the money. Finding the investment, and then reporting monthly or quarterly is very time consuming, producing accountants, reports, filling in all of the funding application. It’s like filling in tax returns, squared.”

For this reason, it might be worth going for a smaller grant or a competition, especially if it’s your first one. Layla Sargent commented that the Xero competition didn’t require as much reporting, but you may have to agree to media appearances as a prize winner.

Be sure you can raise funds for a match-funded grant
Put your application questions into PowerPoint and limit to bulletpoints for brevity
Deadlines are tight. Make sure you have enough time to devote to it
You may have to rely on personal finances to demonstrate match funding
An accountant will be useful
It’s a long and deflating process. Ensure you know the implications before you apply. Another type of grant may be more suitable if you are at an earlier stage in your business

With a £2,500 grant, you could:

Boost your marketing strategy
Create or revamp your website
Install energy efficient lights
Introduce sustainable technologies
Accessibility improvements
Expand into a new market
Purchase equipment
Improve your shopfront
Get freelance support

Small Business Pro, our all-in-one solution, can save you time and money as well as offering peer support and the chance to win a monthly £2,500 grant. It will also help with the heavy lifting of managing customers, taking payments, insurance, finance and HR, plus you’ll get a host of personal wellbeing benefits.

You can find out more about Small Business Pro here .

If you’re rethinking grants and considering alternatives, you’ve got a few options:

Equity finance (such as SEIS and EIS ) is worth a look, as are loans, purchase order finance or trade credit (a short-term unsecured debt).

Mendez suggests crowdfunding – if it’s suitable for your business. “Is it a business which customers or people who might use it might want to fund it upfront? That’s a pretty huge way of raising money these days,” he said. “Second, there might be some form of angel funding. The UK obviously has a lot of these instruments to help entrepreneurs or start-ups raise money through angel investors.”

Gilpin puts in another vote for angel investors . “They have been amazing. It’s not always easy to get that, but we have met some fabulous people who have been really supportive of us. That’s the best money to get if you can get it, because you will get input from those people as well. They’ve done it several times, so they will advise you.”

Anna Jordan

Anna is Senior Reporter, covering topics affecting SMEs such as grant funding, managing employees and the day-to-day running of a business. More by Anna Jordan

Small business grants

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Uk small business grants: what are they and how do i apply.

Getting a grant application accepted is an exciting prospect for small businesses. Moreover, unlike other forms of funding such a bank loan, the money from a small business grant does not need to be paid back.

Small business grants are generally funded by the government or the private sector. They are usually set up to tackle a particular issue, such as revitalising a neglected area or promoting British innovation . For start-ups and small businesses alike it’s important to understand the reasons why grants are being offered in order to write a convincing application.

You’ll need to invest some time to find a grant that’s right for your start-up or small business. Start with our guide and save yourself a few hours.

We’ll define what a small business grant is, show you a range of available grants as well as offer you advice on how to apply.

Here’s What We’ll Cover:

What’s the Difference Between a Small Business Grant and Loan?

Covid-19 government support grants, what small business grants are there for young people, apprenticeship grants, new enterprise allowance, grants for start-ups, government grants, country specific grants, how do i apply for small business grants in the uk, are there any potential disadvantages to applying for a small business grant in the uk, how to use the uk government search tool to find your small business grant.

A small business grant does not have to be repaid, which is why they’re so popular with businesses. However some grants do have certain criteria you’ll have to adhere to such as agreeing to invest an equivalent amount yourself or designating what you can spend the money on, for example.

A small business loan on the other hand must be repaid in full. Your lender gives you an up-front lump sum which you then agree to repay in instalments. This is usually a monthly payment including interest, with potential penalties being imposed should you default on the pre-arranged repayment schedule.

HMRC has put a range of different support packages in place to financially support businesses during their COVID-19 recovery. It can be tricky to work out which option applies to your business because of the sheer volume of different schemes and the fact that they’re regularly changing. HMRC’s free online tool ‘Find Coronavirus Support’ is a good place to start.

HMRC organise their support by what you need help with. These support options apply to every UK country, unless otherwise specified.

What Do You Need Help With?

Paying your employees: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Paying sick pay: Check if you can claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Paying tax:

Pay VAT deferred due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Making your Self Assessment payments including Class 2 National Insurance contributions
If you cannot pay your tax bill on time

Business rates relief:

Northern Ireland

Support for businesses of any size : Recovery Loan Scheme

Support for businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions:

Check if you’re eligible for a coronavirus Restart Grant
Check if you’re eligible for the coronavirus Additional Restrictions Grant

Self employed: Self Employed Income Support Scheme grants

The above information represents the current availability of the UK government’s financial support for businesses in June 2021. However, it’s worth checking HMRC’s Business Support page regularly for updated and new information.

Some grants are specifically designed with young people in mind. For example, the Prince’s Trust Enterprise scheme helps 18-30 year olds take their great idea and turn it into a business.

There is a whole programme of business mentorship, and the opportunity to apply for a cash grant to help with start-up costs. The amount of grant funding has been set to a maximum of £5,000. The Prince’s Trust has a proven track record with 86,000 young people having been helped by their Enterprise scheme so far.

This is just one example of the sort of financial support you can apply for as a young person with an idea for a small business. There are so many others, for example:

UnLtd : “finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs”. Their Start-up awards will be most interesting to younger people, as you’re eligible from the age of 16.
Spaces 4 Change : Helps young people repurpose under-used or empty spaces into new, valuable social ventures.
Shell LiveWIRE : “strengthens local economies across the globe by promoting entrepreneurship and developing entrepreneurs”. And if you’re aged between 16 and 30 years old, you’re eligible for up to £5,000.

The size of the grant awarded by the Prince’s Trust is typical of other grants in the same category. Secondary schools, colleges and universities across the UK are all good sources of information about what’s available in your area.

The government incentivises businesses to take on apprentices by offering £1,000 to employers who recruit apprentices who are either 16-18 years old, or under 25 and have been in local authority care or who have an education, health and care plan.

Training and Assessment Funding

If your annual wage bill is under £3million, then you don’t pay the Apprenticeship Levy and can apply for training and assessment funding for your apprentices. This means that the government pays 95% of these costs and you pay 5%. Access to these funds is different depending on where you live in the UK:

New Apprentice Bonus

You can also claim an additional £3,000 for new apprentices that start between 1st April 2021 and 30th September 2021.

The government’s new enterprise allowance is a weekly allowance of up to £1,274 over 26 weeks, for people aged over 18 years old and on benefits. The allowance is designed to help benefit claimants start their own business as well as supporting those on Universal Credit who may already be self-employed to further develop their business.

You must meet one of two criteria:

You receive income support and are disabled, sick or a single parent
You (or your partner) receive employment and support allowance, jobseekers’ allowance or Universal Credit

Along with this government grant, you also get a business mentor to help you get back into work by developing your own small business.

You can talk through your business concept with your Job Centre Plus work coach and check your eligibility for the New Enterprise Allowance through your Universal Credit account .

Most of the grants for small businesses are aimed at new businesses.

In many ways, this can make for quite an overwhelming process for a new business owner. You can narrow it down a bit by the industry you’re in.

For example, the National Lottery provides grants through the National Lottery Heritage Fund . These fund different types of projects connected to the UK landscape and natural heritage.

One such programme is the Local Places for Nature grant which is “for capital projects in Wales that will acquire, restore and enhance nature”. This is location-specific, as grants are only for projects in Wales. And they are worth between £10,000 and £50,000. As a small start-up business, that’s a considerable amount of funding to support your launch.

UK small business grants and funding can be found by looking geographically. You can search UK-wide using GOV.UK’s ‘ Finance and support for your business ‘ page. This lists all the different local financial support available across the UK for new businesses, as well as small- and medium-sized businesses. This includes business start-up grants, government grants, and other financial support to help you to grow your business.

It’s such a great time-saver, definitely worth being your first port of call when you go on your hunt for the best grants available to your business.

More on how this works, with an example search, in the final section.

Small Business Grants in England

Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are business “growth hubs” in England. There are 38 in total, and they’re designed to provide business support and help on a local scale. They are a partnership between your local authority and the private sector. If you live in England, find your local LEP and ask them to help you find local grants available to your small business.

Small Business Grants in Northern Ireland

Enterprise Ireland explains what grants are available for start-ups and established businesses in Northern Ireland.

Small and medium sized businesses in Northern Ireland can apply for grants that match Enterprise Ireland’s main funding requirements.

They look at:

Whether the company has received business support from them before
What region the business is based in
To what extent the project needs the grants available
The potential of the project to encourage job creation and sales growth

Start-ups in Northern Ireland might also be eligible for its High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) Companies support. This is funding for new businesses that have “the potential to develop an innovative product or service for sale on international markets and the potential to create 10 jobs and €1m in sales within three years of starting up”.

Small Business Grants in Scotland

The Scottish Government has a very well organised list of the grants available exclusively in Scotland. The range of government grants available for small businesses is quite extensive.

Scottish government grants are available in a variety of industries, but they are all usually determined by three main drivers.

You have a small business that:

Will bring social or economic benefits, for example creating jobs
Works on collaborative projects leading to new technology or ideas
Focuses on research and development

You need to keep these overarching aims in mind when you apply for grants in Scotland.

Small Business Grants in Wales

The Welsh Government has a free tool called a Finance Locator which helps people find business start-up grants, small business grants and other financial support. It asks you to enter:

Business structure
Business type
How many employees you have
How established your business is
Business location (region of Wales)
What you plan to use the money for

All are drop-down, multi-choice menus to make it easier. You are then presented with a list of finance options at a local, regional and national level. This isn’t just grants though – loans and other options are included.

Whether you’re a new business or have been up and running for a decade, you need to treat each business grant application with care. The application process will vary, depending on the details of each grant.

Here we’ve got four helpful tips for you, which apply across the board.

Grant application Dos and Don’ts:

Do Pay Attention to the Objectives of the Grant

Really consider the aim of the grant. Maybe even phone the providers and have a chat to gain more understanding. This money is being given to you for free, but the providers aren’t just there to kindly help UK businesses. They want to see action.

That might mean new products, or research and development in a particular area. Whatever the grant’s objectives are must become the focus for your grant application. Demonstrate you understand them by how you word your pitch. Highlight that you share their values.

Do Show How the Money Will Be Used

Explain exactly what you’re going to do with the money you’ve been awarded and answer the question ‘So what?’.

For example, you own a bakery that mainly uses local produce. You’re going to open additional premises in a neighbouring village with the grant money. So what?

You’ll grow your business, support other local businesses further and employ local villagers. And that’s just the start. Really spell it out. Show that you’ve thought about your own business, but also about how it’s benefiting others—either in a business or community sense. Refer back to the original aims of the grant fund itself.

Do Connect Your Business Plan to the Funding

You’ll be expected to include a top-notch business plan with your application. That includes start-up costs, cash flow, and any funding requirements connected to the grant’s eligibility criteria. At least this bit won’t be tricky with FreshBooks’ financial reports and balance sheet ready and waiting for you.

Don’t Wait Until the Deadline

The earlier you get your small business grant application in, the more likely you are to be successful. Although they may have a deadline, they don’t wait until then to start allocating the money. Most close applications early if the pot is empty.

Also, the longer grant funding is available, the more other businesses will hear about it and become your competition. So if you find a grant that perfectly matches your business, prioritise the application.

This is a very important question to ask before you start looking for a small business grant. You need to weigh up all the pros and cons.

These are the main disadvantages to UK small business grant funding:

Time: Finding the right grant and filling in the application both need a substantial amount of your time. If you feel that the potential for free investment is worth it, you need to schedule the grant search and paperwork into your existing diary.
Clashes with other areas of finance: As an established small business enterprise, you’ll need to think about your financial position holistically and make sure that grant funding wouldn’t have a negative impact. For example, how it interacts with R&D tax relief or other sources of investment. It’s wise to discuss this with your accountant before making a final decision.
Competition: Any business grants and funding opportunities are extremely competitive, especially if they’re well publicised. Whatever you apply for, despite the hassle of the application procedure, you will be up against a number of other businesses competing over the same business grant.

Unfortunately, lots of businesses miss out on grant money they could have applied for. It’s a great cash boost that you never have to give back so, despite these disadvantages, it’s really worth considering.

The UK government makes the search for your perfect grant a lot easier by collecting all the government funding together into one list called ‘ Finance and support for your business ’.

This is updated constantly and, at the time of writing, shows 166 schemes that you might be eligible for.

You can narrow your search in five different ways:

Type of Support:
Expertise and advice
Recognition awards
Business Stage
Not yet trading
Start-up, 1-2 years
Established
Industry: Choose which sector your business belongs to
Number of Employees
Region: choose one of the 10 English regions or Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales

For example, this is the search result for grant funding, for start-up businesses, with between 0 and 9 employees, in the whole of the UK. There are 55 opportunities in all – are you eligible?

AD:VENTURE – Leeds City Region
Agri-tech Cornwall – Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Arts University Bournemouth Innovation Vouchers
Be inspired at Staffordshire University
Business advice and masterclasses – East of England
Business Development Grant Scheme – Scarborough
Business Growth Grant – Leicestershire
Business Growth Programme 2 – Greater Birmingham & Solihull
Business Growth Programme 2 – The Marches
Business loans, grants and funding – Scotland
Business Solutions – South West England
Business start-up grant scheme – Mansfield
Civic Improvement Fund (ECIF) – Elmbridge
Conservation grant scheme – Howardian Hills
Coventry and Warwickshire Green Business Programme
CRACK IT – Challenges
D2N2 Capital Growth Fund
DigitalCity Accelerator Programme – Tees Valley
DRIVEN – ESF High Level Skills programme
Energy Efficiency Grant – Greater Manchester
Energy for Business – Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Future Focus – Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) – UK
Grants for business growth – Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire
Green BELLE – Leicestershire
Heavy Duty Vehicle Fund
Heritage Enterprise (HE) – UK
Horizon Europe funding
Innovate UK – grant funding, innovation loans and expert support
Innovate UK EDGE
Invest in – Nottingham
Invest to Grow
Key Fund – Midlands and the North of England
Low Carbon Dorset
Low Carbon Workspaces – Hertfordshire
Low Carbon Workspaces – Berkshire
Low Carbon Workspaces – Buckinghamshire
NBV Grant for Enterprise
North East Ambition
North of Tyne Growth Fund
Northern Ireland Business Support Finder
PNE Enterprise – business support service – North East England
Proof of concept funding – Worcestershire
Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk – England
Small Growth Grants for Dorset
South East Creatives (SECCADS)
Staffordshire Business Funding
Sustainable Development Fund – Howardian Hills
TALE (Transport and Logistical Efficiencies)
The Growth Fund
The Hive – North Somerset
The Supplier Skills Programme (SSP)
Tourism grants – Eden

Each listing on the main search page comes with a sentence description that eliminates common confusions. For example, sometimes the identification of a particular place means that it’s only for people with businesses already in that area. And sometimes it indicates that it’s for anybody who’s investing in that area.

Of course, you can use the other search tabs to tailor your research to best suit you. Good luck!

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Knowledge Hub for Growth

A start-up’s guide to small business grants and how to get a grant.

If you conduct a straw poll of would-be UK entrepreneurs about what has stopped them from turning an innovative idea into a new business the answer is often access to funding, or lack of. Similarly, if you ask a thriving small business what is preventing them from scaling up then the answer is often the same; money.

To help you access vital funding for your business, this guide discusses the UK's top small business grant providers and looks at who can access them and how to apply.

Securing your small business’ future

What are small business grants and start-up grants.

They say money is the root of all evil. Finance lawyers don’t agree. Their mantra is that money (or rather a small business grant) is the root of many a successful small business.

A small business grant is provided by a grant holder for a specific business purpose whilst, as the name implies, the start-up grant is designed to help with some of the start-up costs an entrepreneur has to find to turn their business idea into the beginnings of a business.

The point about a small business grant or start-up grant is that it is non-repayable, provided you use the money for the intended purpose. That’s a significant advantage in comparison to bank lending or a loan where capital and interest are re-payable. It’s also an advantage to where an equity investor wants a share of your business in return for start-up or growth capital.

Should I apply for a small business grant?

If it sounds like small business grants are too good to be true, it’s best to be aware that:

The small business grant application process can be complex and time consuming with no guarantee of success at the end. Some, but not all, start-ups say their time would have been better spent in securing bank or equity finance, or in securing sales.
To secure a small business grant most applicant businesses will need to agree to the objectives or goals specified by the grant provider.
You will need a watertight business plan to get the funding.
You will need to meet the conditions of the small business grant. For example, the grant provider may say the money is to be earmarked for developing your product to market whereas you may think the money would be better used elsewhere in the business.
There is normally an ongoing reporting requirement that includes provision of financial statements and projections.

If you aren’t sure which way to turn our finance lawyers specialise in pre-seed and seed funding and can talk you through your options.

Who provides start-up and small business grants?

Start-up grants and small business grant are normally made available by:

Government agencies
Public-sector organisations
A limited number of private-sector organisations for example Unilever
Charitable organisations

For entrepreneurs, it is important to focus the content of your application on what the grant provider is looking for. For example, some organisations offering small business grants or start-up grants want to encourage businesses in an underdeveloped part of the country or among certain demographic groups or in a particular industry sector, such as tech, health innovation or green technologies.

How to find start-up business grants

If you’re looking for either a start-up business grant or loan the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and the government website gov.uk is the best place to start your search.

There is a handy, searchable list of sources of support and funding for start-ups and small businesses. You can filter the list of funding providers by specifying the type of business support you’re looking for, the stage your business is at, your sector, number of employees and your UK region.

If you are based in Wales then take a look at Welsh Government Grants Guidance . If you are in Ireland then Enterprise Ireland offers tips on how to secure grants as well as information on funding for retail, technology, and regional development.

Then there is industry and sector specific help for grants and loans such as the Innovation competitions - Innovation Funding Service .

In addition, here are details of some business support organisations:

The National Enterprise Network
The LEP Network
The Trade Association Forum – providing details of potentially relevant associations where you can get information on sector specific trade associations.
The Prince’s Trust - operates an Enterprise Programme designed to help young entrepreneurs under 30 to start their own small business. The Trust works with the British Business Bank and Start Up Loans Company to enable young people to access start-up funding.
UnLtd helps social entrepreneurs and social enterprise businesses created to address or meet a social or community issue or need. UnLtd provides awards if individual start-ups or social enterprise start-ups and scale-ups meet their eligibility criteria.
Nesta is a specialist organisation that is of interest to social enterprise start-ups and tech. Take a look at their help me innovate page here .
The Wellcome Trust provides grants and awards in biotech, life sciences and research and development. To access help with the search for the right funding take a look at their find a scheme page .

There are plenty of other organisations offering support and grants and often your solicitor or accountant can give you an idea of where to start your search so you can focus your efforts.

How to apply for small business grant

If you are interested in securing a grant, you probably have a few questions about the process, such as: Can I get a grant to start a business? How can I qualify for a small business grant? Can I get a small business grant to grow my business? Are there free government business grants?

The grant application process takes time and energy. It can be frustrating and painfully slow for some applicants but the wait and time spent in tracking down the best small business grant provider for your business idea or to scale up an existing company can be well worth the hard work.

There is no quick solution on how to apply for a small business grant as each entrepreneur has their own innovative business idea and regional base or sector. Whilst it is tempting to shoot off a whole host of grant applications in the hope that one will win, most professional advisors recommend a targeted approach to securing small business grant funding. That means research and discipline.

As each small business grant provider has their own criteria, priorities and processes, it means every grant application has to be tailored to the organisation and the specific criteria. It is amazing how many green start-ups don’t emphasise their green credentials when applying for a small business grant. That’s essential, especially when you do your research and find out how grant applications are assessed. The grant applicant that boasts about its green plans is more likely to get the grant than a grant applicant who assumes grant assessors will know how they plan to operate their business.

The Start Up Loans Company website article How to get a small business government grant also offers helpful practical advice.

In truth, it is a fierce competitive process to get a small business grant but many say it makes sense to try as if you succeed you get a financial boost to help you with your start-up or scale-up. For the losers, many say that they gained valuable lessons in research and focused preparation that then gave them a head start when looking for commercial finance.

The above grants are just a small selection of the funding that’s on offer throughout the UK. Some grants are only available temporarily, so it’s worth checking regularly to see whether one is available to you.

With some research, a little preparation and some good intentions, business owners can raise growth capital without relying on bank finance, equity investment or even friends and family. If you think you could be eligible for a grant, finding out is usually worth the effort.

If you are looking for funding for your start-up or scale-up, you may also be interested in:

How to finance a start-up | Types of start-up funding
How to create the perfect pitch for investors
How to find venture capital investors | VC investors in the UK

If you are grappling with where to start with turning your idea into a business take a look at our commercial legal articles on:

Start-up business structures: advantages and disadvantages
9 types of legal documents you need for start-up success

As champions of entrepreneurship, we’ve built subscription plans and legal services for start-ups that are more accessible than traditional law firms. Wherever you are in your business journey, make sure you seek reliable legal support. Get in touch on 0800 689 1700 , email us at [email protected] , or fill out the short form below with your enquiry.

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Top 226 small business grants & funding programmes in the UK

Discover the right grant for your business with our complete list of private and publicly-funded business grants available to uk businesses.

A person signing a grant application and sending it off via laptop

Business loans and funding options for UK businesses
Business banking: Best banks and accounts for UK businesses

What are small business grants and how do I apply?

One of the primary concern of all entrepreneurs and small businesses is getting hold of funding . Business grants are by far the most attractive source of funding for any new or existing businesses. This because there’s no need to pay it back, there’s no interest to pay, and you don’t have to lose any equity to an investor.

Top 23 business funding sources (Debt, equity & alternative)

14 top sources of funding for businesses.

Cash grants range from hundreds to thousands of pounds, the highest generally reaching up to £500,000. Grants aren’t only cash rewards, many available to SMEs come in the form of vouchers for equipment and tools, reduced costs for vital resources and employment subsidisation.

A wide variety of grants exist for businesses, under both privately and publicly funded schemes. Grants both government and private are usually intended to encourage entrepreneurial activity in the UK to create new jobs and stimulate the UK economy.

While the benefits of a small business grant are second to none, it is worth considering whether a grant is the right funding for you. The application process is usually complex and time-consuming, and you must consider whether you can afford to lose this investment if your application is unsuccessful. It’s worth noting specific sectors lend themselves better to achieving grant funding, namely businesses concerned with innovation, exports or the energy and environment sector, which are key drivers in the UK economy.

This said, business grants can make you huge savings, and/or might be the cash injection you need to get your business off the ground. So, without further ado, here’s our list of 226 private and publicly funded business grants schemes for UK businesses.

1. Princes Trust Grants

The Prince’s Trust grants have provided financial assistance to young entrepreneurs since 1976. They offer an exclusive Enterprise Program that provides funding and mentors to young individuals to help them start their own business. To apply for funding and support, you are required to fill in an online application here .

To be eligible for any support or funding through the Prince Trust, applicants must be 18-30 years old. Previously, funding amounts offered varied from grants of £1,500 to £3,000. Their website doesn’t currently list available funding amounts, so available sums remain unknown.

2. Apprenticeship Grant

Apprenticeship grants support employers in offering work and training to young individuals through the apprenticeship programme. They take 1-4 years to complete and bring together practical training with job-based learning. You can find more information and apply here .

The quantity of funding awarded depends on your business area, and the criteria met, with finance for 16-18-year-olds subsidised at 100%. Generally, under the current scheme if you do not pay the apprenticeship levy (you’d only pay this if your payroll is over £3 million) then you’re eligible to cover 95% of the cost of training and assessing apprentices via government funding. The grant scheme also offers a £1,000 payment incentives for businesses taking on an apprentice aged 16-18 or 19-24 with an EHC plan.

3. Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

After committing in recent years to turn Britain into an entirely fibre based country, the government launched the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme to support the transition. Small local businesses or local communicates can use the scheme to partially, and in some cases entirely, offset the cost of installing a gigabit-capable internet line or connection.

Small businesses can get up to £2,500 in funding to cover the cost of having a Gigabit connection installed locally. You can apply as an individual business or as part of a group. Residents can also apply for up to £500 for the same purpose. Additional funding is available for premises in particularly hard-to-reach places. You can view the full criteria and terms for the grant here . Further to the above local COVID grants are becoming available, particularly in local authority areas for instance the city corporation has just launched a new business recovery fund for the square mile in London ( many local businesses have already started to take advantage of funds and grants schemes like this).

4. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

Though not strictly grant funding, we felt SEIS was highly relevant to this post. SEIS is a tax relief designed to encourage investors to invest in very early-stage startups and businesses in the UK. In essence, investors can claim eligible investment against their tax bill, significantly reducing capital risk. Many professional investors and business angels now require SEIS eligibility before they consider a company. You can apply for SEIS status with HMRC here .

SEIS relief allows investors to claim back up to 78% of their investment through tax relief in the first year, currently up to £100,000. Once companies achieve approved SEIS status, they can show this to investors to attract investment. Companies must then submit a compliance statement to HMRC to be able to issue a compliance certificate to investors, who can then use this certificate to claim their tax reliefs available under SEIS.

5. CRACK IT Challenges

The CRACK IT Challenges represent a fund to support challenge-based competitions, encouraging a partnership between educational organisations and SMEs to solve business and scientific challenges which deliver economic benefits. The challenges promote the rapid researching and commercialisation of new technologies.

The principal funder of the grants scheme is the NC3Rs, who develop the challenges alongside program sponsors. You can find the latest challenges on their website. You can apply for a single-phase challenge, a double stage challenge or even submit a challenge idea. Depending on the challenge contract, the funding award can be up to £1,000,000 over three years.

6. EUREKA Eurostars

The EUREKA Eurostars Programme is a European Union funding project lead locally by Innovate UK. Eurostars grants provide funding for the development and research of innovative services, products or processes. You can work with partners in other European projects to collaborate on funding proposals.

To be eligible for a Eurostars grant, you must be a small to medium-sized business in the UK operating in the tech industry and have the intention of collaborating with other European companies. Large companies can still participate in Eurostars projects, but must self-fund. The Eurostars programme can provide 60% match-funded grants with up to 360,000 euros of funding available.

7. Horizon 2020

This award will be closing in 2020.

Horizon 2020 is a large EU fund of 79 billion euros designed to support SMEs all across Europe. You can access funding calls through some UK government agencies and organisations. You can use the funding to:

create something too enormous to build alone
work with companies throughout a value chain
create access to technology and science
find and draw on the skills and expertise you need
investigate opportunities to test innovative ideas and solutions.

You can find out more about Horizon 2020 and the latest grant calls here . Horizon 2020 bids range from £100K to more than £10 million. Horizon 2020 has a complicated bidding process with several different grant calls going out at any one time, as well as various delivery agencies. The grant focuses on EU inclusion, so you will likely have to bid with at least one other company from another member country of the European Union.

8. Biomedical & Energy Catalysts

The Catalyst grant programme aims to fund initiatives invested in creating new knowledge or developing groundbreaking or innovative products, services or processes. Innovate UK runs two different Catalyst Programs for UK businesses involved in the biomedical and energy sectors.

To be eligible for a grant, you must be a UK business working in one of the two Catalyst areas. Depending on how developed your project is, you can work independently or collaborate with another company. There are four core stages of funding, including the feasibility award, Primer award (prototype), Early-stage award (testing) and Late-stage award (more advanced testing).

The Catalyst programme can fund up to 60% of total costs with an overall grant award of between £150,000 and £10,000,000. The funding levels vary depending on the stage of your business and project. Awards typically run three times a year and are open to application at varying times of the year.

9. R&D Tax Credits

The research and development tax credits scheme allows you to claim back a significant amount of your development costs in cash each year!

If you are a startup heavily focused on development, then this scheme is well worth checking out. The paperwork itself is not too complicated to fill in; there are also expert agencies who can help with the application for a price. Currently, R&D Tax Credits mean that you can generally claim back up to 32% in research and development costs each year, which even includes staff and contractor costs.

10. The Prince’s Countryside Fund

Set up to help rural communities in the UK face contemporary challenges, the Prince’s Countryside Fund provides grant funding to projects that have a long-term positive impact in assisting entrepreneurs working and living in the British countryside.

The grants are open to businesses or organisations who seek to increase the potential return and longevity of family-run farm businesses, to sustain and grow rural economies or to provide necessary aid to support areas hit by hardship. For more details on this, check out the grant eligibility and guidance document . The Prince’s Countryside Fund provides up to £50,000 per project, with more than £1 million of funding awarded each year.

11. Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP)

TAP helps UK businesses promote themselves abroad by providing grants which enable companies to visit trade shows overseas, assisting companies to attain foreign export, gain market knowledge and access the advice and support of international trade experts.

To be eligible for TAP, you must be a UK SME already exploring export opportunities; you must be a new exporter (export accounts for less than 25% of your business), and you must attend an event listed on the official TAP Calendar. Your company must also have been exporting for less than ten years, be under the state aid limit and not be receiving any other public funds towards the trade show. Finally, you cannot confirm attendance to the tradeshow before applying for the grant.

Apart from the core eligibility criteria, you will also have to show you are either selling services or products from the UK or that you are adding a significant amount of value to a product or service not coming from the UK.

The Tradeshow Access Programme offers grants between £500 and £2,500 in value. You must match 100% of the grant received from Trade Challenge Partner towards the cost of attending or exhibiting at the tradeshow.

12. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)

KTP grants are awarded to businesses that employ recent graduates working on innovation projects; graduates must be working in coordination with and under the supervision of a research partner. The grant is open to companies large and small, but the percentage of funding varies depending on the project and size of the business. To be applicable for a KTP award, you must be a UK business, charity, educational institution, or a private or public sector research organisation.

Knowledge Transfer Partnership grants cover up to 67% of project costs; larger businesses may only apply for up to 50%. A limit on the financing is not stipulated but is assumed.

13. Arts Council England Funding

The Arts Council runs a rolling grants program to support cultural events such as art and theatre events, as well as other creative initiatives. It is reasonably substantial and is open to both organisations and individuals; there is no limitation on for-profit companies.

The Art Council grant scheme is perfect for organisations which undertake creative projects as part of their primary activity, such as theatre companies and art galleries. Larger corporations can take advantage of the program to partially fund cultural initiatives that have a meaningful impact or preserve long-standing British culture or art.

To apply, you will need to set up an account with the Arts Council website and create your profile. Once your account is verified, you’ll need to complete an eligibility questionnaire to start your application. It’s not a quick application process, with responses typically taking 6-12 weeks after submission, but it is one of the more straightforward schemes available for UK organisations.

The Arts Council England funding programme offers between £1,000 and £100,000 for projects. Grant requests of £15,000 or below take six weeks or less to reach a decision, whereas grants over £15,000 typically take upwards of 12 weeks.

14. New Enterprise Allowance

The New Enterprise Allowance is a grants fund dedicated to supporting unemployed persons in becoming self-employed and running their own business. The scheme provides a grant in the form of a weekly allowance of up to £1,274 over 26 weeks; you are likely eligible if you or your partner are receiving any benefits (JSA, UC, or SA).

Aside from a financial grant, you will also receive a mentor to provide guidance and support through planning, setting up, and running your new business. If you have been out of work for a while, this scheme is perfect for helping you set up a new business . You can find out more about the programme by going to your local Jobcentre Plus and speaking to a work coach.

15. Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)

EIS is a tax relief scheme investment that focuses on supporting startups and early-stage businesses with fewer than 250 employees. Approved companies can enable their investors to get back a hefty amount of funding in tax benefits. You can apply for the Enterprise Investment Scheme here .

Investors can claim up to 30% back in tax on investments of up to £1 million per investor in one tax year. Investors can also defer Capital Gains Tax on such shares, carry-back tax relief to a previous year and claim loss relief on any share disposed of at a loss. This array of tax benefits works to incentivise investors to back high-risk startups.

16. British Council Grants

The British Council issue grants on a rolling basis through the Newton Fund. The Newton Fund fosters innovation and research collaborations with partner countries by providing grant funding for research, workshops and travel. These partnerships aim to support economic development in the partner country by developing the scope for innovation and research to support sustainable growth. In this pursuit, the fund issues funding calls and programmes on a rolling basis. These programmes have different criteria and focus on various countries and endeavours.

You will find a list of the latest Newton Fund programmes on the funding and other opportunities page . For an idea of the type of programmes offered, past grant calls included:

Gulf Science Innovation and Knowledge Economy
Creative Economy – Project Evaluation and Guide
Building robust data management, data repository and curation systems
Promote your research or institution in Germany

Funding amounts awarded to grant recipients vary depending on the individual grant.

17. The National Lottery Community Fund

The National Lottery Community Fund, formerly the Big Lottery Fund, provides a range of grants that focus primarily on delivering community or charity funding to instigate social change.

However, some programmes, including the following three examples, are available to for-profits, community interest companies and social businesses. The grants tend to range from £300 to £500,000.

Grants for improving lives

The Improving Lives programme, available only in Scotland, aims to fund socially focused organisations working to help people overcome difficulties in their lives and build up resilience. The scheme intends to fund projects which are ‘people-led, connected and strengths-based’. You can read more about how they define these three approaches here .

The Grants for improving lives schemes offers from £10,001 to £500,000 in total funding. Grants over £150,000 require a two-stage application process. Larger grants are more likely to be considered if they have some match funding in place.

People and Places: Large and medium grants

These grant programmes are available in Wales and provide funding for projects where people and organisations are working together in local communities to bring about a positive impact and social change.

The programme limits its applicant scope to organisations such as community interest companies (CICs), social enterprises and not-for-profits. Funding is available from £10,001 to £500,000; medium grants funded up to £100,000, large grants up to £500,000.

Youth Investment Fund

The Youth Investment Fund provides funding to community organisations, social enterprises and youth groups to deliver high-quality youth services in areas across England; successful applicants are funded for several years, promoting sustainable development.

Organisations applying for grants in disadvantaged areas are most likely to be successful. The Youth Investment Fund can provide between £150,000 to £700,000.

18. Patent Box Relief

The Patent Box scheme is a tax relief scheme allowing profitable startups and small companies to almost halve their corporation tax bill in some cases.

This tax relief aims to support innovation in the UK. Therefore, your company will need to own or have exclusive licenses for the rights to a patentable product to be eligible. You can find a detailed guide on Patent Box relief and information on how to apply here . Through Patent Box, you can claim up to 50% off your corporation tax bill. In practice, for most applicants, this equates to just under 40%.

19. Forestry Commission

The Forest Commission runs a range of funding and grant schemes designed to expand, protect and promote the sustainable management of woodlands in Britain. These grants focus on helping businesses and organisations involved in land management and woodland conservation. You can find details of open funding schemes below.

(Closed and legacy grant schemes include FWS and FWPS payment rates, the Woodland Grant Scheme, the Farm Woodland Scheme, the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme and the English Woodland Grant scheme).

Forestry Innovation Fund (DEFRA)

The Forestry Innovation Fund is a public fund put together by DEFRA with more than £300,000 available to fund projects that promote the growth of the forestry industry in local regions.

Country Stewardship

As part of the RDPE program, the Countryside Stewardship Scheme comprises nearly £900 million in grants and funding opportunities that cover a vast range of environmental projects, from conservation projects and habitat restoration endeavours to land management and reedbed creation.

The fund exists to support farmers and woodland managers to protect the environment, acting in support of government management plans for improving existing woodland. You can find details of all the various types of Stewardship funding available here .

Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)

WCPG provides grant contributions to land managers for projects aimed to create productive multi-purpose woodland, including support to analyse the potential impacts of the proposals on water, biodiversity and historic environment.

The applicant business or individual will need at least 10 hectares of land, where 70% or more of species in the proposed area are considered productive, to be eligible for the scheme. Only areas of land in England will qualify for the grant.

The Woodland Creation Planning Grant can offer £1,000 for an initial land assessment and data collection, with a further £150 per hectare (the initial £1000 is incorporated into the overall payment).

20. Unltd Social Enterprise Funding

Initially based in the UK, Unltd has become a global and influential partner and investor for social entrepreneurs, social businesses and social enterprise across the world. They run a range of grant, support and award programmes to support entrepreneurs right through from setting up a new venture to scaling an existing business. Below is a list of currently active grant programs beneficial for socially-minded companies.

Transform Ageing

The Transform Ageing program aims to drastically improve the approach and service provided to look after the elderly in society, from the perspective of social care, health and wellbeing.

The programme provides support for businesses and organisations who work in several core areas of focus and innovation, developing or delivering solutions to the elderly that foster positive experiences. These include enhancing independence through transportation or mobility, support for carers, making relevant information more accessible, supporting people in making life changes or creating opportunities for connection.

The programme itself is separate from any funding, but you can apply under the programme criteria for one of the Unltd award schemes. You can find the eligibility criteria on the website. Aside from monetary awards, you can get expert advice and support in making your idea a reality or scaling your social organisation. They offer to fund amounts up to £25,000; the early-stage awards do not list available funding amounts, but we assume they are quite modest. However, the venture level awards provide up to £25,000 in funding to established organisations.

Grow It Awards

The Grow It Awards are for social entrepreneurs intent on growing their venture and seeking tailored support, expertise and further funding; this award replaces Unltd’s previous programme of Fast Growth and Build It Awards.

To be eligible, you will need to meet the Unltd criteria as an entrepreneur and as a venture. As well as a monetary award, successful applicants will get expert advice, access to investors , support from corporations and other entrepreneurs , coupled with 12 months of free coaching. The Grow It awards offer to fund up to £15,000.

21. Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme

With a focus on the digital economy to support future growth, the British Government are trying to increase the number of businesses who can access high-speed broadband and internet. The Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme is part of that initiative, offering subsidies to businesses for the installation of broadband if they cannot get access to affordable internet, providing a minimum speed of 2Mb.

This grant is most useful for companies in remote areas who do not have access to standard broadband or fibreoptic, eliminating the need to pay for expensive and comparatively slow satellite internet. If you apply, you can get up to £350 in funding towards broadband infrastructure.

22. Energy Entrepreneurs Fund

The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund is a grant funding programme to support the advancement and presentation of cutting-edge technologies, processes and products in the core sectors of power production, electricity and heat storage and energy efficiency.

The scheme overall seeks the advancement of energy technology by assisting SMEs monetarily as well as with other benefits, including providing incubation space and expert support. Phase six of the fund has recently been launched and is worth over £10 million.

To be successful, applicants will need to present hard evidence to support their case for funding. Evidence should include the likely impact of their project on 2050 low carbon targets, the scope and precise nature of the business opportunity, the value for money and the overall technical viability of the project, as well as a detailed roadmap for development. Up to £1 million is available in funding.

23. Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

This foundation provides a range of grant funding programmes to support large UK organisations who can solve local issues in areas of significant urban deprivation or isolated and vicarious rural communities. Within these two core areas, the foundation is most interested in projects within disability support and healthcare, community support and art, heritage and education sectors.

Your organisation and project must be based in the UK, and you must be a CIC, social enterprise, a not-for-profit registered company or charity to be a grant recipient. Small grant applications tend to receive a response within six weeks.

Grants fall into three tiers: up to £6,000, £6,001 to £12,000 and £12,001 to £45,000. Typically, they require you to put up at least 50% of the total project costs to receive a grant.

24. Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF)

The AHF , established in 1986, is dedicated to promoting and supporting the conservation and re-use of historic buildings to the advantage of local communities across the UK. With this overall objective in mind, AHF is one of the UK’s leading social investors offering a range of grants, loans, advice and much more.

For a project to be eligible for a grant, it must have the potential to create significant economic and social benefits for a deprived or in-need community. You must be able to demonstrate the social and heritage impact of your project as well as be registered as a charity or social enterprise with a limited liability structure.

You also need to prove that you have a clear and attainable roadmap to project completion. It’s advisable to speak to an AHF grants officer before making an application online. Grant funding is available in two brackets; up to £5,000 and over £5,000. The smaller grant takes six weeks to reach a decision, with larger applications considered quarterly by the board. The awarding body gives priority to requests that are already match-funded to 50% or above.

25. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Support Scheme

This scheme represents an initiative run by the UK government to accelerate the growth of the commercial market of Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles. The Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Support Scheme provides grants to public sector and private sector organisations, including private companies, to buy FCEVs. The main difference is that there’s no cap on the sum awarded to public sector organisations acquiring these vehicles.

As a private company, you can get a maximum of £200,000 per business to cover up to 75% of the cost of acquiring a fleet of FCEVs, including fleet management, car insurance, fuel, project reporting and more. The fund available is £2 million, and the scheme will close when funds are exhausted.

26. Fit For Nuclear

Developed by Nuclear AMRC, Fit For Nuclear is a programme that works with manufacturing firms to prepare for bidding to carry out work in the civilian nuclear supply chain in the UK. The overall plan assures that companies fulfil the necessary standards to supply the nuclear industry.

The scheme aims to support companies with no atomic experience that are involved in high-level precision mechanical engineering, supply instrumentation and control, production of electrical components or manufacture of other devices for nuclear plant operation, construction or decommission.

The programme is eligible for businesses that have ten or more employees or more than £1.6 million in annual turnover. The process is more complicated for micro-enterprises, but the scheme advises that those with exciting products or services should get in touch nonetheless. The overall programme will take 12 – 18 months to complete. The funding amount is not stipulated.

27. Industrial Partnership Awards (IPA)

The IPAs promote collaboration between industry and academically inclined research organisations in academic-led projects. There is a detailed eligibility page which you should read before considering applying. The funding potential is significant, but you or a partner must contribute at least 10% of the overall project cost for the grant to cover the rest.

28. Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

The IMI’s primary objective is to increase the speed of development of innovative medicines and patient access to these medicines, particularly in areas where social or medical needs are currently unmet.

The programme develops medicines, vaccines and treatments such as next-generation antibiotics. The grant aspect of the programme supports third-party organisations including SMEs, universities and patent organisations in participating in its projects. There are several types of grant offered: one-off financial contributions, provision of personnel, covering other direct costs and free subcontracting. They operate a series of different calls for funding applications at any one time.

Given the highly detailed nature of the programme, you will need to check out the more advanced IMI2 rules before making an application. Funding is dependent on the project and the organisation.

29. Business rates relief

Many businesses pay business rates to their local council, and many are eligible for discounts in the form of business rates relief . That said, many discount schemes are often unknown. How you claim varies from council to council.

There are several core types of business rates relief which can reduce or even exempt your business from paying business rates. These include small business rates relief, hardship relief, enterprise zone relief, charitable relief and rural rate relief. Up to 100% reduction is possible in business rates payable.

30. Barrow Cadbury Trust Grants

This programme principally funds non-profit organisations for policy change and “voice” work. It will not support commercial organisations.

One of the oldest charitable trusts in the UK, the Barrow Cadbury Trust aims to bring about just social change through funding projects that will create significant and sustainable change in society for the better, creating more equality across migration, criminal justice and economic justice.

To apply, you will firstly need to consider whether your proposal fits within the criteria of the Economic Justice programme. Then, fill in an application form detailing your goals, measures and theory of how you can create change through the project. Once you have supplied these details, you can expect a response within ten days as to whether you have progressed to the next stage and should begin making a full application. Amounts of funding available are not explicitly specified, but both small and significant grants are available, the amount depending on varying projects and outcomes.

31. Adur and Worthing small business grant

Run by this local business partnership, their small business grant is designed to provide general funding for small firms and micro-businesses in the Adur and Worthing area, for specific projects or acquisitions that will make a difference to their business.

Your business must have no more than ten employees and must be based in the Adur and Worthing area to be applicable for the small business grant . Furthermore, you must be able to justify how the grant funding will develop or further establish your business. You can apply for matched grant funding of up to £2,500, meaning you must also be able to contribute an amount equal to the grant.

As an example, if you apply for £1,500 in grant funding to buy a new computer system, you must be able to contribute a further £1,500 towards purchasing the computer system, meaning the total purchase would be £3,000.

Coverage: Adur and Worthing Borough, West Sussex, England

32. Business West High Impact Scale-up Coaching Grants

Business West, in collaboration with the European Regional Development Fund, is providing scale-up coaching grants to businesses to hire business coaches to advise them in scaling their business. All SMEs in the West of England who are looking to grow in the next 12 months or create jobs are eligible for this scheme.

You can meet the Business West Enterprise team to chat more about the grant and funding possibilities at the Engine Shed in Bristol before making an application. Funding from £1,000 to £2,500. The grant can cover a maximum of 40% of total project/hiring coach expenses.

Coverage: West of England

33. Arun Valley Business grant

In collaboration with the local enterprise and apprenticeship platform, Arun Valley Borough Council are providing grants for new businesses who need seed funding, and more established small businesses who can achieve a meaningful objective by gaining grant funding. They will award up to £1,500 per company. The scheme is for companies located in the Arun Valley area; they also have free startup courses and business startup workshops available in Bognor Regis.

Coverage: Arun District, West Sussex, England

34. New Anglia Small Grants Scheme

Setup and run by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, the small grants scheme provides to support businesses. The grant is available for companies wanting to expand or grow, build services or products or increase their efficiency or productivity.

Eligible companies must be located in specific parts of Norfolk and Suffolk. Application forms are available on the New Anglia Growth hub website . Grants are available from £1,000 to £25,000 and will pay for up to 20% of the total cost of any project. The scheme has funded nearly £900,000 so far over 95 different projects put forward by businesses.

Coverage: Norfolk and Suffolk, England

35. New Anglia Growing Business Fund

The Growing Business Fund is a larger version of the small grants scheme offered by New Anglia with slightly different criteria. It is designed to support more established businesses who are looking to grow, invest, recruit or expand. The Growing Business Fund is in partnership with New Anglia LEP, Finance East and Suffolk County Council.

The grant provides up to £500,000 in funding and covers a maximum of 20% of the overall cost of a project. For example, if may apply for £400,000 for a £2 million project, but you will need to come up with the remaining £1.6 million.

36. BG Kick Start Grant Scheme

This scheme is a combined grant funding initiative from the UK Steel Enterprise fund and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council regeneration division. The Kick Start Grant Scheme is designed to support small businesses and new ventures. The only criteria for applicants stipulate that your project must be a startup in the Blaenau Gwent area; you can apply by contacting the council’s economic development team.

The grant is 50% match-funded, and the maximum amount of funding provided is £2,000. In other words, you may apply for £2,000 provided you have £2,000 of your own money to invest in the business.

Coverage: Blaenau Gwent County, Wales

37. BG Effect Business Fund

Very similar to the BG Kick Start scheme above with the same application criteria, the BG Effect Business Fund exists to support startup businesses in the Blaenau Gwent area. They provide up to 80% of the total funding for any project up to the amount of £2,000, and you can also get free expert advice and support from your local enterprise network through the scheme.

38. Broadland District Enterprise grant

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This is a funding initiative from Broadland District aimed exclusively at existing small businesses who need funding to expand. To be eligible, you will need to have fewer than ten staff and reside in the Broadland District; you must also submit your business accounts as well as quotes for the equipment or work you plan to cover with the grant as a way to expand your business. Enterprise Grants can provide up to £750 in funding.

Coverage: Broadland District, Norfolk, England

39. Caerphilly Business development grant

Run by the Caerphilly County Borough Council, the business development grant is for small businesses in the manufacturing industry or business who supply to the manufacturing industry, or companies where 60% or more of their operations are B2B. The grant covers the purchase of new equipment or services, which must go towards improving the business, i.e. capital equipment, websites and eCommerce, business planning , marketing and feasibility studies.

To apply, you will need to provide profit and loss statements, cash flow projections, a business plan and a management account for the last two years if you have traded for more than six months. You will also need to provide a minimum of two quotes for anything you plan to purchase with the grant. You can apply by reaching out to the business enterprise support team in the council. This scheme is a discretionary grant of up to £2,000 and can cover up to 45% of the cost of new equipment or services.

Coverage: Caerphilly County, Wales

40. Caerphilly Commercial improvement grants

This grant is for tenants or owners of business properties in Caerphilly County, whose building has become run down over time and requires renovation. These renovations include exterior landscaping, improvements to physical infrastructure, extension or the development of commercial or retail buildings.

To successfully apply for the commercial improvement grant, you need to show how your project can create additional jobs or keep existing jobs, contribute to the environment, bring vacant properties into use, or enhance the local environment where the business premises is situated. This grant typically goes to (but is not limited to) retail shop owners. It could also apply to other areas, including office spaces, under the right conditions.

You need to fill out an expression of interest form to begin the grant application process. You’ll then need to provide an application based on the council specification. This grant provides up to 50% of the costs of any work to a maximum of £15,000 for a single property.

41. Chichester District Council grant programme

The Chichester District Council grants programme exists to support small businesses and economic growth within the Chichester District. They offer two types of grant funding; the first, “fast track”, is a quicker, less intensive grant application process for grants of under £1,000. Above this, there’s a general grants programme for sums more than £1,000. There’s no maximum figure provided.

To be eligible for a grant, you will need to meet the three priorities of the council’s grant funding agenda and the six principles applicable to any project. To apply, you will need to contact a funding advisor at the Chichester District Council.

Coverage: Chichester District, West Sussex

42. Chorley Shop Front Improvement Grant

Run by the Chorley Council, the Shop Front Improvement Grant is a grant scheme for local retailers who wish to improve the visual exterior of vacant or occupied retail properties. To be eligible, you must be a leaseholder or owner of a retail property in Chorley town centre. You can claim up to 75% of the project costs up to a maximum of £10,000.

Coverage: Chorley, Lancashire, England

43. Business Investment for Growth Grant (BIG)

The BIG grant is for businesses in the Chorley area who wish to expand by making capital expenditures, creating jobs in the process. Expenses the grant can cover include renovation or building of business premises, security improvements and engineering works.

You can apply by submitting an application form on the council website. Get up to 50% of the project costs up to a maximum of £10,000 per business, with grants of £2,000 available for each job created.

44. Relocation Grant

Businesses who choose to relocate permanently to Chorley and who bring at least 20 long-term jobs to the area within 18 months of relocating may apply for what is a reasonably sizeable grant , serving as an attractive incentive to relocate.

The criteria for application is not restrictive, with the only exclusion being retail businesses. You can receive up to £25,000, with £1,250 provided per job brought to the area.

45. Investment Fund

Coventry City Council runs the Investment Fund in collaboration with Warwickshire County Council and Coventry University Enterprises. The grant exists to support small and well-established businesses in need of financial support to start or grow.

The scheme is specifically for businesses with less than 250 employees who are looking to invest in capital assets such as computer hardware, software, machinery and new premises, among others. You may not have received a grant previously from the council, and you must be able to show the need for the award for your business to make the overall investment.

To apply, you will need to contact one of the Business Development advisors at the council to start the process and guide you through. The grant will cover 30% of the cost of a project with a maximum project contribution of between £1,000 and £50,000.

Coverage: Warwickshire, England

46. Innovation Programme

The innovation programme is designed to support small and medium-sized businesses who are developing or looking to create innovative services or products.

Regarding criteria, they are specifically looking for companies involved in developing emerging technologies in the areas of energy, data, IT connectivity, IoT, assistive technologies and advanced materials. These areas are not definitive, so your business will likely be eligible if you are developing new or early development technologies.

To be suitable, you must also have less than 250 employees. You can apply by speaking to the innovation team at Coventry City Council. Grants can cover up to 30% of the project cost and can be anywhere between £1,000 and £5,000 in value.

47. Energy Efficiency Grants

As part of the council’s Green Energy program, the Energy Efficiency Grants scheme provides sizeable grants to businesses looking to increase their energy efficiency by acquiring and introducing equipment that will lead to an overall reduction in energy consumption and an increase in carbon savings. Grants are between £1,000 and £50,000 and may cover a maximum of 40% of the total costs of implementing energy efficiency measures.

48. Low Carbon Innovation Grants

This scheme provides financial support for business developing or investing in low carbon technology . The grant can cover costs related to technology development for nuclear energy, offshore wind, waste processing recycling and energy-efficient doors, fittings and fixtures, as examples. Funding awarded can be between £1,000 and £50,000 and cover 30% of development capital costs.

49. Low Carbon Revenue Grants

This scheme provides grant funding for any business seeking to commercialise products in the low carbon market; this includes products that are new to a market or new to the company applying for the grant. The grant provides a maximum of £6,000 in funding and can cover up to 40% of revenue related costs, i.e. software, consultancy, market research or prototype development.

50. East Sussex Invest 4 (ESI5)

An RGF funded grants scheme, East Sussex Invest 4 is run by East Sussex County Council and Locate East Sussex. The grant intends to stimulate economic growth and job creation by supporting small businesses to grow; there appear to be no criteria apart from being a small business in the area.

Grant funding is available between £15,000 and £25,000. The grant requires match funding of 60% of the total amount. There is also an option for loan finance of £10,000 to £200,000 which also involves match funding up to 50% and may incur an administration fee of £500.

Coverage: East Sussex, England

51. Civic Improvement Fund (ECIF)

The ECIF has been put in place to help grow the Elmbridge economy by providing funds to improve empty shop fronts and renovate retail businesses.

To apply for the grant, you must be able to show how it will benefit the local economy or attract people to local amenities and services. Work or purchases the grant can cover include street furniture, improving the appearance of empty shops and street improvements. Grant funding of £500 to £15,000 is available; you can get finance for up to 90% of the overall project cost.

Coverage: Elmbridge

52. Digital Skills for Growth (DSG)

The DSG is run by the Essex Employment and Skills Board. It offers businesses in the Essex area grants for training young people aged 19-24 in digital technologies. Up to £4,000 is available per grant.

Coverage: Essex

53. ReAct for businesses

ReAct is a grant programme funded by the Welsh Assembly Government with two primary funding initiatives for companies in the Flintshire area. The first grant scheme is the Employer Recruitment Support Fund and aims to support employers and small businesses who recruit individuals made redundant in the past six months. The second scheme is the Employer Training Support grant and provides a fund that employers can put towards training recruits in job-related skills. You will need to contact the ReAct team for more details and apply via phone. For the Employer Recruitment Support Fund, the grant goes up to £2080, paid in four instalments. For the employer training support scheme, up to £1,000 is available per business.

Coverage: Flintshire County, Wales

54. Community toilet grant scheme

Recently launched by the Gwynedd County Council, the toilet grant scheme offers a one-off small grant to businesses who provide their toilets for public use in the Gwynedd area as a way to improve the range of facilities available to the public in the town centre. There’s a one-off payment of up to £500 available for taking part in the scheme.

Coverage: Gwynedd County, Wales

55. ISO Grant Scheme

The ISO Grant scheme aims to help local businesses achieve ISO accreditations; the grant is a monetary contribution towards the cost of consultancy fees needed for the company to meet the correct standard for certification. The funding amount is not stipulated.

56. Business Network Support Fund

Initiated in 2014 by Hambelton District Council, the Business Network Support Fund is part of an economic strategy to support business networks in the Hambelton area to combine and grow.

Successful applicants can use the grant funding to increase network membership, marketing, or communicating to the new or existing target audience, as well as to develop links with other networks. To apply, you must be a developing or established business network in the Hambelton area; you can apply via the online application form. The Support Fund can provide up to £4,000; however, for grants over £1,000, the Council expects at least a 20% contribution to the application project from the recipient.

Coverage: Hambleton District, Yorkshire, England

57. Hartlepool Business Grants

Hartlepool Council offers a range of business grants to support local businesses. They do not provide information about individual awards on their website but instead ask you to contact their enterprise team for more details.

Grants will cover areas such as accessing international markets, development of information technology, employment creation and more. The funding amount is not specified.

Coverage: Hartlepool Borough, Durham, England

58. Built Environment Climate Change Innovations (BECCI)

Many councils, local authorities and universities offer the BECCI scheme . It scheme receives funding from the England European Regional Development Fund. It is available across the UK, designed to promote economic growth and create opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses to develop climate change solutions and technologies.

If you are developing climate change technologies and solutions and require further development, testing or want to showcase a product that you already have, your business could benefit from a BECCI grant. One body has over £1 million available for the project; the amounts awarded vary from project to project. It is worth consulting with a delivery body in your area to get an idea of the amount you could receive.

Coverage: Coventry and Wolverhampton University, Hartlepool Borough, Durham, England

59. Business Energy Efficiency Programme (BEEP)

Multiple bodies administer BEEP grants , which are for businesses looking to use energy more efficiently and get better environmental credentials. To be eligible, you must employ fewer than 250 people and have a turnover of less than £40 million. Funding per project varies between £2,000 and £20,000.

Coverage: Worcestershire County, Hartlepool Borough, Durham, England

60. Greater Lincolnshire Growth Fund

The growth fund is a large grant fund of nearly £3 million, open for businesses operating in a few core areas including the low carbon, digital, healthcare, visitor economy and agri-food sectors.

The proposed projects and businesses must be able to show how undertaking the project will have a positive impact on the local economy. To be eligible for a grant of £150,000, you must be undertaking a project that will create at least 27 jobs, and a to secure a grant of £500,000, the project will need to create at least 90 posts.

The grant can go towards costs such as the building of new infrastructure, machinery, equipment, recruitment , staff and modern technology. The amount awarded ranges between £150,000 and £500,000. For small and micro businesses with up to 50 employees, the grant will cover 30% of the total project cost; for larger companies with 51 employees or more, the grant will cover 20% of the total cost.

Coverage: Lincolnshire County, England

61. Business Growth and Digital Growth Grants (GLLEP)

The Business Growth and Digital Growth Grants support businesses purchasing equipment, software, e-commerce solutions and digital management systems for businesses.

Your business must be able to demonstrate that a grant investment will help to significantly increase your turnover or create new jobs in the Lincolnshire area. You will also need to speak with a Business Lincolnshire adviser to authorise your plan and activities before any grant allocation. Grant sizes range from £1,000 to £10,000 and cover between 30-50% of the total project cost.

62. Mansfield Market grant

The Mansfield Market grant provides up to 12 months of market stall rent for free; the programme aims to support new market traders and provide representation at the market of underrepresented products. A non-monetary grant is available for up to one year’s free rent at the market.

Coverage: Mansfield District, Nottinghamshire, England

63. Vibrant and Viable Places Business Retail Funding

Funded by the Welsh Government, the Vibrant and Viable grant scheme supports retail businesses in the centre of Merthyr Tydfil. The funding can cover the purchase of equipment, ICT and other hardware. To discuss making an application, contact the Economic Development Team. Finance is available from £500 to £5,000, covering up to 70% of the project costs.

Coverage: Merthyr Tydfil County, Wales

64. Vacant commercial floor space grant

From Newport City Council, this grant is for businesses who rent new commercial premises in the city centre or take on additional floor space for their business. The grant will cover the first year’s rent on any property.

To be eligible, you must be based or be planning to base your business in Newport town centre. You must have paid all business rates to date, have a business plan, a cash flow forecast and a one year profit and loss.

The award size is 50% match funding up to a maximum of £6,000, meaning if you apply for £6,000, you will need to have £6,000 to match to successfully secure a grant.

Coverage: Newport City, Wales

65. Business Support Programme

A dual-stream grants programm e catering for businesses with small available capital and substantial capital needs, these schemes are designed to support enterprise in the Coventry and Warwickshire area. To find out more information related to qualifying expenditure and further criteria, you will need to contact the council.

Small business grants range from £1,000 to £10,000. Large businesses in priority areas can access up to £50,000 in funding. Rates on grants vary depending on business size and location, from 10% to 30%.

Coverage: Coventry and Warwickshire, England

66. Grants for growing and developing your business

This funding and finance scheme is for private sector businesses based in Pendle who are looking to build and expand their operations in the Borough. The grant aims to support growth initiatives and overall job creation to benefit the economy.

Your business must be over six months old to be eligible and must pay small business rates in Pendle. To start the grant application process, you will need to arrange an initial site visit from a council adviser before completing the application form. Grants exist from £2,000 to £10,000 and can cover up to 25% of total project costs.

Coverage: Pendle Borough, Lancashire

67. Growth Lancashire

The Ribble Valley Borough Council are providing grants for entrepreneurs with new businesses or for those who have recently started a business. With their partner Growth Lancashire (formerly Regenerate Pennine Lancashire), they are also offering access to free coaching, workshops and more. To apply, you will need to reach out to the Hyndburn Enterprise Trust.

Coverage: Ribble Valley Borough, Lancashire

68. Scarborough Business Expansion Grants

The business expansion grants intend to support existing businesses in Scarborough Borough in expanding and consolidating their market position or expand into new markets.

The grant aims to help active revenue-generating projects as opposed to capital expenses. Up to £5,000 in support is available for one business in each year.

Coverage: Scarborough Borough, Yorkshire

69. Lincolnshire Grants4Growth

This capital funding grant designed to support business growth is eligible to businesses in the South Holland area. Successful applicants can use this amount to fund the purchase of capital assets needed to increase sales and production, create innovations or drive efficiencies, ultimately contributing to local economic growth and job creation.

The application process is incredibly quick; the council aims to get a decision to you within two weeks. Funding ranges from £1,000 to £25,000, covering up to 28% of the cost of any capital purchase.

Coverage: South Holland, Lincolnshire, England

70. Power to Change funding

In collaboration with Collaborate CIC, the Power to Change funding programme is there to provide financial and informational support to community businesses based in Suffolk. The grant is for community-oriented companies which have a positive impact on the broader community. The total grant fund available is £30,000; the scheme will likely close when it is exhausted.

To be eligible, you must be starting or running a community business. Suffolk County Council considers a community business to be rooted locally, address community needs, be accountable to the local community, have a trading model that benefits the area and have an overall positive impact on the community as a whole. The funding amount varies from £250 to £5,000, dependent on the stage and type of project.

Coverage: Suffolk, England

71. Independent Retailer Grant

Test Valley Council is intent on encouraging independent retail companies to take up unused and vacant spaces in the towns of Andover and Romsey. Incentives take the form of grants to cover rent for existing and new businesses moving into ground-level vacant properties in the town centres. £1,000 in funding is available in two stages, with £500 paid in the first three months and a further £500 paid nine months later.

Coverage: Andover and Romsey, Hampshire, England

72. FIFE Investment Fund

The director of this fund is Business Gateway Fife , and the grant specifically focuses on small businesses. Your company mustn’t have more than 49 employees and must be Fife-based. You will get priority if you are working in the creative or environmental industries or a B2B market. You can find application details on the Fife Council website.

You can receive a grant of up to £10,000, which can fund up to 70% of a project. Business Gateway Fife administers funds on behalf of the Fife council. Applications must be part of a business review and accompany a fully-functional business plan.

Coverage: Barrow-in-Furness Borough, Cumbria, England

73. Business Development Grant Caerphilly

This grant aims to support businesses that are looking to grow in Caerphilly . Eligible businesses should have 250 employees or less. The director of the grant is Caerphilly County Borough Council. The company must be a full-time operation situated in Caerphilly, and at least one of the owners or the directors must be involved in the company full-time. The maximum amount of funding available is £2,000.

74. Startup grant

The startup up grant award is an initiative from Broadland District Council to support unemployed people starting a business and comes in the form of a small monetary sum.

The main criteria stipulate that you can only apply after a period of unemployment, your new business must be your full-time profession, and you will need to provide a reliable business plan and cash flow projection. You can register a profile and apply online. If successful, you will receive the grant once your business begins trading. The Broadland startup grant offers up to £750 in funding.

75. Business startup grant

This grant from UK Steel Enterprise in conjunction with Caerphilly County Council aims to provide a micro business grant to help residents in Caerphilly set up a business for the first time. The council requires that successful applicants use the funding for purchasing building works, marketing, development of a website or IT equipment.

To apply, you will need to supply a business plan complete with cash flow and profit and loss projections for at least one year. You will also need to provide two quotes for any proposed purchase under the grant, and at least one of the company directors must be employed by the company full-time. The grant funds project costs up to £500 and is 50% matched funded; if you apply for £500, you will need to put in a further £500 yourself.

76. Business Start-Up Grant Scheme

A startup grant from Cheshire West and Cheshire Council to support residents in launching new businesses or enterprises; this includes new ventures, not older than three months.

To apply, you will need to supply details of a business advisor, an updated business plan and cash flow forecast. You must also prove that the grant is necessary to start up your business. Grant funding is available up to a maximum of £250.

Coverage: Cheshire West and Chester, England

77. Starting in Business Grant

A micro-grant to support entrepreneurs in the Chorley area turning their business ideas into new businesses. To apply, you will need to reach out to a business advisor at Chorley Council. You may receive up to £750; this can be in the form of a traditional grant or a loan.

Coverage: Chorley, Lancashire, England

78. Crawley Business support grants

Crawley Borough Council runs this grant scheme , providing startups and small businesses with initial funding to help get their new businesses off the ground or expand in the early years. You can apply using the council application form; grant applications are reviewed every four weeks until funds run out. Amounts are available up to £2,000 provided they are match-funded, and may cover up to 50% of the project cost.

Coverage: Crawley Borough, West Sussex, England

79. Elmbridge Start-Up Fund

The Start-Up Fund provides a single grant to help businesses with starting; this could include buying equipment, marketing, promotion and any initial startup expenses. Eligible companies must be set up in the Elmbridge area and be no more than six months old. Up to a £1,000 can be secured in funding.

Coverage: Elmbridge Borough, Surrey, England

80. Growing Graduate Enterprise

Growth Lincolnshire is a scheme from the University of Lincolnshire that offers a monetary grant and support to final year university students in Lincolnshire who plan to stay in the area and start a new business.

To be eligible, your business cannot be trading; you must live in the Lincolnshire area, have no visa restrictions and have a viable business idea. Funding of up to £2,500 is available, split into two principal payments of £1,500 and £1,000.

81. Innovation Programme for Greater Lincolnshire

The innovation grant programme offers access to proof and concept grants and innovation vouchers. The initial award provides funds for SMEs to build new products, processes or create new markets.

The second grant provides funding for SMEs to hire consultants to carry out research and consultancy for technological and innovation projects. Proof of concept grants are between £1,000 and £10,000. Innovation vouchers range from £1,000 to £5,000.

82. Tower Hamlets Start-Up Ready

The Tower Hamlets Council offer a grant for new startup businesses. To be able to apply, you must attend and complete the council’s four-day startup programme course. To apply and attend the course, you will need to submit an application form to Startup Ready. Up to £5,000 in funding is open to applicants.

Coverage: London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Greater London, England

83. Malvern Hills Business Start-Up Grant

Malvern Hills Council runs a grant scheme to support businesses based in the district, the aim being to fill vacant business premises, regenerate town centres and create new jobs. Thus you must be able to demonstrate how your business or project will achieve one of these goals.

To be eligible, you must be employed full time by your business, provide a business plan and have the relevant business licenses in place to operate. You can apply for a maximum of £750; this goes down to £500 if you are not moving into a ratable business property.

Coverage: Malvern Hills District Council, Worcestershire County, England

84. Mansfield Business Start-Up Grant

Offered by Mansfield District Council, the Business Start-Up Grant is available for applications from all residents in the Mansfield area. You can use the grant to fund the cost of starting up; startup costs can include purchasing equipment, advertising, building a website and more. Up to £1,000 in funding is available.

85. Start-up Business Grants

Available to startup businesses up to a year old, the Start-up business grant from UK Steel Enterprise and Newport City Council is designed to provide funding support to pre-startups and relatively new businesses who will grow the local economy and create jobs. You can use the grant to pay for costs including software, training, commercial rent and more.

Awarding of the grant is discretionary and carried out by the council. Social enterprises, companies, sole traders, and all types of organisation are eligible to apply. Available up to £1,500, the grant funding may cover up to 40% of the total cost of any project.

86. Reigate & Banstead Business Support Grant

The Business Support Grant initiative aims to support local businesses wishing to grow or start new ventures. Companies with less than four employees in the Reigate and Banstead Borough area are eligible to apply; you will also need to provide a business plan for review. If successful, you will receive an invitation to interview at the town hall. Funding up to £1,000 is available.

Coverage: Reigate & Banstead Borough, Surrey

87. Scarborough Business start-up grants

A small grant provided by the Scarborough Borough Council to support startup businesses less than 18 months old, you can make applications for this grant to purchase equipment and machinery , to carry out improvement of premises and for different types of marketing. Up to £1,000 is available, for one business in one year.

88. Business Incentive Grant

The Business Incentive Grant exists to support startup businesses in the Test Valley in building a competitive local economy. To be eligible for the grant, you must apply before you start your business and you must be working on the business full-time. You must also be prepared to receive two site visits from the council to see from where you operate the company, and you must be able to provide the necessary paperwork. Unfortunately, the whole process is rather long and can take upwards of six months. Up to £750 in funding is available.

Coverage: Test Valley, Hampshire, England

89. Merseyside Regenerus startup grant

The Regenerus startup grant is available to businesses situated in the Merseyside region. The director of the fund is Regenerus, previously known as South Sefton Development Trust. To be eligible, you must reside in Merseyside. Application details are provided on their website.

If eligible, the programme includes a combination of workshops and one-on-one assistance from a qualified business adviser to produce your business plan and cash flow , along with a startup grant of £250.

Coverage: Merseyside, England

90. Business Development Grant Scheme

Scarborough Borough Council directs the Business Development Startup grant scheme , established to encourage the formation of new businesses in Scarborough Borough.

Up to £1000 is available in funding. Startup grants are intended for new startups and companies less than 18-months old. The grant may go towards the cost of necessary equipment and machinery. Any grant awarded will be 50% of expenditure within limits of the grant amount.

Coverage: Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England

91. Grants for New Businesses in Orkney

This scheme is available to people who are looking to start a new business in the Orkney region . The company should comprise no more than nine employees. Directed by the Orkney Business Gateway, the grant may cover any start-up costs such as equipment, training and marketing. For more information, you can contact the Orkney Business Gateway via their website.

The maximum amount of funding provided is £1,000. Applicants for start-up funding must be developing a new, full-time startup business. The application submission must come before the business launch. The applicant must submit a business plan with two years of cash flow projections.

Coverage: Orkney Island, Scotland

92. Startup Grant West Dunbartonshire

This grant, directed by West Dunbartonshire Council, is a startup grant reserved for people looking to launch their own business. The maximum number of employees you may have to be eligible is 250. A business plan, as well as proof of trading, must be provided to qualify.

You can inquire about the grant from the details provided on the West Dunbartonshire website. Up to £500 is available to help people over 18 with the costs of starting a business.

93. NBV Grant for New Businesses

The NBV business grant is for businesses based in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Greater Lincolnshire. Your business needs to be B2B and must be ready to start trading. It also has to be already registered with HMRC or Companies House. Start an application by expressing your interest on their website. The grant awarded can be anywhere from £1,000 to £2,500, depending on the project spend.

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Greater Lincolnshire, England

94. Cumbria Business Startup Support Programme

The fund director of this programme is the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce . You should not have more than 250 employees involved in your business. There is a telephone-based application to assess your eligibility, after which you can apply through the Cumbria Chamber website.

The Business Startup Support Programme (BSUS) offers free business advice , support and training to anyone looking to start a new business or set up a social enterprise , or to those in the first three years of trading. There’s also business support offered to women based in rural Cumbria. The business training course focuses on areas such as social media marketing and search engine optimisation.

Coverage: Cumbria, England

95. Enterprise Support Programme

The Enterprise Support Programme provides funding and assistance to existing and new private companies and social enterprises in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area. This grant can contribute towards the purchase of capital equipment; this includes information technology, improvement to business premises, website coding and more.

Funding levels vary with details below, but to qualify for up to £5,000, you must be creating one new full-time job, and for up to £10,000, be creating two full-time jobs. You will need to complete an expression of interest form to apply. Startups trading for under 12 months can get between £500 and £10,000 in funding, covering a maximum of 40% of the project cost.

Existing businesses older than one year can apply for between £1,000 and £10,000 with a maximum grant contribution of 40% to the total cost. Home-based businesses can apply for a maximum grant of £1,500.

Coverage: Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales

96. Access to Work Funding

The Access to Work Funding scheme provides financial support to disabled persons who have a paid job, are about to return to a paid position or who are starting a business. If your employer has made reasonable employer adjustments and you have further needs, then the fund can support you in financing special equipment for work or transport in getting to and from a work location.

Anyone 16 or over living in the UK ( Northern Ireland has a different scheme ) with a health condition or disability that makes it difficult to carry out or travel to or from a job is eligible. No funding limit is specified.

Coverage: National

97. Warwickshire County Council Growth Fund

Warwickshire County Council has a £2 million fund to support businesses in the Warwickshire area with a focus on micro and small enterprises for capital based projects and expenditures. Applicants must be able to show tremendous growth potential from the use of the grant.

Priority goes to businesses in sectors including tourism, low carbon tech, creative industries and digital media, among other areas. The grant can cover £5,000 to £35,000 and up to 40% of total project costs (loan finance is also available from £1,000 to £50,000).

Coverage: North Warwickshire, England

98. Stockton Town Centre Retail Grant

To support the revival of the Stockton Town Centre, the local council are offering retail businesses a sizable grant towards commercial building rental. For new businesses, the grant will cover renting a vacant property; for existing businesses, this could cover extra floor space or premises rented necessary to expand and support growth. £5,000 is available, and in some cases can be increased to £10,000.

Coverage: Stockton-on-tees, England

99. Productivity And Capability Enhancement (PACE)

Productivity And Capability Enhancement (PACE)

Coverage: Leicester and Leicestershire

100. Business start-up grant

Business start-up grant

Coverage: Tewkesbury Borough, Gloucestershire

101. Growing business grant

Growing business grant

102. Working from home grant

Working from home grant

103. Gainsborough Feasibility Fund

Gainsborough Feasibility Fund

Coverage: West Lindsey District, Lincolnshire, England

104. Business Growth Grant

Business Growth Grant

Coverage: Worcester City, Worcester, England

105. Start-up funding

Start-up funding

Coverage: Wychavon District, Worcestershire

106. Coast to Capital Grant Funding (Leader)

Coast to Capital Grant Funding (Leader)

Coverage: West Sussex, England

107. South East Business Boost (SEBB)

South East Business Boost (SEBB)

108. Grants4Growth

Grants4Growth

109. Manufacturing Growth Programme

Manufacturing Growth Programme

Coverage: Yorkshire, West Midlands, Humber, parts of the East Midlands and East of England

110. Business Energy Efficiency (BEE Anglia)

Business Energy Efficiency (BEE Anglia)

111. StartEast

112. digital growth programme grant scheme.

Digital Growth Programme Grant Scheme

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, England

113. Nottinghamshire Economic Development Capital Fund

Nottinghamshire Economic Development Capital Fund

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, England

114. N2 Business Growth Fund

Appears to be inactive.

N2 Business Growth Fund

115. Boost Business Lancashire

Boost Business Lancashire

Coverage: Lancashire, England

116. Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund

Coverage: Yorkshire, Humber and Tees Valley, England

117. Grants for Growth (Make It Stoke & Staffs)

Grants for Growth (Make It Stoke & Staffs)

Coverage: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England

118. Bucks Business First Grants and Vouchers

Bucks Business First Grants and Vouchers

Coverage: Buckinghamshire, England

119. Cumbria Infrastructure Fund

Cumbria Infrastructure Fund

120. Tourism Investment Support Scheme (TISS)

Tourism Investment Support Scheme (TISS)

Coverage: Wales

Coverage: North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, England

122. Computers for rural people

Computers for rural people

Coverage: Staffordshire, England

123. Creative England Games Industry

Creative England Games Industry

Coverage: Leeds, England

124. Employer Training Incentive Pilot

Employer Training Incentive Pilot

Coverage: Suffolk and Norfolk, England

125. Boost4Health

Boost4Health

Coverage: North West, England

126. ICARES EU funding

ICARES EU funding

Coverage: Kent, England

127. Triple A funding

Triple A funding

128. Low Carbon Workspaces

Low Carbon Workspaces

Coverage: Black Country, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, England

129. North East Business Support Fund

North East Business Support Fund

Coverage: Northeast, England

130. Energy Saving Trust Grant (Landlords)

Energy Saving Trust Grant (Landlords)

Coverage: Scotland

131. OBS Elevate Grant

OBS Elevate Grant

Coverage: Oxfordshire, England

132. Let’s Grow Programme

Let’s Grow Programme

Coverage: East and North Yorkshire, England

133. Capital Grants for Essex Businesses

Capital Grants for Essex Businesses

134. Lancashire Manufacturing Growth Fund

Lancashire Manufacturing Growth Fund

135. Healthcare & Medical Technology Business Vouchers

Healthcare & Medical Technology Business Vouchers

136. Textiles Growth Programme

Textiles Growth Programme

Coverage: Greater Manchester, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, West Yorkshire, England

137. Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme

Sustainable Travel Grant Scheme

Coverage: Aberdeen, Scotland and Leicester, England

138. Key Fund for Social & Community Businesses

Key Fund for Social & Community Businesses

Coverage: East Midlands, England

139. Medilink solstice

Medilink solstice

Coverage: Leicester, England

140. AD:VENTURE

141. agri-tech cornwall.

Agri-tech Cornwall

Coverage: Isles of Scilly, Cornwall, England

142. Business Energy Efficiency Programme

Business Energy Efficiency Programme

Coverage: West Midlands, England

143. Business Growth Programme

Business Growth Programme

Coverage: Solihull, Staffordshire, The Marches, Greater Birmingham, Stoke-On-Trent, England

144. Collaborate for Growth

Collaborate for Growth

Coverage: Leicestershire, England

145. Conservation grant scheme

Conservation grant scheme

Coverage: Howardian Hills, Yorkshire and the Humber, England

146. D2 Energy Efficiency

D2 Energy Efficiency

Coverage: Amber Valley, Bolsover, Derbyshire Dales, Erewash, High Peak, North East Derbyshire or South Derbyshire, Derby City, Chesterfield, England

147. Energy for Business

Energy for Business

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, England

148. LCR Future Energy

LCR Future Energy

Coverage: Liverpool, England

149. Proof of concept funding

Proof of concept funding

Coverage: Worcestershire, England

150. The South-East Midlands Start-up

The South-East Midlands Start-up

Coverage: Bedfordshire, England

151. Transport sector funding

Transport sector funding

152. Regional Selective Assistance

Regional Selective Assistance

153. Explore Enterprise Programme

Explore Enterprise Programme

Coverage: Northern Ireland

154. Skills Advancement Grant

Skills Advancement Grant

155. Brexit Readiness Vouchers

Brexit Readiness Vouchers

156. Publications Grant Scheme

Publications Grant Scheme

157. Proof of concept techstart NI

Proof of concept techstart NI

158. Financial Support to Businesses

Financial Support to Businesses

Coverage: Fife, Scotland

159. Carmarthenshire Rural Enterprise Fund

Carmarthenshire Rural Enterprise Fund

Coverage: Carmarthenshire, Wales

160. Accelerated Growth Programme

Accelerated Growth Programme

161. Site Investigation Fund

Site Investigation Fund

Coverage: Black Country, England

162. Growth Deal Funding

Growth Deal Funding

163. Growth Grants

Growth Grants

164. Growth Deal

Growth Deal

Coverage: Isles of Scilly

165. Big House CDI Grant icon

Big House CDI Grant icon

166. Big House Elevator Grant

Big House Elevator Grant

167. The Enterprise M3 Wood Processing Grant

The Enterprise M3 Wood Processing Grant

Coverage: England

168. Invest and Grow

Invest and Grow

Coverage: Lincolnshire, England

169. Growing the Humber

Growing the Humber

Coverage: Humber, England

170. Green Port Hull

Green Port Hull

Coverage: Hull, Wales

171. Smart Concept Fund

Smart Concept Fund

Coverage: Wolverhampton, England

172. Marine & Maritime SME Growth Fund

Marine & Maritime SME Growth Fund

Coverage: Solent and New Forest, England

173. Isle of Wight Rural SME Fund

Isle of Wight Rural SME Fund

Coverage: Isle of Wight, England

174. Invest to Grow

Invest to Grow

Coverage: Derbyshire, England

175. Invest to Grow

Keele University funded internships

Coverage: Keele, England

176. Internment Subsidies for Employers

Internment Subsidies for Employers

Coverage: Exeter, England

List of closed/inactive business grants

Business grant schemes are in the habit of opening and closing several times over their lifetime; below, you will find business grant schemes that are both temporarily and permanently closed. If you can’t find anything relevant to your business on the main list, it’s worth checking this list to see if any grants here have become active again.

178. Power to Change community business fund

The Power to Change Fund is designed purely to support community-based businesses in the UK; this means businesses run by local people for local people, in the way of protecting local services and meeting local needs. Aside from social entities, community interest companies and charities, they do fund limited companies but are very strict on the community criteria. Take a closer look at the four essential features of a community business .

You will need to propose a project beyond your usual line of business, provide a full year’s accounting information and be able to fund part of your project from another source. Power to Change funding runs from £50,000 to £300,000. Note that they will not fund projects in full; you will require some other source of internal or external finance to put towards the project proposed.

179. Grant for Business Investment (GBI)

GBI is a capital grant offered by the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). These mainly intend to help businesses expand and diversify their perspectives. It can help entrepreneurs set up a new company or fund a new project.

The grants are given to high-budget projects whose outcomes can be evaluated on a long-term basis. Most often, these grants go towards funding projects that can bring prosperity to economically deprived areas. They are specially granted to offshore wind manufacturing projects. You can apply for the award directly from the GBI website.

The minimum financing offered is £10,000. The grants are available for businesses of all sizes with different ratios of total project funding provided.

180. Plug-in van grant

As part of the government’s aim to push haulage and transport businesses to switch to electric vehicles, the plug-in van grant scheme offers business owners of N2 and N3 class vehicles 20% off the initial purchase price, subsidised by the government.

As part of the scheme’s eligibility requirements, the purchased vehicle must fulfil commercial performance criteria concerning its range and safety and must output ultra-low tailpipe emissions. To date, the programme has funded the purchase of more than 2,500 vans. Funding offered is in the form of a 20% price cut for regular vans costing up to £8,000, with the grant/discount applying to a higher price limit of £20,000 for the first 200 heavy electric vans bought.

181. Develop & Fund your creativity (British Council Grant Scheme)

Currently appears to be inactive.

This fund focuses on fostering innovation and development within the creative industries, including art, fashion and design. A further focus is the development of young people in these sectors, as well as fostering collaboration between countries and cultures. Within this area, grants and programmes run on a rolling basis with new calls coming out regularly; the majority are business relevant, including the Artists’ International Development Fund and the Shorts Support Scheme. Funding varies grant to grant.

182. Grants for the Arts

The Arts Council have been funding creative projects across England for decades, providing grants to organisations running a vast range of art and cultural initiatives.

Grants for the Arts is a funding programme to support art organisations and individuals in visual arts, dance, theatre, literature, music and more. To be eligible, you must be furthering art and culture, creating a long-term impact and providing a project that is accessible to anyone, such as a play at the theatre or an art installation. To date, the Arts Council has given out £1.5 billion in funding and grants to eligible projects. Grant for the Arts provides between £1,000 and £100,000 in funding, which may cover up to 90% of a project.

183. Collaborative Research and Development

The collaborative grants scheme endeavours to push forward the boundaries of technology by providing significant grant funding to fund and accelerate research and development programmes run by UK organisations developing new products, services or processes.

To qualify for collaborative R&D grants, you must be a UK research organisation or business, be working in the science, technology or engineering industries and be collaborating with a fellow research partner or company.

Collaborative Research and Development grants can cover up to 60% of the total project cost and can be anywhere between £25,000 and £5 million.

184. Spaces 4 Change (Ultd grant)

The Spaces 4 Change program aims to support young social entrepreneurs in taking ownership of vacant or under-utilised spaces in their local area to use as an office or retail outlet for a new social venture.

To be eligible for the programme you will need to be 16-24 in age and based in the UK. You can apply as an informal group or individual and must have a clear project plan in place with specific outcomes. Up to £5,000 in funding is available.

185. Do It Awards (Ultd grant)

In their own words, the Do It Awards are here to “help you to create more positive social impact”. They are designed to provide one-to-one support, expert advice and a range of resources for young social entrepreneurs who want to turn their idea into a thriving social venture. Monetary finance is not specified, and it is unclear what form this investment would take. It’s best to ask before applying.

186. Low-emission vehicles grant

The plug-in grant allows auto manufacturers and dealers to apply to get grant funding to reduce the price a business or individual will pay for any given car that meets government emission or electric targets. Thus, reducing the overall cost to the customer and generating more sales for dealerships and manufacturers of economical car models.

To be eligible, you will need to be a car dealership or manufacturer, and you will have to apply on behalf of the customer. Vehicles available for a grant include select category one, two and three cars as well as motorcycles, mopeds, hybrids and vans (in this case, a plugin in van grant may be better). The scheme offers 35% off the purchase price up to a maximum of £3,500 on eligible vehicles.

187. The Environment Now

In partnership with O2, the National Youth Agency are running The Environment Now programme, providing grants to young people aged 17–24, who have come up or are coming up with innovative ways to use digital technology to provide innovative solutions to environmental issues.

The grant is primarily for young people using innovation to improving energy efficiency, recycling, and reducing waste. Aside from a grant, you will receive work experience, mentoring and professional insight into your project area. The Environment Now grants scheme from O2 offers up to £10,000.

188. The FedEx Small Business Grant

The FedEx Small Business Grant is a general funding award offered to UK-based or global small and medium businesses that have been in operation for two or more years with fewer than 100 employees.

The initial stage of the application requires you to submit details about your business goals to FedEx online. A shortlist of companies will be asked for business plans before they reveal the winners of the grant. The FedEx Small Business grant is worth up to £20,000, with smaller grants of £5,000 for two runners-up. Note that this competition is currently only open to US startups.

189. Heritage Lottery Fund Start-up Grants

Heritage Lottery grants are only available to individuals running a non-profit organisation or entrepreneurs who are going to start a new business. They can also help entrepreneurs with introducing new setups for their companies. The Heritage Lottery Fund also considers the outcomes of your business endeavours when assessing applications. The applications remain open for the whole year so you can apply at any time. It takes eight months to process an application.

Heritage Lottery Fund Startup-up Grants have no amount of funding specified; you’ll have to apply or enquire to find out.

190. Launchpads

The Launchpads grant funding competitions are for companies looking to turn new, innovative and exciting ideas into viable commercial projects. The grants are primarily for businesses in specific areas of the country and are allocated three times a year, though these change intermittently; check the site for details.

To be eligible for a Launchpads grant, you need to be a small or medium-sized business in the early stages of development, working in the technology industry. You must be in an applicable geographical cluster, or be planning to move there, and have ambitions to grow your company. Launchpad funding competitions typically run three times a year and offer up to £100,000; you must be able to match the grant amount with the same amount of private or self-funding.

191. Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI)

The SBRI initiative provides contracts and funding for businesses to carry out research or development of new products or services for the public sector.

The programme aims to fund innovative ideas that can enhance public services or solve a specific public-sector problem. Any business is eligible to apply for an SBRI contract or grant. SBRI Initial funding is between £50,000 and £100,000, with further funding of up to £1 million available to develop your project or idea further.

192. Smart Grants

The Smart Grants scheme provides grants for startups researching and creating significant technological or scientific breakthroughs. Three kinds of Smart Grant are available:

Proof of Market, 60% match funds, £25,000
Proof of Concept, 60% match funds, £100,000
Prototype Development, 45% match funds, £250,000

The level you can apply for depends on the stage of your company, your finances, and what you are looking to develop. You will need to be an early-stage business, have serious growth ambitions and work in the technology, science or engineering fields. Smart Grants range between £25,000-£250,000.

193. Innovation Vouchers

Innovation Vouchers represent a relatively small but useful government grant to develop an innovative idea or new product by giving you expert know-how. Innovate the UK will help you source the right expert for your business from one of the following:

Universities & FE Colleges
Technology and Research institutions
Consultancies and Catapult centres
Advisers on design
IP Advisers

You can apply and get more information on Innovate UK here . Innovation Vouchers cover up to £5,000 to pay for externally-based experts and consultants to grow your business.

194. Childcare Business Grants Scheme

A recently opened grants programme, the Childcare Business Grants Scheme is intended to support entrepreneurs in setting up their own childcare business. This grant programme is part of the UK government’s strategy to increase the amount of childcare available to UK working parents while decreasing the overall cost.

Only new businesses are eligible to apply for this grant; this means any company not more than three months old, registered after 1 st May 2017. Grants are available for three specific types of business:

Early years childcare provider or childminder on domestic premises
Early years childcare provider or childminder working with special needs or disabled children on domestic premises
A standard Childminding Agency

The scheme comes from the Department of Education. There is a limited amount of funding available, and the programme will stop once this fund has expired, so apply soon! Childcare grants range from £500 to £1,000 in amount.

195. Feasibility studies

Feasibility studies grants will support you in testing a new business idea to see if it will work; this includes new product development, new process development, business model development and service development.

To qualify, you must be a United Kingdom-based research organisation or business and be able to showcase your final project at a national collaboration event. Your proposals must be business focused and meet the theme of the grant. 70% grant-funded up to the amount of £400,000 is available; research organisations can get up to 100% depending on the project.

196. Growth Vouchers Programme

The Cabinet Office Behavioural Insights Team, in collaboration with the Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS), run the Growth Vouchers Programme . The programme offers to cover the costs of expert advice needed by a business from individual and group consultancies in the private sector. The advice areas covered under the scheme including digital technology, attracting customers, marketing, recruiting, empowering staff, enhancing leadership skills, management training, raising external finance and managing company finances.

Most small businesses are eligible for the Growth Vouchers Programme; you will need to fill out paperwork in advance and afterwards to claim back money spent on consultancy. The Growth Vouchers Programme offers varying amounts of funding from year to year.

197. Design Leadership Programme

The design leadership program me offers the public sector, businesses and universities a bespoke package of support and coaching to help them use design to innovate and grow. The funding is also available to science-based startups. The full cost of the packages available through the Design Leadership Programme for technology ventures range from £1,000+VAT, depending on the need and scale of the business. You can contact the council at the following email address: [email protected].

The Design Leadership Programme is a subsidised programme offering up to 10 days of design and innovation-focused mentoring over a period of 6 to 18 months. Most programmes cost between £2,000 & £10,000; if your application is accepted, you will receive a subsidy, meaning you will only have to pay 50%. This grant is only available to businesses located in Barrow-in-Furness Borough, Cumbria, England.

198. Small Capital Grants and Large Capital Grants

A funding programme from Arts Council England is enabling organisations to acquire the right equipment and infrastructure to deliver their work, becoming more productive and resilient in doing so. The grant aims to increase innovation, sustainability, and environmental friendliness within the companies it funds.

To be eligible for funding, your project must fit the Arts Council criteria (Arts and Culture), your grant request must be for capital expenditure, and you cannot receive National portfolio funding. They also advise speaking with the Arts Council about your project before applying.

Small Business Capital Grants and Large Capital Grants offer up to a maximum of 85% of the total project cost with a grant amount between £100,000 and £499,999, with Large Capital Grants going significantly higher.

199. The Great UK Challenge Fund (UKFC)

Run by VisitEngland, the Great UK Challenge Fund supports businesses delivering economic benefit and job creation through a new project. The funding is available to innovative companies operating in the tourism, education, trade and investment sectors across the United Kingdom.

The fund is over £2 million and is part of the GREAT campaign. Businesses operating in the tourism sector or bringing in international students for education are particularly attractive to the scheme. The Great UK Challenge fund offers to fund between £50,000 to £200,000.

200. Women in innovation (In-focus funding award)

The women in innovation awards programme represents one of the best programmes available to women in business, providing significant grants for female entrepreneurs and leaders.

Awards go to women working across four sectors; enabling cutting-edge technologies, infrastructure systems, health and life sciences and manufacturing and advanced materials. You can be an employee, company owner or sole trader working in innovation. Twelve women will receive a bespoke support package, with four of these winners receiving £50,000 each.

201. Leicester for Business

Leicester for Business is for pre-startup and business support. You must have a business address in Leicester, have no more than 249 employees and be over the age of 19 to avail the grant. Business support is offered to individuals thinking of becoming self-employed or starting a limited company .

The maximum amount of funding you can get is £3,000. Startup companies are introduced to a network of clients and exposed to workshops and seminars which can help them grow. Small businesses will receive a business coach for 12 months to aid their sustainability and growth.

Coverage: Leicester

202. Community Business Bright Ideas Fund

The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund is here to support community businesses by providing early-stage capital and expertise, aiding in turning ideas into businesses and growing existing community companies.

All community-run and owned businesses, including but not limited to community interest companies, can apply for support and funding. The Community Business Bright Ideas Fund offers up to £15,000; the stage of your venture will affect the amount of finance you can access.

203. E-Business Grant

Run by the Welsh Government, E-Business grants focus on helping businesses develop eCommerce services. You should have less than 250 employees and must be in business for at least a year. You can apply for the e-business support on the Welsh Government’s business website.

The E-Business Grant schemes offer a maximum amount of £10,000 in funding. Businesses must be dealing with B2B type operations, and be situated in the convergence area of Wales to be eligible.

Coverage: Wales

204. Ceredigion Micro Business Investment Fund

A grant from Ceredigion Micro Business Investment built to support businesses in the Ceredigion area in improving current revenue streams or developing new ones. New companies or applicants who will create jobs have priority.

The grant can cover costs including website development, IT infrastructure, attending tradeshows and more. You can apply by reaching out to the fund assessment officer at the council. This grant provides £1,000 – £5,000 in funding to a maximum of 40% of the total project cost. To be eligible for this grant, you must own a business based in Ceredigion County, Wales.

205. Business Development Grant

Run by Denbighshire County, this grant intends to assist small companies in growing or new businesses in starting. To be eligible, you must show there is no alternative source of finance available to meet your project needs.

The Business Development grants offer awards between £500 and £10,000 up to 50% of the full project cost. A cap of £3,000 applies to any applications for marketing. To be able to apply for this grant, your business must be in Denbighshire County, Wales.

206. Sustainable Routes

A government-funded initiative, Sustainable Routes create travel efficiency plans for individuals and businesses, to cut down on travel time, mileage costs and CO2 output. They also offer grants towards the cost of creating and implementing a travel efficiency plan in the workplace.

All businesses are eligible, particularly those who are interested in reducing their environmental impact while cutting travel costs. Up to £1,000 is available in travel funding.

207. Biffa Award

Biffa Award supports not-for-profit companies who are looking to improve their local community by starting or growing projects near landfill sites in the fields of recreation, partnership, rebuilding biodiversity and community buildings.

Biffa Award eligibility varies based on the location of your project. Check the website for more specific details. Projects up to £199,000 are eligible; typical grant sizes are not specified but assume some level of match funding is required for larger grants.

208. The Carbon Trust Green Business Fund

The Carbon Trust operates the Green Business Fund , which covers a certain amount of capital costs for medium and small businesses in the UK when buying energy reducing or saving equipment.

The grant scheme covers the entirety of the UK, minus Northern Ireland. To be eligible, you will need to purchase equipment from a Green Business Directory or BESA supplier; the funding is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis until it runs out. Up to 15% of total project costs with a maximum grant of £5,000 is available.

209. Discover England Fund

This grant is a £40 million fund run by Discover England designed to support the tourism industry in being competitive on an international landscape. The fund mainly promotes inbound tourism with an emphasis on getting tourists to explore other parts of the UK rather than just London, by creating better transport links and offering customers easy booking options online.

Grants are available for small-scale pilot projects and large-scale collaborative projects. To be eligible for a grant award, you will need to be creating or providing a world-class tourism product or service. The funding amount is not stipulated but depends on the project size. As it is a massive government grant project, we assume there’s a requirement for match funding. Note that this programme is nearing the end of its final implementation period and new applications are likely no longer accepted.

210. Britten-Pears Foundation

The Britten-Pears Foundation supplies grant funding to a range of initiatives involved in music, pacifist and local causes. Concerning grants for music, the foundation has funded many musical projects over the years, including composition retreats and much more. They are currently reviewing funding calls, so be sure to check the website for the latest programmes. The grant programmes are most likely to be relevant for music-based businesses.

211. World of Opportunity SME Grants Programme

To celebrate more than 20 years of the Heathrow Business Summit, Heathrow Airport has established a grants scheme offering small grants to support growing businesses in travelling to new export markets.

The World of Opportunity SME Grants Programme provides up to 20 SMEs with funding awards to support trade missions, international trade show attendance or market research abroad. Up to £2,000 in funding is available.

212. HS2 Supply Chain Programme

As part of the £33 million Business Growth Programme, the High Speed Two Supply Chain Programme is working with four Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPS) in the Midlands area to support businesses in securing a commercial contract in the HS2 supply chain.

To be eligible, you must meet the criteria above, and your business must purely operate in the B2B sector and be based in areas belonging to one of the four LEPS. From £20,000 to £167,000 in funding is available per project. The grant can cover between 10% to 50% of the overall cost.

Coverage: Birmingham City Council, The Marches, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire and Greater Birmingham and Solihull.

213. Food Processing Grants

Offered by a combination of government departments, the Food Processing Grants Scheme is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

The scheme endeavours to enable businesses to make capital investments to create a new company or grow within a rural area. This programme aims to develop the rural economy and generate sustainable employment in the countryside. You will find full details on the programme under the RDPE Growth Programme documentation . Note that there are significant requirements to be eligible for grants. The typical minimum grant size is £35,000.

Coverage: North East, North West, Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands, South East and South West

214. Social Impact Investment Fund Grant Scheme

In collaboration with Sellafield Ltd, Allerdale Borough Council has set up a social impact fund with one of the primary purposes being to provide funding and grants to support and grow startups and small businesses in the Allerdale area.

The scheme focuses on grassroots small businesses or new ventures in the Allerdale area that can have a positive social or economic impact. Furthermore, an applicant to the grant scheme must demonstrate that they have faith in their business venture, having put finance into their business before the application, or by raising funding from an external finance source, such as through investment, the bank or a loan.

If you are looking for low-cost loan finance, they also provide loans for more substantial amounts and competitive rates compared to traditional lenders. The grant is administered annually with no specific funding amount specified. You will need to fill out an expression of interest form to find out more.

Coverage: Allerdale Borough, Cumbria, England

215. Shop Front Grant Scheme

Launched in 2014 by the Barrow Borough Council, the Shop Front Grant Scheme has a £120,000 fund and provides grants for businesses on specific streets in Barrow town centre who are looking to renovate or upgrade their shop fronts. This could include new windows, facias, signage or lighting. The grant is for small retailers and small independent businesses with fewer than 50 employees.

Furthermore, to be eligible for the grant, you must be enhancing the property in some way rather than carrying out maintenance. Your business must also be open five days a week, must occupy the unit or building proposed for renovation and have property ownership or tenancy for a minimum of 12 months.

Further to the above conditions, projects must be professionally designed, cover only exterior finish, and you cannot have successfully applied for a previous Shop Front Grant from the 2010 or 2012 scheme. If you sell the property that uses the grant, or if the business closes within two years, a percentage must be repaid depending on the time elapsed. The grant size applied for can vary, but the grant can only fund 75% of any renovations or work; the owner or grant applicant must provide the further 25%.

216. Scheme Enabling Fund (SEF)

SEF is a substantial fund dedicated to supporting developers in carrying out finance feasibility studies, business case development of new housing schemes and restarting stalled housing schemes to generate employment and housing. To apply to this fund, you will need to reach out to the economic intervention team at East Sussex County Council.

The maximum amount to be considered is not listed, but the remaining fund size is £600,000. The fund will close once it is exhausted.

Coverage: East Sussex County, England

217. Incentive to Grow Grant

Run by Eastleigh Borough Council, the Incentive to Grow Grant is a small monetary grant for new and existing small businesses. It can go towards hiring new staff, buying equipment and marketing. To be eligible for the scheme, you must live in the borough of Eastleigh and be or become a member of the Southern Entrepreneurs association. Funding is available up to £500, up to 50% match-funded to cover the total cost of the project.

Coverage: Eastleigh Borough

218. The Gloucester Business Growth Grant Scheme

Gloucester City Council manages this grant scheme to support local economic growth by providing grants to businesses located in Gloucester. The money must be used towards capital costs such as premises or equipment purchases, among others.

You must express interest through the form and once assessed or approved for grant funding, provide receipts from the project for which you will be reimbursed; you will need to be able to pay the full amount upfront for the project. Grant funding of £1,000 – £10,000 is available, with most grants limited to £5,000. The award can represent 30% of total project costs for businesses outside the city centre and 50% of total expenses for those inside the city centre.

Coverage: Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, England

219. Growing Enterprise Grant

A grant programme to support the growth and diversification of SMEs in the Lincolnshire area, this scheme is for both capital and revenue projects. Grant funding is between £1,000 and £2,000, covering 25% of total costs.

220. Regional Investment Aid Merseyside

This is a fund designed to alleviate unemployment in Merseyside and provide money and jobs by providing grant funding for small, medium and large enterprises. Any grant can be used for construction, paying staff or buying and replacing new machinery and equipment.

Businesses from all types of industries are welcome to apply, apart from those in steel, synthetic fibres, coal, shipbuilding, fisheries or agriculture product production. The funding amount is not stipulated but pinned to the intervention rate set for SMEs and large businesses by the regional aid map of 2013.

Coverage: Liverpool City, Merseyside, England

221. Business Growth Grant

This Business Growth Grant is for slightly more established businesses who can produce a solid business plan and create at least one full-time job as a result of the project and grant. The Mansfield team will also help you form a growth plan and calculate the costs involved. Up to £5,000 in funding is available.

222. Northamptonshire Digital Enhancement Programme

The Digital Enhancement Programme provides financing to support SMEs in digitally enhancing their business. This enhancement could take the form of creating an e-commerce website, upgrading an ordering system, developing bespoke software in-house, developing new digital production or application to support the business’ operations.

To be eligible, you need to have a small to medium enterprise with fewer than 250 employees based in Northamptonshire. You must also have a clear plan and idea of how new technologies and capabilities gained as a result of the grant will help your business. The grant award offers up to £5,000, 50% match funded.

Coverage: Northamptonshire, England

223. Ready2Grow

With over £220,000 in grant funding already given out, the Ready2Grow funding scheme is an excellent source of finance for new and expanding businesses based in Northamptonshire, that are looking for financial and informational support and advice to achieve and sustain growth.

To apply, you will need to reach out to the council and propose a relevant project within your business. The whole process will likely take 8 – 12 weeks. The grant amount is based on the recommendation of the council business adviser.

224. The Rochdale Apprenticeship Progression Grant

The Apprenticeship Progression Grant run by the Rochdale Borough Council provides employers with a grant for further educating apprentices; this grant also includes funding for the apprentice. The priority areas for funding are management, engineering, manufacturing and health and social care.

The funding is issued when apprentices progress to advanced or higher apprenticeship qualifications in priority sectors and are residents of Rochdale. £1,000 is available per apprentice with a maximum of two grants per employer.

Coverage: Rochdale Metropolitan Borough, Greater Manchester

225. Rutland Grants and funding

Rutland County Council offers different types of financial support to new and small businesses choosing to call Rutland County home; these grants are match funded and designed to support a wide range of business applications depending on location and business size. You will need to contact the economic development team for exact numbers.

Coverage: Rutland County, England

226. Evalu8 Low Carbon Transport

Under the Innovation Grants scheme, evalu8 are actively offering consultancy on low carbon transport technology to SMEs in the East of England.

The grant is intended for companies who need advice in developing new products, services or processes related to low carbon transport technology; there are no specific eligibility requirements beyond those required under the Innovation Voucher Scheme. £1,000 worth of consultancy is available.

Coverage: Herefordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Bedfordshire

227. AVDC Business Grant

Established businesses in Aylesbury Vale, those trading for more than a year, can apply for grant projects that help companies continue to grow and improve business performance. Once an application is received, it undergoes evaluation to see whether the company is eligible or not. If you qualify and would like to receive an application form, you can find them on their website .

The AVDC Business Grant can award a maximum of £5,000 for existing businesses who have traded for more than a year, covering up to 50% of the cost, excluding VAT . Turnover is expected to exceed 10% per year from the date the grant is awarded.

Coverage: Aylesbury Vale, Buckinghamshire, England

228. Ashfield Markets grant

The Ashfield markets scheme allows new market traders to get a financial award to support their new venture in moving into the Idlewells Indoor Market. Up to £1,500 is available in grant value. It also provides up to £500 for traders looking to move into several local indoor markets.

229. Business Startup Grant

Startup businesses in Aylesbury Vale, i.e. those trading for at least three months or up to a year, can apply for grants aimed at improving their business performance and growth. The fund director is the Aylesbury Vale district council . The maximum number of employees you should have is 30. The AVDC business fund can award a maximum of £3,000 for early-stage businesses for improving business performance and growth, with AVDC paying up to two-thirds of the project cost.

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Top UK Small Business Grants & Start Up Business Grants - UPDATED

Top UK Small Business & Start Up Business Grants

Many or all of the products and brands we promote and feature including our ‘Partner Spotlights’ are from our partners who compensate us. However, this does not influence our editorial opinion found in articles, reviews and our ‘Best’ tables. Our opinion is our own. Read more on our methodology here .

What is a small business grant?

How to apply for small business grants, what small business grants are available in the uk.

What start up business grants are available across the UK?
Small business and start up grants in England

Business grants in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Other forms of business financing.

Perhaps you’re looking to take the first steps on your business journey, or maybe you’re an established small business owner and you just need a bit more money to take your business to the next level. In either case, small business grants may be the key to unlocking the potential of your business.

While there are various funding options available for UK small businesses – including business loans – small business grants are among the most sought after. Small business grants can provide an injection of capital when your small business or start-up needs it most. The best part is that, unlike a business loan, small business grants don’t usually have to be repaid.

Small businesses may be eligible to take advantage of a range of small business grants and start-up grants currently available in the UK. Read on for more information about various small business grants and discover how you can access specific small business funding in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

Find your business grant with Swoop

Small business grants and start-up business grants are sums of money that are normally given to small businesses to achieve a specific purpose or accomplish a specific project. For example, small business grants may be provided to pay towards the cost of training, employment, expansion, research, property improvements, or to revitalise a local area. Small business grants come from supranational, national, regional, and local sources, and are available for a range of industries. Small business grants are usually non repayable.

Each small business grant comes with different guidelines and eligibility criteria. Because they are so competitive, many small business grants have a fairly lengthy application process.

What is the difference between a small business grant and a loan?

The most important difference between a small business grant and a business loan is that a loan must be repaid, while a grant normally does not. This is why small business grants tend to be so competitive.

However, bear in mind that some small business grants may be partially or conditionally repayable. Always check thoroughly before applying and make sure you understand the terms of the grant.

Each business grant, whether for small businesses or start ups, will have its own application process. However, there are some general steps you can follow to try to ensure you have the best shot possible at submitting a successful application.

Do your research: Find out exactly what the provider of the grant is looking for, so you can tailor your application accordingly. This will also help you avoid wasting time on small business grants you aren’t eligible for.
Apply as early as possible: Some small business grant pots may dwindle as time goes on, so applying early could boost your chances of securing funding.
Keep on top of deadlines: Don’t miss out on a small business grant by letting an application deadline pass you by. Make a note of when you need to submit your proposal.
Be clear: Try to avoid getting bogged down in technical jargon or overly complicated language. You want your proposal to be simple and easy to understand.
Be specific: Describe clearly what your business does and how you meet the eligibility criteria. Also be specific in stating what you will use the grant money for and what aims and outcomes you are looking to achieve.
Be thorough: One of the best ways to show why you should receive a grant is by providing a detailed business plan. It may even be a requirement of the application.

» MORE: How to write a business plan

The number and availability of small business grants across the UK frequently changes, as deadlines expire and new schemes are introduced.

So it is important to bear in mind that the list below is not exhaustive. There may be other small business grants available that are specific to your locality or industry. You can check for the most up-to-date funding options at your local business hub, the government’s business funding search tool , or through dedicated industry organisations.

Architectural Heritage Fund

Sectors: Not for profit

Amount: Varies based on location and grant requested

This fund has a number of different grants available to organisations, with the aim of transforming the appearance of high streets and town centres, as well as stimulating the local economy. The exact aims and details of each grant varies between home countries. Organisations can find grants to fund feasibility work into a project and then receive further grants for developmental and larger project costs.

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Grants

Sectors: Registered CITB businesses

Amount: Depends on training course costs

Employers in the construction industry can apply for business funding to contribute towards the costs of training their employees. The scheme helps to make sure construction workers have the right skills and qualifications to perform their work to a high standard.

Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

Sectors: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

Amount: Up to £2,500

SMEs and sole traders without access to gigabit-capable internet connections in rural areas can apply for a broadband voucher to upgrade their connection.

Help to Grow: Management

Sectors: Senior leadership at businesses older than a year, with five to 249 employees

Amount: 90% of course fees

With Help to Grow: Management, you can attend a 12-week course, with one-to-one mentoring, that is 90% funded by the government, leaving you to pay £750 per person. It is for senior leaders who want to develop their skills and strategies.

Innovation Competitions

Sectors: Various

Amount: Various

There are numerous innovation competitions that can help small businesses access funding. The link above on Gov.uk is updated regularly. New opportunities frequently arise across many different sectors, with new competitions opening as others close.

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)

Sectors: Any (in partnership with academic/research organisation and qualified graduates)

Amount: Up to 67% of project cost for SMEs, up to 50% for large companies, and up to 75% for third sector organisations. Total costs can range between £80,000 and £100,000 per project year.

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership can help your business get the specialist skills and expertise it needs to fulfil an innovative project and bring about change. The grant contributes to the costs of hiring a suitably qualified graduate, while also giving your business access to specialist resources, expert input and consultancy, and a range of support from the wider network.

Power to Change Programmes

Sectors: Community businesses, social enterprises, charities

Amount: Up to £5,000 (Community Business Trade Up development grant); up to £25,000 (Community Business Trade Up matched equity investment); up to £12,000 (Discovery Fund)

These programmes aim to support community enterprises that make a positive difference to the local area, both those that are starting up and those looking to grow and become more sustainable. The programmes also offer expert support and advice alongside the grant funding.

Plug-in Grants

Sectors: Any

Amount: Discounts on purchase price, varies depending on the type of vehicle

Thanks to this grant, businesses can receive a discount when buying specified models of new, low-emission vehicles, from wheelchair accessible vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds, to vans, trucks and taxis. To get the benefit of this grant, businesses don’t need to apply for anything as dealers include the value of the grant in the vehicle’s price.

Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credits

Sectors: Science and technology SMEs

While not technically a grant, R&D tax relief can provide free funding if your business is trying to innovate in the science and technology sector. If you are an eligible SME, you can deduct 86% of your qualifying costs from your yearly profit, on top of the usual 100% deduction, giving a 186% total. If your business is loss making, you can instead claim a tax credit worth up to 10% of the surrenderable loss.

The National Lottery Community Fund

Sectors: Community, charity, not-for-profit, voluntary

Amount: Smaller grants between £300 and £20,000; larger funding up to £500,000

The Community Fund aims to bring a positive impact to local communities by building strong relationships, bringing people together, improving spaces in the local area, and supporting people as they reach their potential. It contains many types of funds, from smaller grants between £300 and £20,000, to larger funding up to £500,000.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund

Sectors: Charities, community groups, non-for-profits and relevant individuals

Amount: From £10,000 to £10 million

The Heritage Fund is designed to help heritage projects – whether national, regional or local – aimed at boosting the local economy and creating better places to live, work, and visit. The grants can be used for a wide range of projects including training costs, repair and maintenance, professional fees and other heritage-focused activities.

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

Sectors: Charities, not-for-profit

Amount: £2,000 to £10,000 to cover up to 50% of costs (Small Grants Programme for SMEs with annual income under £250,000); £10,000 to £100,000 (Major Grants for businesses with turnover up to £1 million)

Organisations can receive a grant from Trusthouse to help with running costs or one-off capital costs for projects that will help solve either rural issues or urban deprivation.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Sector: Start ups as well as retail, hospitality, and leisure businesses (provided the funds are used to visibly improve facilities). Also funding for small and medium-sized businesses seeking to adopt new innovations, or adopt productivity-enhancing, energy-efficient and low carbon technologies and techniques, and start or grow their exports.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund is part of the government’s Levelling Up agenda and is a domestic replacement for the European Structural and Investment Programme. The fund aims to make people more proud of where they live and improve life chances throughout the UK, with £2.6 billion allocated until 2025. One of the investment priorities is to support local businesses.

UK Tradeshow Programme

Sector: Export businesses with an annual turnover between £250,000 and £5 million

Amount: £2,000 or £4,000

If you are an exporter looking to exhibit at overseas trade shows, then the UK Tradeshow Progamme can help you access £2,000 or £4,000 in grants towards exhibition costs, stand costs (including design, construction and dressing), conference fees and promotional materials.

UnLtd Social Enterprise Funding

Sectors: Social businesses

Amount: Up to £8,000 for social businesses running under than one year; up to £18,000 for social businesses trading for longer than a year

These awards are designed to help businesses targeting lasting social change. For businesses that have been up trading over a year, UnLtd offers grants of up to £18,000 in order to help you grow and expand.

What start-up business grants are available across the UK?

Although not strictly a start-up grant, the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) can help raise funds for early-stage businesses.

SEIS promotes investment into early-stage companies by offering tax relief to individual investors in your company. Your start up can raise no more than £150,000 in SEIS investment, and you will need to make sure you adhere to the scheme’s rules to ensure your investors continue to receive their tax relief.

Social entrepreneurs across the UK looking to start a business, or whose business has been up and running for less than a year, can also access up to £8,000 in start-up business grants from UnLtd .

Meanwhile, if you specifically want to enter the beauty industry by opening a new salon, or offering a new service, you can apply for a Beauty Backed Trust Start-up Grant worth up to £5,000.

Small business and start-up grants in England

On top of the grants available across the UK, there are a range of small business grants and start up grants specifically created for England and its composite regions.

To make sure you are up to date with the various grants available in England, you can search the Local Enterprise Partnership growth hub for your region, or use the government’s nationwide business funding search tool.

Below is a selection of small business and start-up grants available in England.

Start-up business grants in England

Across the country there are a number of start-up business grants to help get your idea off the ground. These include:

Elmbridge Start-up Boost : Start ups in Elmbridge, Surrey, can apply for a one-off grant worth a maximum of £1,000 to cover 50% of eligible costs related to getting your business off the ground.
Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership : If you are hoping to start a new business in Hertfordshire, you may be eligible for a package of fully-funded specialist support to enable early-stage businesses to grow.
Malvern Hills Growth Grant : If you are a new or young business in the Malvern Hills district, in Worcestershire, there are grants of up to £2,500 available if you meet the scheme’s criteria. The Malvern Hills Rural Fund is also open to applications for up to £25,000 of business funding.
Mansfield Business Start-Up Grant : If you are looking to start a new business in the Mansfield district, you may be eligible for a grant worth up to £2,500.
Reigate & Banstead Borough Council Business Support Grants : Start ups in the Reigate and Banstead area with fewer than four employees can apply for a grant worth up to £1,000. This grant is temporarily paused.
Scarborough Business Development Grant Scheme : Start-up business grants of up to £1,000 have been available in the Yorkshire town of Scarborough for new businesses and those trading for less than 18 months – though the scheme is currently not accepting new applications.
West Midlands SME Grant Programme : New businesses in the West Midlands region can apply for a grant worth between £2,500 and £7,500.
Worcester City Council Business Start-up Grant : If you are based in Worcester, and are at the start-up stage or have been trading for less than 12 months, you can apply for funding from the City Council worth up to £1,500.

Creative and cultural grants in England

If you work in the creative and culture sectors, then these are some of the grants available to you:

Arts Council England Funding : There are a number of grants available for cultural organisations through Arts Council England, including National Lottery Project Grants between £1,000 and £100,000.
Big House Grants : If you are a business in the Creative and Digital Industries sector based in Derbyshire or Nottinghamshire, you can access Big House CDI grants between £1,000 and £2,500. Meanwhile, SMEs looking to hire external expertise (in the form of freelancers or talent) to help their business grow can take advantage of the Big House Elevator programme to cover up to 30% of the total cost, provided the spend for expertise is between £3,500 and £7,000.

Business energy grants in England

The following business grants are related to energy costs and usage:

Net Zero Worcestershire Grant : Small and medium-sized businesses in Worcestershire can access up to £10,000, depending on their precise location, to implement energy saving initiatives.
Energy Efficiency Grant : If you are based in Coventry or Warwickshire, you can get grants of £1,000 to £100,000 to cover up to 50% of the costs of making your business more energy efficient.
Low Carbon Workspaces : If your business is located in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes or Northamptonshire, you can apply for match-funded grants of between £1,000 and £6,750 in order to recoup up to a third of the cost of energy-saving measures you implement in your workplace.

Science, product development research grants in England

If you work in the science and research sectors, or are looking to develop a new product, you may be able to get assistance through the following schemes:

Medilink INSTILS : In the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire regions, life sciences businesses can access Specialist Networking Grants up to £3,000, Innovation Support Grants up to £20,000, and Med Tech Trials Grants up to £50,000.

General business growth and expansion grants

There are many business grants available aimed at SMEs looking to grow and expand. These include:

Beauty Backed Trust Support Grant : If you are an established beauty business or freelancer, you can apply for a grant worth up to £5,000 to help with running costs, additional training, or new equipment.
Chichester District Council Grant Programme : If you are an SME in Chichester, in West Sussex, looking to implement growth projects, improve publicly owned spaces, or projects designed to help residents most in need, you can access grants both under and over £1,000.
East Sussex Invest Programme : If your business is based in East Sussex, you can apply for business grants from £10,000 up to £25,000.
Elmbridge Business Boost Grants : If you are a retail business in the Elmbridge area, you can access grants worth up to £2,000 to improve your shop front, restore a shop back to commercial use, and up to £1,000 to help town or village projects aimed at driving new footfall, investment and streetscene or sustainability improvements.
The Business Growth Fund : Businesses in Gateshead, North Tyneside and Sunderland can apply for a grant to grow their business. This money is part of the Shared Prosperity Fund, with £3.5 million of funding set aside for these areas.
Invest to Grow : If you are based in the East Midlands, and work in one of the eligible sectors (such as manufacturing, life sciences, construction, and engineering), you can access grants worth £15,000 to £250,000 for projects with a minimum cost of £50,000.
Mansfield Business Growth, Shop Front Improvements and Vacant Shops Grants : Grants worth up to £2,500 are available to businesses in the Manfield district. These can be used to expand and grow your business, make shop-front improvements, or for occupying a vacant retail property.
Nelson Town Deal Grants : Manufacturing businesses in the Nelson Town Deal area, in Lancashire, can apply for grants totalling up to 50% of project costs, up to a maximum of £100,000.
North-East Business Support Fund : If you are based in the County Durham, Northumberland, Tees Valley or Tyne & Wear region, you can access grants covering 35% to 40% of costs for improvement projects worth up to £8,000.
West Midlands SME Grant Programme : Existing businesses in the West Midlands region can apply for grants from £1,000 to £100,000. Start-up businesses in the region may be eligible for grants of £1,000 to £7,500.
Worcester City Council Business Growth Grant : If you are based in Worcester, you can apply for a match-funded grant worth up to £2,500 (if you work from home) or £5,000 (if you are in a commercial premises).

Just as in England, specific business grant schemes are available in the rest of the home countries.

To find out more about schemes in Scotland, you can visit our dedicated guide to small business grants in Scotland .

For information on the various schemes available in Wales, you can read our guide to business grants in Wales .

And for a summary of some of the schemes on offer in Northern Ireland, you can read our guide to business grants in Northern Ireland .

If you are unsuccessful in applying for a business grant, there are a few other ways you can try to secure funding.

You could go down the crowdfunding route and try to raise money directly. Or to turn to another type of peer-to-peer lending platform in the search for funds. You could even look for an angel investor to help expand your business.

Of course there are also traditional business loans, which can help you access the funds you need to grow your organisation.

Image source: Getty Images

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UK Startup Funding Guide – 2022 Update

August 1, 2022

Welcome to GrantTree’s all-in-one guide to startup funding in the UK.

Securing funding is one of the most challenging aspects of starting and scaling a business. And the eye-watering complexity of the UK’s startup funding landscape doesn’t make things any easier.

To help you navigate this complicated field, and acquire funding that makes sense for your business, we’ve prepared this easy-to-follow guide to the various financial options available to UK startups.

It covers crowdfunding, equity investment, corporate loans, and GrantTree’s own area of expertise: government funding.

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To get all the latest news on R&D Tax Relief, grants, and other forms of innovation funding for your business, sign up to GrantTree’s newsletter!

Friends, family, and fools

If you don’t have a strong track record of launching successful businesses, you probably won’t be able to secure funding from traditional investors or lenders right away.

If you don’t have enough personal capital to bootstrap your business yourself, your best route to startup funding could be your friends and family. In investment parlance, this group is usually referred to as ‘Friends, Family & Fools’.

Friends and family are often the first port of call for budding business leaders. Personal contacts are usually flexible when it comes to repayment and other terms. And they are normally willing to provide funding without the extensive background checks that would accompany a private loan or equity raise.

But raising money from close acquaintances is not without its pitfalls. Your personal relationships could easily be damaged if things don’t go to plan.

Without a good sense of your company’s valuation, which is difficult to calculate early on, you could also be surrendering away too much equity in your business.

And there’s the distinct possibility that if your business fails, your friends and family will still ask for the money back. This is something a professional investor, who understands the risk of startup investment, would never do.

If you’re interested in raising money from Friends, Family & Fools, check out this excellent resource from the Founders Institute.

Back to the top

Government funding

From R&D Tax Relief to Patent Box, Innovation Grants to Creative Industries Tax Reliefs, Britain’s government funding ecosystem is as vast and verdant as any other in the UK’s financial landscape.

Calling on more than a decade’s experience in the government funding space, we have broken down the various schemes that are available to innovative startups in the UK. We’ve also explained which companies qualify for each scheme and how much funding you can expect to receive.

If you want a better sense of which schemes are most suitable for your business right now, take a look at our Government Funding Timeline, which maps the schemes below against the different stages of startup and scaleup growth.

R&D Tax Credits

R&D Tax Credits are a generous scheme that rewards eligible companies with financial incentives for performing research and development.

Delivering more than £5 billion of funding a year, R&D Tax Relief works by reimbursing businesses up to 33% of their development costs like wages and subcontractor fees, as either a corporation tax reduction, a tax rebate, or a cash lump sum if they’re unprofitable.

R&D Tax Relief is available to businesses in various sectors, from food to fashion, manufacturing to medicine. All that matters is that your company is incorporated in the UK, is liable for UK corporation tax, and meets HMRC’s particular definition of ‘R&D’ .

Do you qualify for R&D Tax Relief? Find out with our R&D Tax Relief Eligibility Quiz .

R&D Tax Relief is split into two sub-schemes: the SME R&D Tax Relief and the Research and Development expenditure credit (RDEC).

If you’re a startup, you should almost certainly apply for SME R&D Tax Relief. However, you may need to apply for RDEC if your company is linked to one or more larger businesses or has received another form of government funding.

You can find out which scheme your company should apply to here .

Innovation Grants

Innovation grants are designed to accelerate game-changing technological development by allowing innovative companies to convert ideas into concepts, concepts into prototypes, prototypes into commercial products.

Grant-worthy ideas can come from companies of any size, not just those that can shoulder millions in development work. Indeed, many innovation grant competitions have specific tracks for early-stage companies which award funding for technical feasibility studies and other foundational R&D.

Winning a grant early on in your business’s life gives you much more than money. A grant is the ultimate source of external validation—a statement from a discerning and informed source that your development work is technologically significant.

VCs and Angel investors tend to take notice of companies that have won an innovation grant. So, if you can win a grant early on, you should stand a far better chance of attracting investment. And doing so on highly favourable terms.

If you are looking for an innovation grant, the key is to keep an eye on what competitions are available from the main grant-awarding bodies like Innovate UK.

Be sure to check out Innovate UK’s SMART Competition in particular. They are sector agnostic and very popular among startups – though they are also very competitive.

Creative industries tax relief

Creative industry tax reliefs are designed specifically for companies working in artistic industries. There are eight kinds of creative tax relief in total, each serving a different field.

The specific reliefs are for:

Video games
High-end television
Children’s television
Animation television
Theatrical productions
Orchestral concerts
Museum or gallery exhibitions

Creative industry reliefs work by refunding up to 20% of your eligible costs as a tax reduction or a cash lump sum.

If you are a video games studio or are developing AR or VR experiences, you may qualify for thousands of pounds in Video Games Tax Relief.

You can learn the basics of Video Games Tax Relief (VGTR) here .

The Patent Box

The Patent Box is a generous but underutilised scheme that allows companies to convert IP into a recurring relief on their corporation tax bill.

The scheme offers a valuable and often substantial source of additional capital for profitable companies. It also allows growing companies to do something they ordinarily struggle with: monetise their patents.

The Patent Box works by giving eligible companies a reduced tax rate on profits generated by patented technologies and concepts. So instead of the usual 19% corporation tax rate, you will pay just 10% tax on profits from product revenues, royalties, damages and related activities.

If you are ‘exploiting’ a patent and are liable for corporation tax in the UK, there’s a good chance your company will be eligible for the Patent Box scheme.

You can find a full list of eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website .

The Prince's Trust Enterprise Programme

The Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programme provides support to 18-to-30-year-olds looking to launch their own startup.

Offering a range of resources including business plan templates, marketing advice, and access to a network of financial backers, the Enterprise Programme has helped almost 90,000 budding entrepreneurs take their first steps into business ownership.

Crowdfunding

The popularity of Crowdfunding has skyrocketed in recent years.

According to Beauhurst’s Following the Crowd report more than 1,600 UK companies have raised money through crowdfunding over the last decade.

And thanks to the rise of intuitive platforms like Crowdcube, and a growing demand amongst retail investors for equity in promising UK startups, this trend is likely to continue for years to come.

Crowdfunding is worth exploring if you’re finding it difficult to acquire capital from more ‘traditional’ sources. But be warned that crowd-sourced finance is also a highly competitive space.

Standing out from the hundreds of other businesses raising money this way can be expensive. And even if you do invest in marketing and outreach, there’s no guarantee you’ll reach your funding goal, meaning you’ll have to start your campaign again from scratch.

It’s also important to note that companies rarely raise large amounts of money through crowdfunding. Successful projects on Kickstarter raise just $26,000 on average.

Still, Crowdfunding can be a helpful ingredient in your funding cocktail, allowing you to augment the other, more substantial funding sources explored in this guide.

Rewards-Based Crowdfunding

Rewards-based crowdfunding is where businesses offer consumers perks like discounts and exclusive merchandise in exchange for a small contribution towards their development costs. This kind or arrangement is what most people imagine when they think of crowdfunding.

Rewards-based campaigns can do much more than provide a cheap and non-dilutive source of investment capital; they are also an excellent and perhaps unique opportunity to galvanise a community of evangelical users. This support can really help you ramp up your marketing efforts when you launch your product.

The downside of rewards-based campaigns is that it can be difficult to lure enough investors to reach your funding goal. B2C crowdfunding is especially competitive, so you might decide the resources you’ll invest in marketing and outreach are better spent elsewhere.

For more information about completing a successful rewards-based crowdfunding campaign, take a look at this excellent guide from Republic .

Rewards-Based Crowdfunding Platforms

Kickstarter

Equity Crowdfunding

Equity crowdfunding works much like rewards-based crowdfunding, only instead of product-related perks, you’re offering investors a small share in your business in return for their money.

One of the main advantages of equity crowdfunding is that it limits the risk borne by each individual, which makes it easier to convince investors to part with their money. Also, by securing a little capital from a large number of people, you can prevent any single shareholder from gaining real power over your company.

But equity crowdfunding also has some major drawbacks, including and most importantly, that you have to relinquish some amount of equity in your company. If you have shares in a growing business, you want to retain as much of that holding as possible. Equity gives you control, provides remuneration, and will hopefully convert into a lucrative payoff when it comes time to exit. The earlier you relinquish equity, the more you’ll be forfeiting in potential returns.

If you’re interested in learning more about Equity Crowdfunding, take a look at this excellent guide from investment platform Seedrs. And make sure you explore the popular platforms we’ve listed below.

Equity Crowdfunding platforms

Syndicate Room

Debt financing

Debt financing can be an excellent source of investment capital for your startup, not least because it lets you protect your equity in your business, a top priority for any entrepreneur.

Yes, debt funding can be expensive for startups. And some institutions flat out refuse to lend to early-stage businesses because they consider them too risky. But there are still several debt financing facilities that could provide the capital you need to reach your next stage of growth.

Here’s a breakdown of the main types of debt funding you should explore.

Startup Loans

The Startup Loans scheme is a state-backed initiative offering favourable rates to businesses less than two years old. Founders can borrow between £500 and £25,000 over a repayment term of up to 5 years, at a fixed interest rate of 6%.

Applying for a Startup Loan is free. All you need to do is complete a relatively simple online form and submit a business plan and cash flow statements. However, if you need a little extra guidance, the Startup Loans’ website has a library of helpful resources for preparing these documents.

Depending on how much startup capital you have, a Startup Loan can be a valuable source of relatively inexpensive debt financing. The rates are much more generous than those offered by high street banks and other private lenders. And unlike many traditional financial institutions, Startup Loans actually lend riskier startups money.

Advance Funding

GrantTree’s Advance Funding services combine all the benefits of government funding – generosity, accessibility, equity protection – with the speed of debt financing.

Through R&D Advance Funding , we can advance you as much as 80% of your R&D Tax Credit up to 12 months ahead of schedule. Thanks to the extra reassurance provided by our tax and grants delivery teams, our partners can offer you market-leading interest rates and other generous terms on your financing.

Meanwhile, our Innovation Grants Advance Funding offering lets you access the first six months worth of your grant windfall, helping you solve cashflow issues and accelerate key investments.

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Peer-to-peer lending is where companies source debt financing from a network of small lenders via an online platform like Funding Circle .

Sometimes referred to as debt crowdfunding, P2P lending carries all the same risks as regular corporate debt. But by swapping established institutions for a collection of smaller lenders and expensive go-betweens for an automated platform, peer-to-peer lending can make debt financing cheaper and more accessible for your startup.

Peer-to-Peer Lending Platforms

Crowdstacker
Funding Circle
Lending Works

Convertible Loans

Convertible loans are a type of short-term debt that converts into equity at a later date.

A lesser-used form of financing, convertible loans incentivize lenders to finance high-risk companies with the prospect of a potentially lucrative shareholding.

The loan-to-equity conversion happens at an agreed time or moment called a ‘trigger’. Triggers are typically are set at the moment the loan recipient completes an equity fundraise over a certain size.

Convertible loans are easier and faster to secure than equity fundraising, which makes them a useful source of bridge funding. Also, you usually don’t have to pay interest on convertible loans because any interest accrued simply translates into additional equity.

However, as with other kinds of debt financing, the main disadvantage of convertible loans is that they have a high priority when they mature.

Unsecured Business Loans

Unsecured business loans do not rely on collateral for security. This makes them particularly useful for businesses that need cash but don’t have assets to leverage. Unsecured loans are also relatively quick to arrange and have flexible repayment terms.

The downside is that without the security of an asset, unsecured loans tend to be smaller—usually no more than £25,000.

Also, if your business is pre-revenue, your lender might ask you to provide a personal guarantee, meaning they can pursue your personal assets if your company doesn’t pay back the money.

For a list of unsecured business loans providers, check out this detailed resource from businessfinancing.co.uk.

Short-Term Business Loans

Short-term business loans let you borrow as much as £1,000,000 for up to 12 months.

There are various short-term business loans, including term loans, asset financing and invoicing, depending on what your company needs.

Short-term loans are beneficial if you want to bring forward a business-critical purchase or need to escape an immediate financial bind. However, these loans do come with relatively high interest rates; typically 5% to 10%. Also, they are generally unsecured, meaning you may need to provide a personal guarantee.

For more information about loan providers, take a look at money.co.uk’s analysis of the top 8 short term business loans on the market.

Business Line of Credit

A business line of credit is a pot of money your company can draw on as and when needed.

Unlike conventional loans, a business credit line only accrues interest on money you actually borrow rather than the whole lump sum. In that sense, a line of credit works a bit like a credit card.

On top of being a useful source of cash, you can use business credit lines as a kind of low-cost emergency cash reserve, protecting your startup against financial shocks or dips in company performance.

The size credit line you’ll have access to is usually tied to your company’s financial performance. This makes credit lines more suited to established, cash-generating companies.

If you’re looking for a business line of credit, make sure you peruse this comprehensive list of providers from smallbusinessprices.co.uk.

Venture Debt

Venture debt is a type of debt financing tailored to startups and other venture-backed growth companies.

Unlike other forms of financing, venture debt is not dependent on collateral or your company’s cash flow. Instead, lenders prioritise your ability to continue growing and raise additional investment capital, thereby enabling you to repay your loan.

In some cases, lenders will provide venture in exchange warrants, which lets them purchase equity in your business at a guaranteed price over a set period. As your company grows, these warrants increase in value, creating larger returns and a bigger incentive for venture debt lenders.

Venture debt could let you raise additional investment capital quickly and without significant dilution to your company’s equity. If you want to learn more about this form of financing, take a look at the range of detailed articles on Silicon Valley Bank’s website .

Equity funding

Equity funding is where private companies sell shares in their business to outside investors in exchange for investment capital.

For UK startups, this equity investment is generally provided by Angels; wealthy individuals who invest their own money, and Venture Capitalists; firms who leverage personal and institutional capital to purchase stakes in high-growth businesses.

While both Angels and VC firms invest in seed and venture-stage businesses, they are very different when it comes to how much they are willing to allocate, the level of due diligence they perform, and the kinds of companies they choose to back. We explore these differences between Angels and VCs in more detail below.

We also cover two government schemes – EIS and SEIS – that provide tax relief to investors that back early-stage companies. If you’re hoping to secure equity investment for your startup, applying to these schemes is a great way to sweeten the pot for investors.

For more advice on finding and securing Equity Funding generally, check out Crunchbase’s fantastic guide to raising capital for startups.

Angel Investors

Angel investors are wealthy individuals who invest in early-stage companies using their own money.

Angels practice a high-risk, high-reward investment strategy. They take large stakes in unproven seed and venture-stage businesses, hoping that one out of every ten or 20 investments delivers a substantial pay-off.

Angel investors’ affinity for risk makes them excellent partners for early-stage startups, as does the fact that many Angels are themselves former entrepreneurs, and therefore have a good understanding of what it takes to grow a successful business.

Some people believe the best way to find Angel investors is through personal and professional networks. It’s certainly true that leveraging a personal connection can help you stand apart from the countless other companies searching for funding. So, if you can’t reach Angel investors through your existing network, it might be time to join an established business community like London & Partners.

But tapping your network isn’t the only way to engage an Angel investor. Another effective and sometimes more efficient route is to reach out directly to Angel networks. Angel Networks are essentially communities of Angel investors that pool resources and investment opportunities, many of which have easy-to-use submission portals where you can pitch your business.

Here are some of the most active Angel networks in the country. You can also check out Beauhurst’s excellent list of the 23 most active Angel networks in the UK .

Angels Den
Angel Investment Network
Oxford Capital’s Co-Investor Circle

Venture Capital

Venture Capital firms are the largest providers of equity funding for early-stage businesses in the UK. While Angels tend to invest their own money, VCs source capital from a combination of wealthy individuals and financial institutions. VC firms also usually invest more money than Angel investors and prefer more mature companies with a more developed investment proposition.

While these points are generally true, Venture Capital firms vary significantly in terms of their typical investment size and the kinds of companies they’re looking to add to their portfolio. So before pitching a VC firm, you should make sure they’re a good fit for your company.

A good place to start would be looking at the other companies the firm has invested in recently and what industries and technologies the firm focuses on. Platforms like Crunchbase offer an easy way to find and filter VC firms based on the kind of investment partner you are looking for.

Even after narrowing your search, and utilising a sophisticated VC database like Crunchbase, you should still expect to pitch a lot of different firms before you find that will agree to participate in your fundraise.

The SEIS – or Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme – helps early-stage startups secure their first tranches of outside investment. One of four widely popular venture capital schemes , the SEIS works by giving private investors a range of tax reliefs on cash used to buy shares in fledgling businesses. Investors must hold their shares for a minimum of three years to receive the full benefits of the scheme.

SEIS-qualifying companies can pocket up to £150,000 in investment – a significant sum in the first few years of business. SEIS eligibility is determined by how long your company has been trading for (under two years), how many employees you have (less than 25), your gross assets pre-money (under £200,000), and a few other criteria.

The tricky thing is, you won’t know whether your company qualifies for the SEIS until you’ve completed your funding round. This regrettable lack of visibility means investors don’t know whether they will receive tax benefits from the scheme until after they’ve put their money in.

Thankfully, HMRC has created a handy workaround to this problem: SEIS Advance Assurance.

SEIS Advance Assurance

Advance Assurance is a ‘semi-binding’ declaration from HMRC stating that your company will qualify for the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme once you complete your fundraise. Practically speaking, Advance Assurance is a way for you to determine whether you and your investors will receive SEIS benefits before your fundraising starts, solving the visibility problem mentioned above.

Advance Assurance is extremely useful when you are trying to court investors. But keep in mind that it offers only a provisional indication, not a full-proof guarantee. HMRC has the right to bar your company from the SEIS or EIS scheme, even after it has granted you assurance. Also bear in mind that not all investors are eligible for SEIS. It’s not all down to your company.

To apply for SEIS Advance Assurance, you need to complete this online form and supply evidence about your financial situation and your fundraise. It’s all pretty straightforward, but it can take a while to gather the necessary documentation.

Remember, this is a chance to test your eligibility. So whatever you do, don’t dress up the information you provide. If anything, you want to undersell your eligibility. That way, if HMRC says you probably won’t be eligible for SEIS, you can make changes before the fundraise starts.

EIS stands for the Enterprise Investment Scheme . Like the SEIS, the EIS provides tax reliefs to investors who buy and hold shares in early-stage companies.

But while the SEIS is targeted at seed-stage startups, the Enterprise Investment Scheme is designed for more ‘established’ businesses.

This ‘design’ manifests as slightly lower levels of relief (30% income tax relief rather than 50%, for example), but a far higher ceiling for the amount of money that can be invested and received.

You can find a complete list of eligibility criteria on the EIS website .

EIS Advance Assurance

HMRC also offers Advance Assurance for the EIS scheme.

Like SEIS Advance Assurance, applying for EIS Advance Assurance is a simple matter of providing HMRC with information about your business and upcoming fundraise.

You can apply for Advance Assurance using this form .

That brings us to the end of GrantTree’s guide to the UK startup funding ecosystem. We hope you found it helpful!

To get all the latest news and resources regarding funding for your startup delivered straight to your inbox, make sure you subscribe to GrantTree’s newsletter .

If you want to explore the funding options open to your company, just get in touch. Our experts would be happy to help.

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Writing a business plan to get a grant to start a new business can be a daunting process, as investors pay attention to every minute detail.

Our experts will create a business plan which includes all the much needed information as well researching the best grant opportunities and tailoring the business plan to the application process.

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Building on 16+ years of funding experience, B&F Services team has a brilliant background with R&D grant applications. We ensure a significant competitive advantage over other grant applicants. In addition to our writing expertise, we advise clients on the potential eligibility and scope of proposed projects, supporting them in their development of deliverable and appropriately costed project plans.

Initial phase to discuss your project so that our team can best match your project to the most suitable grant funds and assess its chances of success (free consultation)

Our specialist consultants write all the relevant technical, commercial, and financial details of your project, provide your solutions to the gaps existing in the current market, and summarise it as a convincing plan.

We complete the online registration process and submit the grant application on your behalf. Grant assessors provide feedback on both successful and unsuccessful grant applications, and we review this feedback with you to give you on-going advice and guidance.

When your grant application has been assessed, there are some due diligence elements that our team will deliver. Our team will also help you prepare and complete all documentation requests from the grant body.

Over 17 years of experience of working with UK and EU funding bodies means we understand what evidence they want to see and how it should be best presented to speed up the drawdown of funding.

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Delivering an Expert Team

Our unique team of thinkers, makers and doers work in a collaborative, multidisciplinary way to bridge the gap between strategy and execution. We feel confident advising our clients on number of projects, assisting with idea generation or business modelling.

Our contacts including different type of investors, including venture capitalists, private equity funds, angel and private investors, financial institutions, private lenders, etc. We can offer coaching and consulting how to approach the funding and meeting bookings.

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All our business plans are prepared from scratch ensuring accuracy and an eye for detail. Business plans are usually provided with a basic design, accompanied by custom charts. And our pitch decks are designed to match your branding.

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We offer a strictly confidential service, our team can sign the NDA to help you and your venture feel more protected.

Our process is simple, and usually starts with the consultancy to understand better your venture and its goals. See more here…

Absolutely! We pride ourselves with offering a phone, zoom or face to face meeting to discuss your business. We initially offer 40minutes free consultation.

Our prices are highly competitive, scaling up or down depending on task complexity. Price would depend on the depth of the market research, delivery timeline and industry. We offer a free consultancy to discuss initially your business and offer a quotation for you to consider.

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Good Practice Guidance

Business plan good practice guidance

By reading this guidance you'll get help with how to develop a business plan, including basic headings and prompts on how to review your plan as it develops. It also includes a list of further resources and a glossary of terms to do with business planning.

Please note: if you already have a business plan, you don’t need to produce a new one.

Writing your plan

Before producing your business plan, consider:

if you need expertise in areas such as market analysis, taxation or legal matters
who will be involved in writing the plan, including staff and trustees
the timelines for the business plan to be approved

The headings below give a basic framework for developing a business plan, but every organisation is different so you may want to use different headings or additional content that better explains how your organisation works:

executive summary
about the organisation
governance and management structures
market appraisal and current approach
financial appraisal
risk register
monitoring and evaluating the organisation
organisational impact assessment
contact details for the organisation

Once you have a draft it’s a good idea to review it to assess its strengths and weaknesses, tackle any gaps and ensure it’s as clear, concise and logical as possible.

Your business plan will be a document you refer back to continually and update in the general course of running your organisation, so ask yourself:

Does your business plan present a strategy for achieving your aims and your mission?
Does your business plan align with our Heritage 2033 investment principles ?

Executive summary

Your plan should start with a concise overview (no more than two pages) highlighting the most important information in the document, including:

an overview of your organisation including your mission statement and what you want to achieve
the organisation’s key aims for the period of the plan (usually 3–5 years)
key elements of your strategy including how you will assure the longer-term financial future of the organisation
the main risks facing your organisation and how you plan to manage these in the short, medium and long term
an explanation of how your organisation is resilient enough to meet challenges: likely including financial information, how you will ensure governance and management structures are fit for purpose, and the monitoring and evaluation processes you have in place
any additional key information

Review this section by asking:

Is it a well-structured summary highlighting key points from the plan?
If someone with no prior knowledge of your organisation read this summary on its own, would it make sense?

About the organisation

This should provide information on the structure, objectives and activities of your organisation, including:

when and why it was started
its purpose, aims and key successes
the key areas of activity, products and/or services that you deliver, how they are distinctive and how will they be developed over the course of the plan
details of the targets you have set for each area of activity
Legal status, eg: unincorporated association or trust, or incorporated by Act of Parliament, Royal Charter, as a company limited by shares/guarantee, (Scottish) Charitable Incorporated Organisation or Industrial and Provident Society. Indicate whether it is a Community Interest Company or is registered or recognised as a charity.
whether it has a membership of individuals, and if so the number of members
the names of any other entities with which it has a formal association (eg: any bodies with which there are funding agreements or that have the right to nominate multiple board members)
Whether it is a partnership of different organisations with a shared interest, identifying the other organisations/stakeholders you will be working with, the basis of the arrangement and whether it is formal or informal. Summarise any partnership agreements.
the number and roles of paid staff (in total and full-time equivalents) and explain the tasks they perform within the organisation
the role of volunteers (give estimates of the number of regular volunteers, the tasks they do within the organisation and the total number of hours they work on each task every year)
describe how you fund your organisation’s activities, noting any sources that account for a particularly large proportion of your income and, if these come from a funding body, when this funding will be subject to review
Have you accurately described your organisation’s purpose and main areas of activity and how you are distinctive?
Do you highlight key successes?
Is it clear what services or products you offer and how you intend to develop them?
Have you set clear targets?
Is the structure of your organisation clearly set out in a way that is easy to understand?
Have you included key information about your legal set up and how you staff and fund core activities?

Governance and management structures

This should explain your organisation’s management structure, decision-making processes, lines of communication and reporting. It can include simple organograms/network diagrams to show your governance, management and staffing structures.

Governance summary

This should provide an overview of the governance in place within your organisation to ensure that business plans and strategies are approved and monitored.

Describe the size and composition of the governing body (eg: council, board of trustees, board of directors) and, where appropriate, arrangements in place for succession planning and board development training. List the roles covered by your senior management team.

You should explain the make-up of your board. This includes how the board provides a diversity of perspective and skills. You should also explain their engagement with the organisation, particularly in relation to:

business planning, pricing policies and marketing strategies
financial management and administration
fundraising
approving potential projects and maintaining oversight
commissioning advisers and consultants

Summarise the functions of any sub-groups, describing their membership, roles and responsibilities, and specifying any delegated powers they are authorised to use. Indicate how frequently such groups meet.

Management structure

You should include simple organigrams or network diagrams. These should show each job title. There’s no need to include individuals’ names.

Show how many post-holders are employed in each position and whether they are full-time, part-time or volunteers.

An example of an organogram, featuring three levels of hierarchy from Manager to assistants

An accompanying schedule should list each role, summarising its purpose and function, and the name of the post-holder (so we can see if there are vacancies in key roles).

You should provide information on your recruitment policies for core staff. If you use external advisors regularly, you should give details of their company and role and how they relate to the positions on the organogram.

If volunteers are a key part of your organisation, you should explain:

the roles volunteers play in the organisation, including the types of responsibilities they have
how many volunteers the organisation works with
the number of volunteer hours
the role within your organisation responsible for managing volunteering and how this is monitored
Have you covered how your organisation is managed and governed in a clear way? Is there any information missing?
Have you included the main challenges you face in running your business?
Is it clear what skills and experience are needed going forward? Have you included information on how you develop skills within the organisation?
Have you included plans for developing your structure and processes in the future?

This should include a more detailed overview of the aims of your organisation for the period of the plan and how they relate to your overall mission, setting out the key activities you will undertake to achieve them.

Include any projects you plan to take on, demonstrating how they will work together to achieve your organisation’s aims. You should include information on the impact additional projects will have on your organisation and how you plan to deal with those impacts.

Include dates and a timetable for reviewing and updating your strategy.

Market appraisal and current approach

A market appraisal looks at your offer within the context of the marketplace. You should assess your market, your competition and your marketing strategy. Market analysis should be proportionate to the scope and size of your organisation.

Describe your current market:

Is the profile of your heritage attraction or place of local or national interest? Is it well known?
Is it valued by a wide cross-section of the public or a more limited special-interest group?
How many customers have you had each year over the past 10 years?
What are the demographics of your current customers and visitors – their age, gender, income, education, and occupation? What proportion are family groups/schools?
Where do they live – very locally, from the surrounding region, from the UK or overseas?
What proportion of customer contacts are repeats?

Show you know your market:

On a national or regional basis, is your market growing, falling or stable?
How does this relate to your organisation’s experience?
Are there any national socio-economic trends or policies that will have an impact on your market?
How might foreseeable political, economic, social and/or technological changes affect your market?

Consider your potential/target audience:

Who are the people most likely to access your service?
Are they single or repeat customers?
What are their needs, behaviours, tastes and preferences?
What has research shown you so far?

Review the competition

All organisations have competition of some sort. Find out what organisations are in competition with yours. Look at how they price their activities, their business strategy, strengths and weaknesses.

Develop a competitive strategy for your organisation

Do a ‘SWOT’ analysis looking at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to your organisation.

Use evidence-based information and remember to include internal and external factors. Describe what is unique and special to your organisation and include the disadvantages you have.

Outline your marketing strategy

A marketing strategy is how you will reach new audiences. It will likely be based on evidence from:

data you have collected, over as long a period of time as is achievable
national data, for example, the Taking Part survey (in England), national tourism surveys, national and local authority statistics
existing market research
market research commissioned to estimate potential markets and the potential popularity of the business with your target market
reviewing operations that are similar to those you propose in your own area and further afield, using annual accounts available online from the Charity Commission (England) or Companies House

Your marketing strategy should clearly set out:

people: who your target audiences are, including the size of these audiences
product: what you’re offering people
price: your pricing strategy and the rationale behind it
promotion: the communication channels and messages you will use to reach your target audiences

Financial appraisal

This should include a general financial assessment of your organisation, an overview of your total financial need to support your day-to-day operations and details of your financial model, including your main sources of funding.

Provide supporting documents in an appendix at the end of your business plan, detailing:

a forecast income and expenditure account
a cashflow forecast showing the expected monthly cashflow
statements of assumptions underlying the forecasts

Detail the assumptions made in your calculations. An assumption is anything you are relying on to make forecasts. For example, the average number of visitors you are expecting based on the previous year, or any unknown costs of materials. Make sure you also include details of any reserves.

You may want to undertake a sensitivity analysis to show what your finances would look like if your projections fall short by various amounts, for example between 5% and 20%. What would the risk to your operation be if either of these scenarios were to occur and what action might you need to take?

Have you described how your organisation operates financially in a way that is easy to understand?
Have you included an overview of your total financial needs, what your main sources of funding are and how your main activities contribute to achieving this?
Have you included an expected cashflow forecast and income and expenditure forecast?

Risk register

A risk assessment identifies your organisation’s internal weaknesses and external threats. A risk register, usually set out as a table, lists all the identified risks prioritised in order of importance.

For each risk, outline:

the nature of the risk, eg: technical, market, financial, economic, management, legal
a description of the risk
the probability of the risk happening: low, medium, high or as a percentage
the effect the risk could have, eg: on cost, time, performance
the level of effect: low, medium, high, or as a percentage
how you would prepare for and lessen the risk’s effect
Have you listed the key potential problems that your organisation faces?
On reflection, are they your main risks or can the list be reduced?
Have the risks been properly calculated?
Do you need to do any further thinking about how risks will be mitigated?
Are there any alternative courses of action that have not been considered?

Monitoring and evaluating your organisation

In this section you should set out your plans for monitoring and evaluating your organisation's performance and impact to ensure you are meeting your aims and achieving your mission.

You will need to gather different kinds of information at various stages, starting at the earliest opportunity by benchmarking where you are to start with. You should set a series of milestones, financial targets and performance targets to track these.

Evaluation should be carried out regularly using the monitoring information. You should summarise your planned approach and include details of milestones. Your approach should show when you anticipate evaluating your achievements and specify the scope of the evaluation and whether your organisation plans to bring in any expertise to help you assess the extent to which you are meeting your aims.

Have you included details of the changes you want your organisation to make? How does this link to your mission and aims?
Have you set out how you intend to monitor progress? Will you need any external advice?
Have you detailed what success looks like? How will you know if you have achieved your targets?
Do you have a plan for linking your findings into future decision-making? How do you report back to your board of trustees?

Organisational impact assessment

Within your application we want to see how your proposed project will impact your organisation and its finances and continue to deliver against our investment principles for a period of five years from the end of the project, including:

How will any additional costs created by the project continue to be funded?

These can include additional staffing and housekeeping costs, business rates, maintenance obligations arising from implementing management and maintenance plans (and, if applicable, conservation plans ). Document these additional costs in a table.

Where the project is expected to lead to reduced expenditure (for example, reduced energy expenditure, productivity gains due to improved technology), include the costs of the savings in the table to give the planned net additional cost or saving.

What additional volunteer input will be required?

Tell us about additional numbers of hours to be worked and the number of additional hours required. Indicate where these volunteers come from and the impact on your volunteer management and training arrangements.

Are there any changes in governance or management that could affect the project?

Tell us about any relevant changes to board composition or committee structure, or variation in individual duties or responsibilities. If the structure will be different during different phases of your project, provide separate diagrams to explain the arrangements. Outline any other material change in how the organisation will be managed as a consequence of the project.

Provide the following financial projections:

A statement of unrestricted funds, or of income and expenditure where the organisation is a local authority, university or other large organisation and the scale of the project is immaterial to the organisation's total financial circumstances. Where the organisation has a trading subsidiary, its projections should be consolidated with those of its parent. Include:

the organisation's balance sheet
the assumptions on which the financial projections are based
a sensitivity analysis

In carrying out this impact assessment you should:

Use the market appraisal you have carried out in your overall business planning to give details of your market size and the income generated. The assumptions should clearly show the basis on which the numbers have been calculated.
demonstrate that the general trend will be for the organisation to generate annual surpluses on its unrestricted funds
Base your assessment on your latest completed financial year if you have been in existence for that length of time (or the current year budget). Use this as a starting point for your projections so you can clearly assess the net impact on your financial position from the incremental, on-going income and expenditure caused by the project you are proposing.
Include in the sensitivity analysis the income items that are most critical to the organisation's success, are most uncertain or contain the greatest risk. By adjusting these by percentages between 5% and 20%, depending on their nature and risk, it is possible to see the impact on the reported surplus.

Contact details for your organisation

At the end of your business plan, include:

head office address
telephone number
email address

If you need to include additional information to support your plan, for example, evidence or reports you have commissioned, external advice, financial information or visuals which support the plan, add these as appendices.

When you have completed the plan, review your appendices to make sure you haven’t missed any relevant detail. Check whether you have included information in the main business plan that should be listed in the appendix instead.

Additional resources

Sample business plans for various industries.
Business planning guidance for arts and cultural organisations commissioned by Arts Council England for the arts and cultural sector.
The Sustainable Sun tool : 10 steps towards financial sustainability from the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.
An introduction to benchmarking , developed by The Audience Agency.
How to build a measurement and evaluation framework , developed by New Philanthropy Capital.
Impact and evaluation resources from the Small Charities Coalition
DIY toolkit on how to invent, adopt or adapt ideas that can deliver better results, created by Nesta, the UK’s innovation agency. It includes a template for SWOT analysis .
Various business planning resources from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.
Various resources to help you run your organisation from the Wales Council for Voluntary Action.
Resources and templates relating to business planning , including a template for developing a cashflow, from the Small Charities Programme.

Glossary of terms to do with business planning

Aims: a broad statement of intent.

Asset : an item of value owned and controlled by the organisation that has a useful life longer than a single accounting period.

Budget : a plan for future activity expressed in terms of incoming and outgoing resources.

Cashflow : the pattern of an organisation’s income and expenditure. Having surplus cash in hand after being able to meet all debts on the day they are due is a ‘positive’ cashflow, not having cash to meet debts as they fall due is a ‘negative’ cashflow.

Forecast : a financial projection, based on performance to date, of where the organisation expects to be at the end of the current financial period. Revised forecasts are often prepared throughout the financial year.

Impact: the intended or unintended sustainable changes brought about by an initiative, project, programme or organisation.

Mission : the overall guiding direction of the organisation, which usually states your purpose, refers to what your organisation does, who it does it for and what is unique or different about what you do.

Objectives : achievements set out for a business to aim for, often within a certain timeframe. These should be ‘SMART’, ie: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-based. They underpin planning and strategic activities and serve as the basis for performance monitoring and evaluation.

Trustee: a person who has independent control over, and legal responsibility for, an organisation’s (especially a charity’s) management and administration. Find out more about trustees on the Government’s website .

Sensitivity analysis: tests different scenarios to see how they will affect your bottom line, for example by increasing and decreasing your financial projections by between 5% and 20%.

Unrestricted funds: money that can be spent on any activity that furthers the organisation’s purpose.

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Startup & small business grants simplified

Business grants remain a crucial source of government funding for many UK businesses. It’s often essential in getting a new capital development off the ground, or for exploring new and innovative models to solve some of society’s toughest social problems.

Looking for innovation grants?

How Swoop can help

Head to the ‘grant funding’ section of your Swoop account after entering your company information.

See your matches

View all available grants that may be right for you, saving you hours of research time.

We then send you directly from our grant finder through to the application page for the relevant grant provider.

Continually review your matches

Currently we have over 500 grants on the platform and we continue to update the tool as new grants come to the market. We recommend reviewing your grant matches at least quarterly to ensure you are up to date with the options available to you.

Tips for applying

Timing . Ensure you are applying at an appropriate stage and have a clear opportunity to take advantage of. New funds open all around the year, so make sure to check Swoop’s grant finder on a regular basis for new grants you may be eligible for.

Define the opportunity and make sure you are eligible and fit the scope for the specific grant. It is easy to spend time applying for grants which are not suitable for your business.

Have a defined project and outline and highlight the impact it’ll have to align with the scope. Make your application worthy of receiving funding by ensuring you have done all the necessary preparation.

Outline the costs involved in the project and ensure you justify why they are needed and how much is needed to cover these costs.

Share your objectives clearly . Make sure you are clear what success looks like as a result of taking on a small business grant. How will you know when you’ve got there? What economic and social impact will your project have?

Outline a timeline and projections of progress expected to be achieved as these will be monitored closely if you are successful and mentioned within the scope.

Andrea Reynolds, Swoop’s CEO & Co-Founder

A word from Andrea

"There’s a wide range of grants available across several sectors including manufacturing, tech, transport, energy, information and communication technologies, security, climate, aerospace, food, health, environment, and many more. Finding the one that best fits your business needs is key.

If you successfully obtain a grant, you may also want to consider grant advance funding , which is a type of loan that allows you to receive the grant value sooner, and simply pay off the balance of your loan when you receive the grant funding."

Page written by Rachel Wait . Last reviewed on May 16, 2024 . Next review due April 6, 2025.

What is a business grant?

A business grant is a sum of money awarded to a business to help it grow and develop – the money could be invested in training, equipment or reaching new markets, for example. Business grants are usually awarded by the government or other companies and, unlike a business loan, business grants do not need to be repaid.

What grants are available for startups and small businesses in the UK?

There are hundreds of business grants available in the UK, with many aimed at specific industries, community groups or types of business. If you’re a startup or small business you’ll be able to choose from the following:

Innovation grants : these are provided by a variety of funding bodied such as Innovate UK to support innovative ideas and business growth, including those from the UK’s world-class research base.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund : provides grants to sustain and transform the UK’s heritage. This can include investment in museums, parks, historic places and cultural traditions.

R&D tax credits : these are cash payments from the government to encourage companies to carry out research and development projects that relate to science or technology.

Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) : there are 38 LEPs across England. These are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses that provide business funding, support and guidance in their local areas.

New Enterprise Allowance : provides funding and support to those looking to start or develop a business. You need to be aged 18 or over and either you or your partner must receive Universal Credit, Job Seeker’s Allowance or Employment and Support Allowance, or you must get Income Support and be a lone parent, sick or disabled.

The Prince’s Trust : supports young people aged 18 to 30 who want to start and run their own business. As well as providing funding and resources, the Trust also provides training and mentoring.

Where can I find small business grants in the UK?

There’s a range of funding and grant options available for small businesses, depending on where you live in the UK.

Small business grants in England. There are 38 regional Growth Hubs to be found on the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEP) Network website and these can provide funding and advice to help boost your business in your local economy.

Small business grants in Scotland. Depending on where you live in Scotland, you may be able to apply for a business grant from Scottish Enterprise , or you could be eligible for a grant from the Highlands and Islands Enterprise or local councils. Take a look at the Scottish Government’s funding advice page for more information.

Small business grants in Wales. The finance locator on the Business Wales website can help you look for grants your business may be able to apply for and it also provides information on the application process. You may be able to get funding from the Welsh government, the UK government, local authorities and charitable organisations.

Small business grants in Northern Ireland. If your business is based in Northern Ireland, nibusinessinfo.co.uk provides a number of resources to help you understand your grant options. This includes government support, as well as innovation, and research and development grants including Invest NI Innovation Vouchers , which provide access to a public sector knowledge provider e.g. University, College or Institute of Technology to work with you on an innovation project.

Swoop’s grant calendar. Overwhelmed by the UK business grants landscape? Try Swoop’s grants calendar and filter for grants by date, industry, country, or county.

How do I write a business grant proposal?

When writing a business grant proposal, it’s worth keeping the following points in mind:

Write in plain English and avoid jargon
Be specific about what you plan to do
Show how your business meets the grant qualifying criteria
Be clear what success looks like as a result of taking on a grant
Create specific aims and well-defined criteria to quantify success
Provide evidence that your team is capable of delivering the work, as well as a return on the grant funder’s investment
Make your budget as specific as possible

Writing a successful grant application is no easy task and it’s well worth your while engaging the services of a professional grant writer. Speak to our grant experts who can help maximise your chances of receiving a grant.

How do I apply for a small business grant?

Swoop has a list of accessible grants you can apply for, whether you’re an established business or a startup. You can view the many options available to you by registering with Swoop . There’s a wide range of grants available across several sectors including grants for manufacturing, tech businesses, transport , energy, information and communication technologies, security, climate, aerospace, food, health, environment, and more.

Alternatives to grant funding

If you’re not sure whether grant funding is right for you and your business, there are alternatives to consider, including business loans and equity finance.

With a business loan , you simply borrow a lump sum of money and then repay this sum with added interest. You can typically borrow up to 25% of your annual turnover or £10,000 to £50 million. Lenders include high-street banks, challenger banks, online lenders and small local specialists.

Equity finance , on the other hand, is a way of raising fresh capital by selling shares of your company in return for a share of the profits, usually a share in the ownership (equity) of the business and/or a share in the running of the business. It can be a good option for new or small businesses finding it hard to get a loan.

Rachel has been writing about finance and consumer affairs for over a decade, helping people to get to grips with their finances and cut through the jargon. She's written for a range of websites and national newspapers including MoneySuperMarket, Money to the Masses, Forbes UK, and Mail on Sunday. Rachel has covered almost every financial topic, from car insurance and credit cards, to business bank accounts and mortgages.

Swoop promise

At Swoop we want to make it easy for SMEs to understand the sometimes overwhelming world of business finance and insurance. Our goal is simple – to distill complex topics, unravel jargon, offer transparent and impartial information, and empower businesses to make smart financial decisions with confidence.

Find out more about Swoop’s editorial principles by reading our editorial policy .

Frequently asked questions

No, you won’t need to repay the amount awarded through a business grant, nor will you need to pay interest on it.

Yes you can. Although many grants are geared towards businesses that have been trading for one to two years or those that are more established, there are a number of grants specifically tailored towards businesses yet to start trading .

A Smart Grant is Innovative UK’s ‘Open grant funding’ programme which seeks ‘the best game-changing and commercially viable innovative or disruptive ideas’ from almost any industry. All proposals must be business focused. The competition usually runs three to four times a year and project costs range from £25,000 to £2 million.

In the March 2021 Budget, a £5 billion Restart Grant fund was unveiled to offer up to £6,000 per premises for non-essential retail businesses and up to £18,000 per premises for hospitality, accommodation, leisure, personal care and gym businesses.

The scheme aims to give businesses the financial certainty required to plan ahead and relaunch trading in coming months. Support is likely to be provided until 21 June 2021, when it’s hoped that all coronavirus restrictions will be lifted.

Match funding for grants means that in order to receive a particular business grant, you will need to put up some of your own funds. Grant organisations might request match funding to give them the reassurance that you are serious about the project being invested in and that you are able to raise adequate funds to support it.

Grant advance funding refers to a financial arrangement where companies that participate in government grant programs can access a portion of their future grant capital in advance. In other words, it’s a loan to get cracking on your grant-funded project.

It allows businesses to receive a portion of the grant funds before completing the milestones or project requirements outlined in the grant agreement. It helps companies maintain cash flow, meet financial obligations, and progress with their projects without waiting for the complete disbursement of the grant funds.

Yes – because you won’t be expected to repay grant money (as you would with a loan), bad credit shouldn’t be a problem.

However, it’s important to thoroughly check the general terms and criteria – such as business size, grant purpose, location and industry type – before you apply to make sure you qualify.

To make your application worthy of receiving funding, it’s important to do all the necessary preparation. As part of this, you’ll need a solid and realistic business plan with sales projections, cash flow and loss forecasts. Your business plan should be tailored for the grant you’re applying for and, if you are already trading, you’ll need to provide bank statements as evidence of your finances.

Always prepare your application as early as you can to ensure you don’t miss the deadline. It’s worth getting a second opinion from a mentor, senior colleague or expert and be sure to proofread and spell check your application before submitting it.

Innovation funds are grant funding programmes that offer financial backing to organisations and groups that are looking to research and develop a process, product or service, test innovative ideas and/or collaborate with other organisations. If your business has a focus on innovation or you are trying to bring a new product to the market, innovation grants could be a good option to explore.

Yes, you can claim both. In fact, if you receive a grant, it’s likely that at least some of your development work will qualify for R&D tax credits . However, being awarded a grant will have an impact on your R&D tax credit claim, so it’s important to plan carefully and seek expert advice before proceeding.

Cash grants are usually taxable because they are classed as a form of income. This means that once you have subtracted the relevant allowances and expenses, the sum left over will be liable to tax.

The government will generally only allocate funding to businesses that meet specific requirements, such as; location, business size, and trading duration.

For more information on how grant funding is allocated , click here.

Given the higher likelihood of male-owned businesses receiving funding, organisations are increasingly focusing on funding women in business to provide them with more opportunities for success.

We have a wide range of loan options

Business grants calendar
Grant advance funding
How to get a small business grant

Innovate UK Smart Grants

Innovation grants

Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) explained – what are they?

Match funding for grants explained – what is it?

Sustainability grants

Technology readiness level (TRL) explained – what is it and how can it help me get a grant?

Business loans

Equity finance, r&d tax credits, commercial mortgages.

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Q&A's

Grant Business Plan

Answered by Expert
on Q&A's
Date August 20
Asked By Hiram Pew

Do we need to have a business plan to get business grant from the government?

There are hundreds of government funding schemes available for small business owners in the UK. In fact, our Funding Database currently has over 600 government funding schemes and over 500 private investors available for small business owners and startup entrepreneurs. What are you doing to take advantage of this? Become a member and start your search.

Need funding for your small business?

Learn how you can get funding for your small business in the UK. It takes 30 seconds.

Take advantage of the Small Business Startup Assessment Tool below and see the tools and resources you need to succeed at starting your small business. It just takes 30 seconds and will also tell you if there may be any funding assistance available.

Be sure to look at the hundreds of daily questions and answers we have from entrepreneurs like you who want to learn more about starting a business, creating a business plan, searching for funding. Our small business experts take the time to answer each and every single question, so if you have something on your mind – we can help!

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START-UP BUSINESS SUPPORT NOW AVAILABLE

Small Business Grants

Grant funding is now available for new and existing small businesses on Anglesey.

Grants of up to £2,000 are being made available for small businesses, self-employed, and start-ups.

Grants Launch Event April 2024

Find out if you're eligible for the grant

What funding is available, the start-up grant.

Those looking to start their own small businesses can apply for the Start-Up Grant.

The grant helps cover the start-up costs of a business during its initial stages, on eligible purchases such as tools, furniture, IT, and advertising.

Applicants will receive guidance to ensure their eligibility for a grant from Môn CF.

As part of Môn CF's Business Support services, we will help create the documentation needed for each application. This includes writing a business plan and cash flow forecast.

The Small Business Grant

Anglesey-based businesses and self-employed people looking for support can apply for the Small Business Grant.

The Small Business Grant aims to help cover some of the costs of developing local businesses.

Grants are available for revenue expenditures on purchases reflected in your Profit & Loss account.

Eligible expenditures could include tools, equipment, training, advertising, websites, and IT. This list is not exhaustive but please note the grant is not intended to support personal drawings or the day-to-day running costs of the business.

New Start-Up Businesses Apply Here:

Established small businesses & self-employed apply here:, applications for the small business grant are now closed, eligibility criteria.

To Apply you should be:

Aged 16 years of age or older

Looking to start up a self-employed business on Anglesey before the end of November 2024

If you are an established business looking for support

Your business must be based on Anglesey.

Non-eligibile Criteria

Aesthetics (Botox, fillers, etc.)

Air B+B (unless main income)

Subcontractors

Received a grant previously from Môn CF

Applications Opening Soon

Our next grants launch event is happening on the 11th of April!

Please read the application guidance before applying.

If you need support with your application please get in touch with us at [email protected] .

Hear what others have to say!

Hear from other small business owners on their experience applying for grants with Môn CF!

Môn CF helped my business with a small grant this year with some items really needed to help my staff. Really appreciated this and the work done to help.

Emberwood Creative

Grants Launch Event 2023

Eisiau Ymgeisio trwy gyfrwng y Gymraeg?

Lawrlwythwch y canllawiau grant a ffurflenni cais yma.

Plîs darllenwch y canllawiau ymgeisio cyn gwneud cais

Os oes angen cymorth hefo'ch cais, cysylltwch â [email protected]

Additional Resources

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The National Lottery Community Fund announces largest expansion in its funding for 30 years

Press Releases

The National Lottery Community Fund, the largest community funder in the UK, has today unveiled bold new three-year ambitions to support what matters most to communities across the UK, including:

More than 50% of all grants will go to communities experiencing greatest poverty and disadvantage.
At least 15% of funding will go to environmental sustainability projects.
The largest expansion of grassroots funding in three decades, with a target of reaching more than 80% of areas across the UK.
The primary focus of more than 90% of grants is on one of four community-led missions: supporting communities to come together, be environmentally sustainable, help children and young people thrive and enable people to live healthier lives.

The ambitious targets are part of The National Lottery Community Fund’s new Corporate Plan for 2024-27, published following extensive work since the organisation introduced its new strategy - It starts with community - in June 2023. The new plan puts tackling inequality and taking an equity-based approach at the heart of everything, and the organisation is currently finalising a comprehensive review of its funding activities across the UK covering the allocation of more than £3bn of National Lottery funding. Last autumn, the Fund also delivered its most significant change to its flagship product. Since doubling the grant amount and duration for National Lottery Awards for All in November, first time applicants are up by 8% to 45%, with £62m going to grants over £10,000.

David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “This plan encapsulates the next three years of our strategy and coincides with a new chapter in The National Lottery story. It’s one that anticipates increasing returns to good causes, as this year we celebrate its 30th anniversary.

“We pledge to extend grassroots funding to communities across the UK, concentrating on reaching places that have not previously sought funding and staying rooted in the communities we serve. We will target seeing more than 80% of local communities apply for National Lottery funding. Representing communities from Bude to Ballyclare, Brynmawr to Bannockburn, this initiative is the largest expansion in National Lottery funding in the past three decades.

“This plan puts tackling inequality and taking an equity-based approach at the core of what we do. We receive an idea every three minutes, so we will support what matters most to different communities by targeting delivery across our four community-led missions and focusing on where there is greatest need. We’ll embed support for environmental action across all funding, dedicating 15% of funding for environmental sustainability and supporting projects to consider the environment even when it isn’t their main focus.”

The National Lottery Community Fund awards grants to strengthen society and improve lives across the UK, supporting activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable. Following a comprehensive review of the whole portfolio, The National Lottery Community Fund will implement a new grant budget and allocations formula for more than £3bn of National Lottery funding activities in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and across the UK, with the objective of maintaining clear and simple processes while enhancing accessibility and reach.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million a week for good causes across the UK. Thanks to them, last year The National Lottery Community Fund was able to distribute over half a billion pounds (£615.4 million) of life-changing funding to communities.

To find out more see the Corporate Plan .

General election latest: Sunak's announcement gets brutal review from top Tory - as Reform leader defends 1066 graph

Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer and other party leaders have kicked off campaigning after the prime minister called a general election for 4 July.

Friday 24 May 2024 03:30, UK

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

General election called for 4 July

PM's announcement gets brutal review from top Tory
Starmer claims Sunak 'never believed' in Rwanda plan
Reform leader grilled over bizarre '1066' migration graph
Two ministers stand down on first full day of campaigning
'Ready-made' football law among victims of parliament ending
Live reporting by Ben Bloch and (earlier) Faith Ridler

Expert analysis

Sam Coates: PM needs to capitalise on surprise
Sophy Ridge: This is what the Tories don't want to talk about

Election essentials

Trackers: Who's leading polls? | Is PM keeping promises?
Subscribe to Sky's politics podcasts: Electoral Dysfunction | Politics At Jack And Sam's
Read more: What happens next? | Which MPs are standing down? | Key seats to watch | How to register to vote | What counts as voter ID? | Check if your constituency's changing | Sky's coverage plans

It's not just your lifelong politicans who enter the fray when it comes to election time.

With the next general election now confirmed for July, there are already some faces in the mix you might recognise from other walks of life.

They wouldn't be the first from the worlds of entertainment and sport to venture into politics - the late Oscar-winner Glenda Jackson won a seat for Labour in the 1992 election, as did TV personality Gyles Brandreth for the Conservatives.

And Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was known as a comedian and actor before assuming his current role in 2019.

Here are some new candidates hoping to become MPs in July - along with one who bowed out after just eight days...

As the football season comes to an end - the general election battle is just beginning.

And it's the crossover you didn't know you needed - Sky's Kay Burley kicks out David Jones, Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher from the Monday Night Football studio.

Below, she gives you a first look at our Election Night Live studio, our home for when the results come in from across the United Kingdom.

Have a sneak peak below:

Sky News has announced its coverage plans for the 2024 general election after Rishi Sunak surprised the nation by saying the public will go to the polls on 4 July.

Chief Presenter Kay Burley will anchor Election Night Live, the overnight results programme, from a 360-degree immersive studio normally used by Sky Sports shows like Monday Night Football.

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester and a former Labour MP, will provide guest analysis alongside the former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Baroness Ruth Davidson.

Burley, who will be covering her twelfth UK general election, will also be joined by Sky News' award-winning political editor Beth Rigby , the presenter of our Sunday breakfast show Sir Trevor Phillips, and data and economics editor Ed Conway .

You can read more on our election night plans below:

By Professor Michael Thrasher, Sky News election analyst

The electoral geography of the UK is changing.

Following the recommendations of independent Boundary Commissions for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the next UK general election - which Sky News understands will be on 4 July - will be fought on new constituency boundaries, replacing those in operation since 2010.

This is the sixth periodic review to be implemented since the war. The next review is not scheduled until October 2031.

Exploring how this movement of voters affects the political makeup of the House of Commons is a task that Colin Rallings and myself have been doing over the past thirty years following previous boundary adjustments.

There are winners and losers in different parts of the UK - read the full analysis here:

Rishi Sunak's decision to call a general election has kickstarted what is known as the "wash-up" period - the term used to describe the final days before parliament is formally dissolved.

It means the government will now try to progress any outstanding legislation with the aim of making it law before parliament is prorogued, and the current parliamentary session comes to an end, on Friday.

However, with such a limited timeframe, it is expected that a number of bills that have defined this parliamentary session are likely to fall by the wayside.

Sky's political reporter Alex Rogers takes you through the key bills that are unlikely to make it into law:

The political parties have been setting out their election campaigns, with voters going to the polls exactly six weeks from today.

On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson speaks to deputy political editor Sam Coates , who is following the prime minister on his campaign trail around the UK, visiting four nations in two days.

He also chats with chief political correspondent Jon Craig about the launch of Labour's campaign in Kent.

Plus, Sky's online campaign correspondent Tom Cheshire tells Niall why the parties are spending big money online and whether it could affect the election outcome.

Two Tory ministers and deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Laing have confirmed they will not stand in next month's general election.

Transport minister Huw Merriman is among five Conservative MP to reveal they will not seek re-election, following Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's announcement that the country will go to the polls on 4 July.

The Bexhill and Battle MP said in a statement he has "loved being an MP" and is departing with "a heavy heart". He did not give a reason for choosing to stand down.

Mr Merriman, who has been in parliament for nine years, has a majority of 26,059 votes, winning over 63.6% of the vote in 2019.

His announcement came hours after that of fellow Tory minister Jo Churchill.

Canva has a new plan as it continues to court big business

Canva Create 2024 sees introduction of enterprise subscription, better branding tools

It’s been missing since Canva launched ten years ago - now, the company is at last introducing an enterprise-level tier to its design platform.

Aimed at meeting the demands of larger organizations, Canva Enterprise builds on the platform’s graphic design toolset to improve internal and external visual communications. Or, to put it another way, make presentations and data more engaging and readable.

The business-focused subscription plan isn’t the only new addition unveiled at this year’s Canva Create, with new design resources built for a range of departments and teams and an improved interface set for an August release.

What's new in Canva?

While Canva has grown a reputation as some of the best free graphic design software , it’s done much in the last couple of years to step outside the marketing and social media departments that became its home. With the opening of a new European HQ, and the introduction of the Visual Worksuite - a one-stop shop for businesses, complete with word processor and website builder , the company has made no secret of courting bigger businesses.

So, what can we expect from Canva Enterprise? Beyond the existing features, the new plan allows companies to grow with secure, scalable cloud storage solutions, while consolidating AI, collaboration tools, and content creation. New brand controls will let organizations manage assets, from what’s on the page to who can share and see it. Canva also promises a host of security features. And, for businesses concerned about using AI for professional use, the company said it is also “including indemnification for AI-generated content for eligible customers.”

“As demand for visual content soars, navigating organizational complexity is more challenging than ever. We democratized the design ecosystem in our first decade and now look forward to unifying the fragmented ecosystems of design, AI, and workflow tools for every organization in our second decade,” said Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva.

Alongside Canva Enterprise, comes Canva Work Kits. These new tools are tailored to sales, marketing, creative, and HR departments. With uses cited for pitch decks, job ads, content calendars, and brand strategy docs, the fully customizable, branded kits let users create “templates, from presentations to documents, built to enable teams to scale their output with easy-to-access tools.” And to help onboard users, Canva Courses is designed to help transform existing designs into interactive courses for workplace learning.

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Watch for August, too, when the design platform will also receive a slight facelift. The “glow-up”, as Canva put it, will place more useful tools closer to hand, adds customizable homepages, and gives users more space to create by nudging the ever-present side-bar out of sight when not in use.

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Environment
Environment Agency business plans

Environment Agency business plan 2024 to 2025

Published 20 May 2024

Applies to England

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-business-plans/environment-agency-business-plan-2024-to-2025

1. Introduction

We are the Environment Agency ( EA ), a non-departmental public body established in 1996 and sponsored by the Department for Food and Rural Affairs ( Defra ). In our roles as regulator, operator, adviser, responder, and research centre, we are tasked with:

protecting and enhancing the environment as a whole
contributing towards sustainable development

Our remit primarily covers England, though our influence and collaboration with other UK environmental bodies and partners extends beyond England’s borders. England represents approximately:

13 million hectares of land
22,000 miles (35,000 km) of river
3,100 miles (5,000 km) of coastline seawards to the three-mile limit, which includes 2 million hectares of coastal waters

Through our work we contribute towards the UK government’s 25 Year Environment Plan ( 25YEP ) which launched in January 2018. It set out 10 ambitious goals relating to key aspects of our remit including:

the environment
biodiversity
air quality
waste reduction
climate change mitigation

The Environment Act 2021 legally enshrined the commitment to refresh the 25YEP every 5 years. In 2023 the first review of the 25YEP resulted in the Environmental Improvement Plan ( EIP ). The plan builds upon the vision of the 25YEP and sets actions to achieve its goals. It reflects the UK’s commitment to environmental stewardship and global biodiversity conservation.

Key areas we contribute to include:

halting biodiversity decline
resource management
climate change adaptation
enhancing beauty and heritage

EA2025 – our current 5-year corporate action plan – comes to an end in March 2025. It reflects the ambition of the 25YEP .

This business plan sets out our priorities for 2024 to 2025. It will help focus our delivery as we transition to a new corporate action plan in our 30th anniversary year.

2. Foreword from the Chair

As the primary environmental regulator in England, we exist to create better places for people, wildlife, and the environment. We are here to:

protect and improve the environment
support sustainable development

This business plan represents a hugely important and exciting step forward for the Environment Agency. It will guide our delivery towards this mission for 2024 to 2025.

As Chair, I regularly meet with our partners, stakeholders, and communities up and down the country. They tell me they want the Environment Agency to:

keep rivers clean
hold polluters to account
protect homes and businesses from the devastating impact of flooding

Their expectations are clear, and we must strive to meet them. Ultimately, we will be judged on our performance and the outcomes we deliver. We must therefore find ways to enhance and improve it in everything we do.

In the year ahead this includes:

supporting our people to be more integrated and able to work more effectively as one team
increasing transparency
improving the way we use data and information to inform our decisions

This is already happening with regards to our role in ensuring people and wildlife have clean and plentiful water. This will continue to be a huge focus for the organisation. It remains one of the biggest challenges we face but also one of the biggest gifts we can give to future generations. This plan highlights work we will do this year to improve water quality. I look forward to meeting many of our new recruits who will drive this work forward in the year ahead.

We will contribute to green growth and a sustainable future for the country through our continued work on:

the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Programme
maintaining our strong performance on regulation

We can look back on 2023 to 2024 and be proud of what we have delivered. Through this business plan we can also look forward with a sense of optimism and determination. We know that if we can deliver it, we can achieve excellence as a leading environmental regulator. And more importantly make many people’s lives, and the places and environments in which they live, much better.

Alan Lovell, Chair

1 April 2024

3. Foreword from the Chief Executive

Our 2024 to 2025 business plan marks the next stage in our journey. We shall focus on:

meeting the aspirations and standards the public hold for us
expanding our work on water quality and waste management
committing to challenging but realistic efficiency and savings targets

We start the year having achieved very good results in 2023 to 2024. This includes:

protecting more homes from flooding
delivering an excellent incident response
cleaner healthier air (year-on-year reduction in pollutants)
protecting people and the environment through effective regulation (97% compliance at permitted sites)

Our customer service improved too, as we met Freedom of Information deadlines and service standards for permitting.

We have delivered these improved results whilst managing one of the wettest winters on record.

Three years into the second flood asset capital programme , we have protected an additional 88,272 properties (101% of target) on top of more than 314,000 homes protected under the first 6-year programme. Over the last winter period, sadly almost 7,000 properties did flood (with over 240,000 properties protected) which underlines the on-going threat flooding poses to people’s lives and livelihoods.

I pay tribute to all our staff who worked tirelessly, often through weekends and holidays, to deliver an effective response to the weather and flooding we experienced last year.

As we look to 2024 to 2025, we will meet 2 major challenges. Firstly, to deliver a step change in our work on water quality. This follows the government’s approval to invest up to £53m in a new water inspection, enforcement, and data capability. This will ensure we can play a key part in delivering the government’s accelerated Plan for Water , assessing our progress and contribution against our targets and performance framework. We will need to work with all parties to move the dial on water quality and we are determined to succeed as a regulator in this domain.

Our second challenge will be to realise a major step forward on waste management. The coming year has many critical milestones as we deliver the government’s ambitious waste strategy. Core to success will be finding our voice as a confident regulator, which responds to the concerns of communities impacted by poor waste management and waste crime.

Our people are of course at the heart of what we do. In the year ahead we have set targets to improve diversity, building on our success in the last year. We want to introduce new talent schemes, particularly for under-represented groups, expand our work in sponsoring early career professionals, and sign the Armed Forces Covenant.

We know we can rely on our talented, passionate, and skilled staff to deliver for the environment and our communities in the year ahead.

Philip Duffy, Chief Executive and Accounting Officer

4. Final year of our 5-year corporate plan – EA2025

2024 to 2025 will be the final year of our current 5-year corporate action plan – EA2025 .

reflects and connects with our people’s passion to protect and enhance the environment
maps our varied and wide-reaching work to the ambition set out in the 25 Year Environment Plan ( 25YEP )

In the period of EA2025 the world came to grips with the Covid 19 global pandemic. For the Environment Agency, EA2025 helped us retain our sense of purpose and come through an enforced transformation on working practice. The pandemic also heightened the public’s awareness and appreciation of the environment and the places people live.

Our delivery of EA2025 has been tracked and published on GOV.UK in regular quarterly updates of our corporate scorecard . Whilst some of the measures have evolved over the period between 2020 to 2024, we can track our progress in delivering for the places and communities we serve. Our results in 2023 to 2024 are the latest in that series.

Looking ahead, we shall replace EA2025 with our new corporate action plan in 2025 when we will celebrate our 30th anniversary. We are focusing increasingly on the things we are uniquely placed and empowered to do to deliver against our long-term goals set out in EA2025. This focus aligns with:

growing expectations of the public
contributing to the delivery of the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan ( EIP )
other significant contributions we make across a range of government policy and environmental legislation, including net zero and levelling-up

This 2024 to 2025 business plan will help us focus on:

leveraging our roles (regulator, adviser, operator, responder and research centre)
the powers given to us by government (as part of our statutory duties and legal responsibilities) to deliver on and progress the ambition set out in our long-term goals

In renewing our corporate plan, we shall take the opportunity to ensure we provide clarity to our people, our partners, and stakeholders, those we regulate, and the public on:

our purpose as an organisation and our vision for the future
how we shall bring all the resources we have to bear in delivering against that vision

5. Our performance in 2023 to 2024: making a difference

The Environment Agency use a red, amber, green system to see how we are performing:

green - we are performing at or above the target(s) set
amber - we are falling slightly short of the target
red - there are improvements to be made

This table shows the red, amber, green scores for the measures plus the actual and target figures.

5.1 Corporate scorecard 2023 to 2024

6. our priorities and focus for 2024 to 2025.

In 2024 to 2025 we will do all we can to better enable our people to meet the challenges we face in the years ahead.

To do this means embarking on a journey of transformation. This is crucial if we are to secure the developments needed to improve our services to the public and to those we regulate.

A fundamental part of this journey will mean driving efficiencies and delivering better outcomes. In 2024 to 2025 we will focus on:

developing and recruiting people with new skills
applying new digital technology tools
embracing a culture of innovation and agility
providing clarity on priorities
streamlining how we do things
removing duplication
speeding up decision making and action

Transformation will also underpin our drive to deliver efficiencies against our grant-in-aid and charges income. This will all mean we are better able to align our resources and effort to secure the best possible outcomes for people and the environment.

Our people are central to our future success. We will therefore continue to:

prioritise their health, safety, and wellbeing
provide opportunities for personal development and offer flexible working
provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve

7. Focus areas for the year ahead

Our focus on water will mean a significant uplift in resources for our work to improve water quality, and options to address water quantity. We will :

hire our first new water regulators and begin training them, as we expand our water industry water quality regulation teams from 130 staff to 340 by the end of the year
deliver 4,000 inspections of wastewater and storm installations, and we will publish our findings
look at options to use near real time event duration monitoring data, when it becomes available, as a development from the new data capabilities to provide mapped data on storm overflow spills and flow to full treatment data, which are already in use by Area teams
complete 4,000 agriculture outcomes and farm inspections
invest an additional £5.8m in 2024 to 2025 in water industry enforcement activity, enabling us to effectively tackle the worst offenders and make full use of voluntary undertaking and variable monetary penalties to tackle serious environmental offending impacting water
continue to drive water industry investment through Price Review 2024, including securing options to close the 5 billion litre-per-day gap between supply and demand, and ensuring that the water industry deliver on their legal obligations to improve the water environment
work with all water abstractors to help them understand and secure their water resilience
deliver government initiatives to identify new water resource options, enable more efficient water use and return more water to the environment
produce comprehensive classifications for all bathing waters, incorporate new bathing water designations in our operational activities, and ensure action plans are in place to address risk of non-compliance
deliver the requirements of the River Basin Management Plan cycle and maximise Water Framework Directive delivery to 2027
increase our Water Environment Improvement Programme delivery to £14.5m through partnership-working, delivering outcomes on Water Framework Directive measures
deliver the Environment Agency elements of the Plan for Water

7.2 Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Programme

In the year ahead we will:

continue to deliver the government’s £5.6bn programme for flood protection and resilience including year 4 of our current six-year capital programme; the £200m flood and coastal innovation programme and the £25m natural flood management programme
deliver the £100m Frequently Flooded Allowance to protect communities that have suffered repeated flooding, and the £75m Internal Drainage Boards fund to protect agricultural land and rural communities
publish our next National Flood Risk Assessment ( NaFRA2 ) - this will provide an up to date understanding of both current and future flood risk for rivers, the sea and surface water
develop our long-term investment plans for future flood and coastal resilience in advance of the next spending review
complete the renewal of our commercial frameworks and establish a new charter for working collaboratively with our suppliers
develop a strategy for improving the performance and reliability of our flood and navigation assets
deliver on our Category 1 responder role to deliver a flood warning service under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004)

7.3 Waste and resources regulation

We will work to support the government’s ambitions for waste reduction through:

focusing on our compliance work on poor performing waste management operators and directing resources to sites presenting a high fire risk or risk of abandonment
increasing our emphasis on ‘upstream’ interventions, undertaking waste classification, waste acceptance and producer responsibility checks to prevent harm - such as the handling and disposal of non-permitted waste and sulphate waste as landfill and deposit for recovery sites
directing our response to waste crime on the greatest threat, risk and harm, using best practice in risk assessment - this will mean closing high-risk illegal sites, stopping illegal waste exports and the mis-description of waste
strengthening our intelligence-led approach and our collaboration with partners to target effort on offending and criminality in the waste sector
our Waste Regulatory Reforms Programme to develop a new delivery model for new duties and introduce the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging - this is worth £1.2bn per annum to the UK’s Gross Domestic Product

7.4 Regulation

We will be a confident regulator and maintain our strong performance on regulatory activities, including:

focusing on high-risk activity, including Control of Major Accidents Hazards ( COMAH ), landfill regulation and abandoned sites, hazardous waste, agriculture compliance, oil refineries, nuclear sites, and radioactive sources to minimise adverse impacts on the environment and communities
using our regulatory and advisory roles to support the nuclear sector’s contribution to sustainable development by delivering regulation and advice across the civil and defence nuclear lifecycles - delivering the programme to prepare for the regulation of Advanced Nuclear Technologies ( ANT ), including fusion
ensuring we have a sustainable and class-leading permitting system
supporting climate resilience and environmental protection and development of decarbonisation – Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage ( CCUS ), hydrogen, decarb ready, advising government, developing regulatory approaches to innovation, implementing relevant legislation
spatial planning – influencing strategic planning to identify opportunities for improving environmental and climate resilience. This includes working in partnership with others to protect, create and restore wildlife rich habitats and support nature recovery. Identification of environmental limitations that may shape and inform development programmes, particularly around water quality and water scarcity.
focusing on our service to customers, delivering permit reviews, reservoir permits, Environmental Permitting Regulation ( EPR ) permits, water industry permits, digitalisation and standardisation of low-risk permits. We will adopt the new triage approach to enforcement, ensuring it is timely, intelligence-led and target effort based on threat, risk, and harm.

7.5 Organisational transformation

We will modernise our services and working environment through:

creating a new unit in the business - the Strategy, Transformation and Assurance Directorate - to deliver ‘do it once’ services, improve our IT-enabled transformation effort, raise standards in our offer to our staff and provide better assurance of compliance across the business
identifying and targeting key functions such as permitting that can benefit from digitalisation and service revision, through which we will deliver better customer experience and improved operational efficiency
progressing towards our high ambitions for our staff through keeping them safe, strengthening our culture, offering a new talent scheme, greater interchange, new governance and initiatives to improve representation of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds by 1.5 percentage points
improving our employee offer through targeted skills development, attraction and recruitment actions, and a continuous focus on how we reward our people, all guided by our People Strategy
maintaining our performance against the Information Commissioner’s Office ( ICO ) standards for Freedom of Information and advancing plans to proactively publish more information

7.6 Efficiencies and value for money

We will improve management of our finances and value for money by:

delivering £15m efficiencies to fulfil our Spending Review commitment, whilst maintaining performance
reprioritising £8m of spending towards front line water quality work, which will be delivered by efficiencies
reviewing more of our fees and charges, to ensure that the true cost of services is met by those that use them and bring our charges into line with other government bodies
establishing a robust commercial plan to make best use of our assets to deliver greater taxpayer value and improve maintenance of our assets wherever possible
continuing our close collaboration with the National Audit Office ( NAO ) to improve our understanding of our asset base, with a view to removing remaining accounting qualifications and holding significantly improved technical data

7.7 Providing advice to government

We will deliver on our role as the government’s adviser on pollution and environmental risks by:

reinforcing our nuclear programme, with dedicated focus on Sizewell C nuclear power station
continuing our programme of managing emerging threats, including work with the Health and Safety Executive on the management of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances ( PFAS or ‘forever chemicals’), the implementation of our Methane Plan, and further advisory work on emerging technologies
reviewing and revising our monitoring work for further opportunities to leverage digital technology to improve the insights and evidence it provides
advising on, influencing, and implementing planning reforms and levelling up agenda through informing changes to the town and country planning regime and accelerated Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project delivery
providing a strategic overview role on all sources of flood risk from rivers and the sea
driving the government’s waste reform projects in partnership with Defra , to deliver a more circular economy and reduce waste crime

8. How we will know we are succeeding

Our 2024 to 2025 priorities, targets and corporate scorecard measures.

8.1 Incident response

We will prepare for, respond to and support recovery from high-risk flooding and environmental incidents including major incidents.

Target and measure for 2024 to 2025

We will target 90% resilience in our capability to respond to incidents.

8.2 Capital programme

We will deliver the agreed capital programme for both the Environment Agency and Risk Management Authorities to better protect properties from flooding by 2027 and deliver wider environmental benefits.

We will target:

a cumulative total of 114,000 properties better protected from flooding as part of the second programme of the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Capital Investment Programme (2021 to 2027)
80% on track / complete innovation actions delivered in flood and coastal resilience to adapt to a changing climate

8.3 Planning

We will influence local authority planning decisions and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects ( NSIPs ) to deliver good environmental outcomes.

97% of local authority planning decisions that we successfully influence
97% of Development Consent Orders ( DCOs ) for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects ( NSIPs ) that we successfully influence

8.4 Asset operation and maintenance

We will maintain our assets to ensure reliable operation and response.

We have a target of 94.5% of assets at required condition. The winter storms between 2023 and 2024 have had a significant impact on existing assets. While we will endeavour to repair and maintain our assets, the more likely outcome for 2024 to 2025 is 92%.

8.5 Compliance

We will ensure effective compliance with a focus on our statutory duties.

97% compliance with environmental permits
reducing the number of serious environmental incidents from permitted sites, activities, and sources we regulate directly to an annual limit of 150

We will deliver the Environment Agency elements of the Plan for Water.

conduct 4,000 water company compliance inspections
target 90% of non-compliant water company sewage treatment works to be brought back into compliance
target completing 4,000 agriculture outcomes and farm inspections

We will reduce the impact of regulated and illegal waste on the environment.

We will target at least 90 high-risk illegal waste sites ( IWS ). They will be ‘stopped’ which means either:

there is subsequently no activity for a minimum of 28 days
that site has been brought into compliance

8.8 Habitat restoration

We will deliver environmental enhancement and restoration where we have a statutory duty.

We will target creating or restoring 1,250 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat, delivering Environmental Net Gains to benefit people and wildlife.

8.9 Sustainability

We will deliver our corporate sustainability commitments to meet government targets.

reduce our carbon emissions to 250,697 tonnes
become a net zero organisation by 2045 to 2050

8.10 Transformation

As part of a wider transformation programme, we shall review and revise our end-to-end services and the use of digital technology to support our people to deliver.

We will target the equivalent of £15m savings in grant-in-aid and £8m savings in charges income.

8.11 People

Our people’s safety is our top priority. We also want people to be their best selves when working at the Environment Agency and strive to ensure our people reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

a 0.11 Lost Time Incident ( LTI ) frequency rate limit per 100,000 hours
a rate of 50% of executive managers who are female, and 7.6% of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds

9. Our funding

The Environment Agency’s total budget for 2024 to 2025 is £2,086m. This is an increase of £125m compared to our £1,961m budget in 2023 to 2024 and includes:

government approval to invest up to £53m to deliver the Plan for Water
a £9m increase in water resources charges relating to Kielder Water in Northumberland (the largest man-made lake in Northern Europe)

As shown in the table, funding to deliver:

our flood related outcomes is predominately received from government
environment protection outcomes is predominately generated through our fees and charges

This budget has been allocated across the business to:

maximise our ability to deliver as one organisation
enable the delivery of our priorities set out in this business plan

We are committed to efficiencies as a public body. We will deliver £15m of efficiencies this financial year to fulfil our Spending Review commitment. We have also committed to provide an additional £8m from existing resources to fund the commitments set out in the Plan for Water. We aim to deliver these savings by efficiencies. As such a new corporate scorecard measure has been included to capture this commitment.

Our budget will also change throughout 2024 to 2025 as we are expecting to receive £5.8m to fund water quality enforcement. Our charge income may also increase depending on the outcome of charge reviews in progress.

We are also looking to the future and will develop an over-arching funding strategy to prepare us for future years. This will include proposals such as:

a commercial plan
maximising cost-recovery
work to a prioritised fees and charges programme
gaining agreement to have greater flexibility in our funding

The aim is to enable us to be more agile and responsive to fast evolving priorities so we can deliver the expectations placed upon us.

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AI companies make fresh safety promise at Seoul summit, nations agree to align work on risks

A screen shows an announcement of the AI Seoul Summit in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. World leaders are expected to adopt a new agreement on artificial intelligence when they gather virtually Tuesday to discuss AI’s potential risks but also ways to promote its benefits and innovation. Credit: AP/Ahn Young-joon

SEOUL, South Korea — Leading artificial intelligence companies made a fresh pledge at a mini-summit Tuesday to develop AI safely, while world leaders agreed to build a network of publicly backed safety institutes to advance research and testing of the technology.

Google, Meta and OpenAI were among the companies that made voluntary safety commitments at the AI Seoul Summit, including pulling the plug on their cutting-edge systems if they can’t rein in the most extreme risks.

The two-day meeting is a follow-up to November’s AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in the United Kingdom, and comes amid a flurry of efforts by governments and global bodies to design guardrails for the technology amid fears about the potential risk it poses both to everyday life and to humanity.

Leaders from 10 countries and the European Union will “forge a common understanding of AI safety and align their work on AI research," the British government, which co-hosted the event, said in a statement. The network of safety institutes will include those already set up by the U.K., U.S., Japan and Singapore since the Bletchley meeting, it said.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the opening session that seven months after the Bletchley meeting, “We are seeing life-changing technological advances and life-threatening new risks — from disinformation to mass surveillance to the prospect of lethal autonomous weapons.”

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The U.N. chief said in a video address that there needs to be universal guardrails and regular dialogue on AI. “We cannot sleepwalk into a dystopian future where the power of AI is controlled by a few people — or worse, by algorithms beyond human understanding,” he said.

The 16 AI companies that signed up for the safety commitments also include Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung, IBM, xAI, France’s Mistral AI, China’s Zhipu.ai, and G42 of the United Arab Emirates. They vowed to ensure the safety of their most advanced AI models with promises of accountable governance and public transparency.

It's not the first time that AI companies have made lofty-sounding but non-binding safety commitments. Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft were among a group that signed up last year to voluntary safeguards brokered by the White House to ensure their products are safe before releasing them.

The Seoul meeting comes as some of those companies roll out the latest versions of their AI models.

The safety pledge includes publishing frameworks setting out how the companies will measure the risks of their models. In extreme cases where risks are severe and “intolerable," AI companies will have to hit the kill switch and stop developing or deploying their models and systems if they can't mitigate the risks.

Since the U.K. meeting last year, the AI industry has “increasingly focused on the most pressing concerns, including mis- and dis- information, data security, bias and keeping humans in the loop,” said Aiden Gomez CEO of Cohere, one of the AI companies that signed the pact. "It is essential that we continue to consider all possible risks, while prioritizing our efforts on those most likely to create problems if not properly addressed.”

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunk, center, speaks during a plenary session at the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, England, on Nov. 2, 2023. South Korea is set to host a mini-summit this week on risks and regulation of artificial intelligence, following up on an inaugural AI safety meeting in Britain in 2023 that drew a diverse crowd of tech luminaries, researchers and officials. Credit: AP/Alastair Grant

Governments around the world have been scrambling to formulate regulations for AI even as the technology makes rapid advances and is poised to transform many aspects of daily life, from education and the workplace to copyrights and privacy. There are concerns that advances in AI could eliminate jobs, spread disinformation or be used to create new bioweapons.

This week's meeting is just one of a slew of efforts on AI governance. The U.N. General Assembly has approved its first resolution on the safe use of AI systems, while the U.S. and China recently held their first high-level talks on AI and the European Union's world-first AI Act is set to take effect later this year.

Chan contributed to this report from London. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations.

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AI companies make fresh safety promise at Seoul summit, nations agree to align work on risks

A screen shows an announcement of the AI Seoul Summit in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, May 21, 2024. World leaders are expected to adopt a new agreement on artificial intelligence when they gather virtually Tuesday to discuss AI’s potential risks but also ways to promote its benefits and innovation. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)

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Leading artificial intelligence companies made a fresh pledge at a mini-summit Tuesday to develop AI safely, while world leaders agreed to build a network of publicly backed safety institutes to advance research and testing of the technology.

Google, Meta and OpenAI were among the companies that made voluntary safety commitments at the AI Seoul Summit , including pulling the plug on their cutting-edge systems if they can’t rein in the most extreme risks.

Leaders from 10 countries and the European Union will “forge a common understanding of AI safety and align their work on AI research,” the British government, which co-hosted the event, said in a statement. The network of safety institutes will include those already set up by the U.K., U.S., Japan and Singapore since the Bletchley meeting, it said.

The 16 AI companies that signed up for the safety commitments also include Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung, IBM, xAI, France’s Mistral AI , China’s Zhipu.ai, and G42 of the United Arab Emirates . They vowed to ensure the safety of their most advanced AI models with promises of accountable governance and public transparency.

It’s not the first time that AI companies have made lofty-sounding but non-binding safety commitments. Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft were among a group that signed up last year to voluntary safeguards brokered by the White House to ensure their products are safe before releasing them.

The Seoul meeting comes as some of those companies roll out the latest versions of their AI models .

The safety pledge includes publishing frameworks setting out how the companies will measure the risks of their models. In extreme cases where risks are severe and “intolerable,” AI companies will have to hit the kill switch and stop developing or deploying their models and systems if they can’t mitigate the risks.

Since the U.K. meeting last year, the AI industry has “increasingly focused on the most pressing concerns, including mis- and dis- information, data security, bias and keeping humans in the loop,” said Aiden Gomez CEO of Cohere, one of the AI companies that signed the pact. “It is essential that we continue to consider all possible risks, while prioritizing our efforts on those most likely to create problems if not properly addressed.”

This week’s meeting is just one of a slew of efforts on AI governance. The U.N. General Assembly has approved its first resolution on the safe use of AI systems, while the U.S. and China recently held their first high-level talks on AI and the European Union’s world-first AI Act is set to take effect later this year.

Chan contributed to this report from London. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed from the United Nations.

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Applying for a small business grant – everything you need to know

We'll take you through what type of small business grant you should apply for, how to prepare and how to increase your chance of success.

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5. CRACK IT Challenges

6. EUREKA Eurostars

7. Horizon 2020

8. Biomedical & Energy Catalysts

9. R&D Tax Credits

10. The Prince’s Countryside Fund

11. Tradeshow Access Programme (TAP)

12. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)

13. Arts Council England Funding

14. New Enterprise Allowance

15. Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)

16. British Council Grants

17. The National Lottery Community Fund

Grants for improving lives

People and Places: Large and medium grants

Youth Investment Fund

18. Patent Box Relief

19. Forestry Commission

Forestry Innovation Fund (DEFRA)

Country Stewardship

Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)

20. Unltd Social Enterprise Funding

Transform Ageing

Grow It Awards

21. Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme

22. Energy Entrepreneurs Fund

23. Trusthouse Charitable Foundation

24. Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF)

25. Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Fleet Support Scheme

26. Fit For Nuclear

27. Industrial Partnership Awards (IPA)

28. Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)

29. Business rates relief

30. Barrow Cadbury Trust Grants

31. Adur and Worthing small business grant

32. Business West High Impact Scale-up Coaching Grants

33. Arun Valley Business grant

34. New Anglia Small Grants Scheme

35. New Anglia Growing Business Fund

36. BG Kick Start Grant Scheme

37. BG Effect Business Fund

38. Broadland District Enterprise grant

39. Caerphilly Business development grant

40. Caerphilly Commercial improvement grants

41. Chichester District Council grant programme

42. Chorley Shop Front Improvement Grant

43. Business Investment for Growth Grant (BIG)