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Government Grants


Alternative sources of Financing Innovation

Government Grants

With inputs from https://entrepreneurhandbook.co.uk/grants-loans


One of the primary concerns 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.

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.

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.

Coverage: Norfolk and Suffolk, England

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.

Coverage: Blaenau Gwent County, Wales

38. Broadland District Enterprise grant

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.

Coverage: Caerphilly County, Wales

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.

Coverage: Chorley, Lancashire, England

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.

Coverage: Chorley, Lancashire, England

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.

Coverage: Warwickshire, England

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.

Coverage: Warwickshire, England

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.

Coverage: Warwickshire, England

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.

Coverage: Warwickshire, England

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.

Coverage: Gwynedd County, Wales

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.

Coverage: Lincolnshire County, England

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 programme 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.

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

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.

Coverage: Broadland District, Norfolk, England

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.

Coverage: Caerphilly County, Wales

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.

Coverage: Lincolnshire County, England

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.

Coverage: Lincolnshire County, England

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.

Coverage: Mansfield District, Nottinghamshire, England

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.

Coverage: Newport City, Wales

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.

Coverage: Scarborough Borough, Yorkshire

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.

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

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

Coverage: Tewkesbury Borough, Gloucestershire

102. Working from home grant

Working from home grant

Coverage: Tewkesbury Borough, Gloucestershire

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)

Coverage: East Sussex, England

108. Grants4Growth

Grants4Growth

Coverage: South Holland, Lincolnshire, England

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)

Coverage: Norfolk and Suffolk, England

111. StartEast

StartEast

Coverage: Norfolk and Suffolk, England

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

N2 Business Growth Fund

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, England

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

Coverage: Cumbria, England

120. Tourism Investment Support Scheme (TISS)

Tourism Investment Support Scheme (TISS)

Coverage: Wales

121. PAPI

PAPI

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

Coverage: Kent, England

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

Coverage: Essex

134. Lancashire Manufacturing Growth Fund

Lancashire Manufacturing Growth Fund

Coverage: Lancashire, England

135. Healthcare & Medical Technology Business Vouchers

Healthcare & Medical Technology Business Vouchers

Coverage: Staffordshire, England

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

AD:VENTURE

Coverage: Leeds, England

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

Coverage: East Midlands, England

152. Regional Selective Assistance

Regional Selective Assistance

Coverage: Scotland

153. Explore Enterprise Programme

Explore Enterprise Programme

Coverage: Northern Ireland

154. Skills Advancement Grant

Skills Advancement Grant

Coverage: Northern Ireland

155. Brexit Readiness Vouchers

Brexit Readiness Vouchers

Coverage: Northern Ireland

156. Publications Grant Scheme

Publications Grant Scheme

Coverage: Northern Ireland

157. Proof of concept techstart NI

Proof of concept techstart NI

Coverage: Northern Ireland

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

Coverage: Wales

161. Site Investigation Fund

Site Investigation Fund

Coverage: Black Country, England

162. Growth Deal Funding

Growth Deal Funding

Coverage: Black Country, England

163. Growth Grants

Growth Grants

Coverage: Buckinghamshire, England

164. Growth Deal

Growth Deal

Coverage: Isles of Scilly

165. Big House CDI Grant icon

Big House CDI Grant icon

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, England

166. Big House Elevator Grant

Big House Elevator Grant

Coverage: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, England

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)

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:

  1. Proof of Market, 60% match funds, £25,000
  2. Proof of Concept, 60% match funds, £100,000
  3. 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 1st 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 programme 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: info@designcouncil.org.uk.

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.

Coverage: 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.

Coverage: 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%.

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

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.

Coverage: Lincolnshire County, England

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.

Coverage: Mansfield District, Nottinghamshire, England

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.

Coverage: Northamptonshire, England

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.

Coverage: Mansfield District, Nottinghamshire, England

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.

Adan's executive coaches have decades of experience working at the executive level with leading organizations around the world. We have expertise in leadership, productivity, organizational change, team building, marketing, sales and motivation.

Our on-the-job experience coupled with extensive knowledge of the markets and functional areas enables us to deliver a variety of practical, high-impact presentations that engage, enlighten and entertain.

Featured Experts - Government Grants

Senior multi-disciplinary corporate and finance professionals with diverse geographic, sector and transaction focuses
Ajay Mavinkurve
Ajay is a seasoned senior-level corporate finance executive with 30+ years of diversified experience in Global Corporate Finance, IPOs, Corporate and Tax structuring, Deal structuring, Commercial Negotiation, Valuations, Venture and Private Equity syndication, M&A, Growth Strategy, Distressed Asset Management, Working Capital and Buy-outs for Small & Mid-sized Enterprises (SMEs).

Ajay
Mavinkurve

Managing Partner Corporate Advisory
London


Chennakeshav (Keshav) Adya
Chennakeshav (Keshav) is a seasoned business, marketing and technology executive with 20+ years of global corporate and entrepreneurial experience in building global companies from a concept and in leadership roles spanning M&A execution, deal origination, marketing, brand-building, market research and technology delivery.

Chennakeshav
(Keshav) Adya

Managing Partner Corporate Finance, M&A, Growth
Dubai & London


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