{"id":14938,"date":"2012-08-13T04:24:00","date_gmt":"2012-08-13T03:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startups.co.uk\/?p=14938"},"modified":"2024-06-13T15:49:04","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T15:49:04","slug":"small-business-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/small-business-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Grants for small businesses &#8211; and how to apply"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<strong>Whether you&rsquo;re a small business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur who plans to start a business, a cash injection is never a bad thing. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Especially in these tough times, with the current permacrisis, increasing rates of inflation, and the &lsquo;survival mode&rsquo; small businesses are having to struggle through today. A business grant could be the thing that kick-starts or revives your business &ndash; by helping you purchase the tools and equipment you need to reach new heights, or simply as the crucial backing to achieve your business goals.<\/p>\n<p>In spite of everything, there are still countless schemes out there to apply for right now, if you know where to look. In this article, we&rsquo;re going to give you an overview of the grants that could work for your business, and what you can do to potentially<strong> get your hands on them<\/strong>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=&rdquo;25px&rdquo;]<\/p><div class=\"jumplinks-content\">\n <h3 class=\"jumplinks-content-title\">\n In this guide: <\/h3>\n <ul class=\"jumplinks-content-list\">\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-what-is-a-small-business-grant\">What is a small business grant?<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-women\">Business grants: for women<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-young-people\">Business grants: for young people<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-social-entrepreneurs\">Business grants: for social entrepreneurs<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-unemployed-entrepreneurs\">Business grants: for unemployed entrepreneurs<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-people-of-colour\">Business grants: for people of colour<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-lgbtia-people\">Business grants: for LGBTIA+ people<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-grant-schemes-by-government-authority\">Grant schemes: by government authority<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-by-local-authority\">Business grants: by local authority<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-business-grants-for-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland\">Business grants for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <li class=\"jumplinks-content-item\">\n <a class=\"jumplinks-content-link jumplink-anchor\" href=\"#link-how-to-apply-for-a-business-grant\">How to apply for a business grant<\/a>\n <\/li>\n <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-what-is-a-small-business-grant\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>What is a small business grant?<\/h2>\n<p>Small business grants are essentially a non-repayable amount of money that is afforded to entrepreneurs and small business owners by the government or a private organisation. The cash awards are different to business loans in the sense that you often won&rsquo;t have to pay interest on the loan, give away equity,<strong> or even pay it back at all<\/strong> (though most are still subject to tax).<\/p>\n<p>With this money you can invest in <strong>education, materials, employees, training or equipment<\/strong> &ndash; all things you need to ensure your systems are operating at their best capacity.<\/p>\n<p>There are a few types of small business grants available:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Direct grants <\/strong>are a cash award usually given to a business to support an initiative. They can range from a few hundred pounds, to as much as &pound;50,000. As long as the funds meet spending and timeline requirements, you won&rsquo;t have to repay them. Instead, investors will typically take a stake in the business.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Resource and training grants <\/strong>come in the form of tax reliefs, helping you to maximise your profit margins. For example,<strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/investors\/enterprise-investment-scheme\/\">The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/investors\/seis-investment-scheme\/\"><strong>Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)<\/strong><\/a> help firms raise finance by offering tax relief to their investors.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Soft loans&nbsp;<\/strong>are not technically grants as they need to be paid back. However, they often include more generous repayment terms. Examples of soft loan providers include the <strong>Start Up Loans Company<\/strong>, which offers business loans of up to &pound;25,000 with a 12-month repayment holiday.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]\n <\/p><div class=\"highlight-box\">\n <div class=\"highlight-box-decor\">\n <svg class=\"brush-stroke-svg brush-stroke-big\" preserveaspectratio=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 116 6\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\">\n <g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"#ea0037\">\n <path d=\"M94.0845406,5.55784045 C93.4629887,5.58758734 92.7723755,5.58758734 92.2198849,5.64708111 C92.0127009,5.66195455 91.7824965,5.67682799 91.5062512,5.66195455 C89.5955547,5.58758734 87.6618377,5.5727139 85.7511411,5.67682799 C85.5669776,5.69170144 85.2446914,5.67682799 84.9914666,5.67682799 C82.8275451,5.66195455 80.6866442,5.63220767 78.4997023,5.67682799 C76.0825561,5.72144832 73.5963485,5.64708111 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Don&rsquo;t forget to look at our comparison of six popular <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/sources\/business-finance-6-sources-of-finance-for-a-business\/\">sources of business finance<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-women\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Business grants for women<\/h2>\n<p>For years, the <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/gender-funding-gap-2024\/\">gender funding gap<\/a> has created barriers for women seeking to access finance for their business venture. In 2023, we discovered that male entrepreneurs received, on average, six times the amount of funding that female business owners were able to raise.<\/p>\n<p>In light of this disparity, a number of organisations have started to offer female-specific grants to help women gain a leg up in the venture capital landscape. We&rsquo;ve highlighted six of them below:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>&lsquo;Women in Innovation&rsquo; Awards 20234\/2025<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Innovate UK is offering around fifty women within UK registered micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) up to <strong>&pound;75,000.&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk\/competition\/1894\/overview\/68cc8452-3251-4a92-9019-006cc790ccf7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Applications<\/a> close on Wednesday 10 July 2024.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Get It Made<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Manufacturing specialist Get It Made is offering a &pound;5,000 grant specifically for female engineers in enterprises with fewer than ten employees. <a href=\"https:\/\/get-it-made.co.uk\/grants\/women-in-engineering\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Applications<\/a> are open until Wednesday 31 July 2024.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Global Fund For Women<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This fund is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalfundforwomen.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">open to applications<\/a> all-year round, and provides flexible cash grants to organisations that are led by groups of women and trans people who are committed to advancing gender equality.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Abie Awards<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/anitab.org\/awards-grants\/abie-awards\/technical-leadership\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Technical Leadership Abie Award<\/a> celebrates a woman or non-binary technologist who has helped to bring a socially-positive innovation to life. The winner will receive $50,000 (around &pound;39,000). Applications are closed for 2024 but typically re-open at the start of the year.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Female Founders Fund<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Female Founders Fund is a seed stage venture fund that invests exclusively in women founders. It accepts applications all year-round. Interested entrepreneurs should submit their pitch to &lsquo;<strong>press@femalefoundersfund.com<\/strong>&lsquo;.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Techstart Female Founders<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk\/content\/funding-opportunity-ni-female-founders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">initiative<\/a> aims to support innovative business ideas from female entrepreneurs based in Northern Ireland. The grant competition offers a &pound;175,000 prize pool, with five winners set to share the Techstart funding. Applications will open in March 2025.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more &gt;<br>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/business-support\/support-groups-and-resources-for-female-entrepreneurs\/\">Support groups and resources for female entrepreneurs<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/business-grants-for-women\/\"><strong>Grants and resources for female entrepreneurs<\/strong><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-young-people\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Business grants for young people<\/h2>\n<p>The UK is home to some extraordinary <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/startups-100-2023-young-entrepreneur-award\/\">young entrepreneur<\/a> talent and their appetite for starting a business is catching. Research has shown that <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/gen-z-employees-want-to-go-freelance\/\">71% of 16-25 year olds<\/a> in the UK want to work as a freelancer, with the majority citing a desire to &ldquo;be their own boss&rdquo; as their main motivation. Here are the top small business grants available for under 30s:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>The Prince&rsquo;s Trust Enterprise Programme<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Prince&rsquo;s Trust&rsquo;s Enterprise programme has helped over 90,000 young people aged between 18 and 30 to fastrack their business. It includes business lessons, workshops, and a bespoke mentorship, <strong>plus&nbsp;<\/strong>enables entrants to apply for a &pound;5,000 Start Up grant (non-repayable) and a Start Up Loan of between &pound;500 and &pound;25,000 (repayable).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Test My Business Idea grant<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Also from The Prince&rsquo;s Trust, the <a href=\"https:\/\/grants.princes-trust.org.uk\/s4s\/CustomPage\/Index\/19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Test My Business Idea grant<\/a> is available to all entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 30. It provides &pound;500 to R&D projects and should be used for early-stage product or service testing. (You will need to have completed The Prince&rsquo;s Trust Explore Enterprise course to apply for the grant).<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Samsung &lsquo;Solve For Tomorrow&rsquo; competition<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Solve For Tomorrow is open to <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/cash-prize-for-uk-tech-entrepreneurs\/\">young tech entrepreneurs<\/a> aged between 16 and 25 who are hoping to launch solutions that solve four social problems: access to education, sustainability, social isolation, and diversity and inclusion. The 2024\/25 iteration will open in January 2025.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-social-entrepreneurs\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Business grants for social entrepreneurs<\/h2>\n<p>Grant programmes are often targeted towards socially impactful businesses that promise to tackle society&rsquo;s biggest issues. Here are just a few of the grants open to <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/startups-100-2024-social-impact-award\/\">social impact startups:<\/a><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Big Issue Invest Impact Loans<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The investment arm of the Big Issue) is offering soft loans worth between &pound;20k and &pound;200k to social enterprises and charities based in England (some loans are also available to firms based in Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland). Business owners can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bigissue.com\/invest\/impact-loans-england\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">register interest<\/a> online.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Big Issue Invest Power Up London Accelerator Programme<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bigissue.com\/invest\/power-up-london\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">accelerator<\/a> provides 20 participants with four months of business courses, mentoring, and training, as well as the opportunity to win &pound;20,000 at the end of the programme. Companies with a net income of less than &pound;500,000 a year can apply online. Applications open at the start of 2025.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Big Issue Invest Impact Fund<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/growthimpactfund.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fund<\/a> is offering soft loans worth between &pound;50,000 and &pound;1m to socially-driven entrepreneurs, and &lsquo;participation loans&rsquo; (where repayment is linked to the future performance of the enterprise). Entries are accepted all year-round.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Big Issue Invest Social Impact Debt Fund IV<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Launched in September 2023, this fund is aimed at companies which are tackling the housing crisis and the social care crisis. Eligible businesses can <a href=\"https:\/\/forms.zohopublic.eu\/bigissue\/form\/FundIVEnquiryForm\/formperma\/zlXgrh-tLSJbyFTtlzIDeHzNGkJQJexh90u2mMhooUM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">apply online<\/a> for grants worth between &pound;1m and &pound;4m.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>UnLtd Starting Up award<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Supporting socially-conscious entrepreneurs (a common trait among young founders), UnLtd&rsquo;s Starting Up award offers up to &pound;8,000 to social impact startups. Business entrants must have been founded in the last 12 months. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unltd.org.uk\/awards#timeframe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Applications<\/a> are reviewed in batches, with the new round of entries opening on July 1 2024.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>UnLtd Scaling Up award<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This prize is also for socially-conscious entrepreneurs. It awards &pound;18,000 to social impact startups that have been trading for less than four years.&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unltd.org.uk\/awards#timeframe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Applications<\/a> are reviewed in batches, with the new round of entries opening on July 1 2024.[\/vc_column_text]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-unemployed-entrepreneurs\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Business grants for unemployed entrepreneurs<\/h2>\n<p>The government&rsquo;s leading programme for unemployed people looking to start a business was the New Enterprise Allowance. Sadly, this scheme came to an end in January 2022. No further support hasyet been announced in its place, but there is still one route that the unemployed can use to fund their dream idea:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Prince&rsquo;s Trust Enterprise Programme<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you&rsquo;re aged 18 to 30, you might be eligible for a grant from&nbsp;<strong>the Prince&rsquo;s Trust<\/strong>, which offers financial help to young entrepreneurs who are either unemployed with limited means or are working less than 16 hours per week.[\/vc_column_text]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-people-of-colour\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Business grants for people of colour<\/h2>\n<p>Research has shown that the majority of Black business owners in the UK <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/news\/uk-black-business-owners-dont-trust-banks\/\">don&rsquo;t trust traditional lenders<\/a>, a sentiment that is shared by many other non-white founders, thanks to racial inequalities when it comes to accessing funding. Here are some non-traditional routes that people of colour can take to fund their business:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>The Black Business Network<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.blackbusinessnetwork.online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">network<\/a> offers grants of up to &pound;50,000 as well as developmental support and a support hub, powered by Lloyds Bank. Charities and social enterprises are able to apply for the money, which will be awarded to successful applicants over two years.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>The Black Funding Network<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Applications for the networks&rsquo; Fall 2024 Funder are now open. Small non-profit Black-led community organisations are able to apply for the funding event on 24th September, where they will be able to pitch directly to investors. <a href=\"https:\/\/wkf.ms\/4bMZCgH\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Submissions<\/a> are accepted until the deadline on 6 August 2024.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>The Black Artists Grant<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>A no-strings attached <a href=\"https:\/\/creativedebuts.co.uk\/pages\/black-artists-grant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">fund for Black artists<\/a> to spend on anything from creative materials to marketing and outreach. Successful applicants will receive &pound;500. Entries are accepted throughout the year.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Key Fund<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Key Fund offers loans and grants of between &pound;5,000 and &pound;300,000 to social enterprises in deprived communities across the UK. Entrepreneurs can <a href=\"https:\/\/thekeyfund.co.uk\/apply\/#form\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">apply online<\/a> at any time in the year.[\/vc_column_text]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-lgbtia-people\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Grants for LGBTQIA+ people<\/h2>\n<p>In 2021, <a href=\"https:\/\/bmmagazine.co.uk\/news\/lgbtq-small-business-owners-struggle-to-find-financing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">46% of LGBTQ-owned UK businesses<\/a> said they didn&rsquo;t receive any of the financing they had applied to in 2021. This funding gap contributes to LGBTQ voices being silenced in the business world. Here are three funding grants designed to amplify them:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Consortium Bi Fund<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consortium.lgbt\/bifund\/eligibility-to-apply\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">small business grants programme<\/a> caters for Bi-led organisations across the UK that are doing work specifically for and with bi communities. In a total pot of &pound;5,000, each business will receive a community grant of up to &pound;250.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Consortium LGBT+ Futures: Equity Fund<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Funded by the National Lottery, this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consortium.lgbt\/grantgiving\/equityfund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pot<\/a> is for user-led LGBT+ organisations based in England. In a total pot of &pound;500,000, businesses will receive between &pound;100 and &pound;25,000 for organisational running costs and business development. Applications are open until 12 November 2024.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<h3>Global Fund For Women<\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This fund is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.globalfundforwomen.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">open to applications<\/a> all-year round, and provides flexible cash grants to organisations that are led by groups of women and trans people who are committed to advancing gender equality.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-grant-schemes-by-government-authority\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Grant schemes by authority<\/h2>\n<p>The main government organisations which offer grants to small businesses are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/department-for-education\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department for Education<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/department-for-transport\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department of Transport<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/department-for-levelling-up-housing-and-communities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>UK businesses can find a comprehensive list of grants available using the government&rsquo;s &lsquo;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/business-finance-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>business finance support finder<\/strong><\/a>&rsquo; tool, which allows you to select specific funding options and search for grants by your business location, size, and type of business activity.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-by-local-authority\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h3>Local authority business grants<\/h3>\n<p>Local authorities, agencies and organisations can also offer capital to your startup as they aim to support and encourage enterprise in their local areas.<\/p>\n<p>Set up by The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lepnetwork.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs)<\/strong><\/a> are a prime example. LEPs are voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses in the region, with funds delegated by central government.<\/p>\n<p>There are currently 38 LEPs at work across England with the goal of fuelling growth and enterprise at a local level, including in Liverpool, London, Sheffield, and Cumbria. Check out <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lepnetwork.net\/about-leps\/location-map\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this map<\/a><\/strong> to find out where England&rsquo;s LEPs are.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-business-grants-for-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>Business grants for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland<\/h2>\n<p>If you&rsquo;re operating a business in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you might want to narrow down your search to grants offered specifically to businesses in those countries.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3>Business grants in Northern Ireland<\/h3>\n<p>There are a variety of grants on offer to Northern Irish businesses. These include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk\/content\/apply-proof-concept-grants-techstart#:~:text=The%20Techstart%20Proof%20of%20Concept,of%20up%20to%20%C2%A310%2C000\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>TechStart<\/strong><\/a> offers companies in the R&D stages up to &pound;10,000 (Concept Grant) or up to &pound;35,000 (Concept Plus Grant)<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/whiterockfinance.co.uk\/growth-loan-fund-ii\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Growth Loan Fund II:<\/a> <\/strong>offers loans worth between &pound;100k and &pound;500k to fund growth for early-stage ventures<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/whiterockfinance.co.uk\/growth-finance-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Growth Finance Fund:<\/strong><\/a> offers commercial loans of between &pound;500k and &pound;2m to fund growth for early-stage ventures<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.investni.com\/support-for-business\/skills-development\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Skills Advancement Grant<\/a>: <\/strong>small firms who are customers of Invest NI can apply for a 50% discount on employee training costs up to &pound;15,000<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clarendon-fm.co.uk\/IFNI\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">IFNI<\/a>:&nbsp;<\/strong>is an investments fund targeting up to &pound;5 million in equity loans for early-stage and growth businesses<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.enterpriseni.com\/pages\/business-finance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>NI Small Business Loan Fund<\/strong><\/a>: offers up to &pound;100k for existing businesses (and up to &pound;15k for startups)<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk\/business-support\/student-first-sale-fs2fs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">From Student to First sale (FS2FS)<\/a>: <\/strong>a &pound;15,000 grant for graduates with a viable business idea<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.enterprise-ireland.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Enterprise Ireland<\/strong><\/a> is the government agency in Ireland responsible for supporting Irish businesses in the manufacturing and internationally traded services. A&nbsp;range of grant support can be found here, where you can search for grants by your stage of business development. You can also visit<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investni.com\/support-for-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NI Direct&rsquo;s business support page<\/a><\/strong> for more.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3>Business grants in Scotland<\/h3>\n<p>There are a number of national business grants available for Scottish-based startups and SMEs, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cultureandbusiness.scot\/cbs-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Culture & Business Fund Scotland<\/strong><\/a>: offering between &pound;1,000 to &pound;14,000 match funding for arts and heritage organisations based in Scotland<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottish-enterprise.com\/support-for-businesses\/funding-and-grants\/business-grants-and-funding-calls\/regional-selective-assistance-funding\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Regional Selective Asssistance or RSA<\/a>:&nbsp;<\/strong>a minimum grant of &pound;100,000 aimed at enabling job creation in Scotland<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottish-enterprise.com\/support-for-businesses\/funding-and-grants\/business-grants\/smart-scotland-grant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>SMART: SCOTLAND:<\/strong><\/a> an R&D focused fund aimed at innovative, high-risk startups. Up to &pound;100,000 is available<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottishedge.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Scottish EDGE:<\/a> <\/strong>competition offering grants and loans from &pound;10,000 to &pound;100,000 to startups, social enterprises and charities. Opens 14 August 2024<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Depending on where in Scotland you&rsquo;re based, you may be able to apply for grants offered by <strong>Scottish Enterprise<\/strong>, <strong>Highlands and Islands Enterprise<\/strong>, as well as your local council. <strong>Scottish Development International<\/strong> are also an option as they aim to help more businesses from around the world do business in or with Scotland. Search the Scottish <a href=\"https:\/\/findbusinesssupport.gov.scot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>government website<\/strong><\/a>, or check out our list of the <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/business-grants-scotland\/\"><strong>business grants available in Scotland<\/strong><\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3>Business grants in Wales<\/h3>\n<p>Welsh business owners can choose from a range of business grants aimed at supporting businesses from Cardiff to Bangor. They are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/financelocator.businesswales.gov.wales\/businesswales\/Scheme\/View\/Enterprising-Communities-ARFOR-Programme-Support-Fund-GRUKBP3!S50167?search=62b676503b4d4257ab1d01f8edacea92&cdp=3&cip=10&bcr=MTI0MQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ARFOR Fund<\/a> <\/strong>offers grants of &pound;5,000-7,000 for firms in Anglesey, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. The money should be put towards projects that strengthen the Welsh language.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businesswales.gov.wales\/tourism\/finance#guides-tabs--1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Wales Tourism Investment Fund (WTIF)<\/a> <\/strong>offers &pound;100,000 to &pound;5,000,000 in blended grants and loans to firms that cater to tourists, such as hospitality and retail firms.<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businesswales.gov.wales\/skillsgateway\/skills-and-training-programmes\/react\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">ReAct+<\/a> <\/strong>offers up to &pound;6,000, paid out in quarterly instalments, to companies that recruit a new employee who was previously made redundant.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The Welsh government offers a guide to financial help and grants on its site, with <strong>Business Wales <\/strong>being the main support service for entrepreneurs looking to raise funding. Try searching <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businesswales.gov.wales\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Business Wales&rsquo;<\/a><\/strong> finance locator to find one that&rsquo;s right for you, or get an overview of the options available in our guide to business grants in Wales.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]<\/p><div class=\"jumplink-anchor-section\">\n <div class=\"jumplink-anchor-pointer\" id=\"link-how-to-apply-for-a-business-grant\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n[vc_column_text]\n<h2>How to apply for a business grant<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Each grant will have a different application process<\/strong>, with different entry criteria and requirements to fulfil and different processes to follow. But, as with most potential business opportunities, the reward is worth the effort.<\/p>\n<p>First, you&rsquo;ll have to do some in-depth research and find the grant that best fits your business before you start sending applications. You don&rsquo;t want to apply for a scheme you&rsquo;re simply not suited to or eligible for because that may prove a waste of time.<\/p>\n<p>Once you&rsquo;ve found a grant you think your small business is eligible for, you can begin the process of trying to obtain it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For your best shot during the application process, make sure you have a:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Thorough, up to date <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/strategy\/business-plan-template\/\">business plan<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Clear spending plan<\/li>\n<li>Previous company accounts (available to download from your <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/accounting\/best-accounting-software-small-businesses\/\"><strong>accounting<\/strong> <strong>software<\/strong>)<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Outline of why your business qualifies for the small business grant<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>After you&rsquo;ve submitted your application, it&rsquo;s a waiting game to see if you have been successful. Some organisations can take months to review a submission, others can resolve the entry in days. The general rule of thumb is that the more localised the awarding body is to you, the faster you&rsquo;re likely to get a result.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n<h3>Top tips for applying for a business grant<\/h3>\n<p>There are a few things you can do to shoot past the competition and give yourself the best possible chance of winning your chosen grant, especially if you&rsquo;re determined and organised as you manage all the different elements, stakeholder connections and timelines (a good <a href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/project-management-software\/best-free-project-management-software\/\"><strong>project management software<\/strong><\/a> will be useful to you here). Here are our top tips:<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Apply as soon as possible. <\/strong>Make sure you&rsquo;re continually keeping an eye on this page for any updates on when a grant is live.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Contact someone at the awarding body <\/strong>for personalised advice and in case anything goes wrong with your application.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. Consider a grant consultant <\/strong>who can help you track down the grants best suited to you (although some bodies won&rsquo;t let a third-party apply for you, so make sure you check this first)<\/p>\n<p><strong>4. Pay close attention to the grant&rsquo;s objectives <\/strong>and be clear on how you will use the money to fulfil these specific objectives.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. Be honest. <\/strong>If you need to bend the facts about your business to fit with the grant&rsquo;s criteria, it&rsquo;s not the right grant for you.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<em><b>*<\/b>The information in this article is correct as of June 2024.&nbsp;<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whether you&rsquo;re a small business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur who plans to start a business, a cash injection is never a bad thing. Especially in these tough times, with the current permacrisis, increasing rates of inflation, and the &lsquo;survival mode&rsquo; small businesses are having to struggle through today. A business grant could be the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91509,"featured_media":152347,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3102],"tags":[4369],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n<title>Guide to UK Small Business Grants &amp; How to Apply<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From direct cash grants to discounts on important resources, we cover the different types of business grants available to entrepreneurs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/small-business-grants-how-to-apply\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Guide to UK Small Business Grants &amp; How to Apply\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From direct cash grants to discounts on important resources, we cover the different types of business grants available to entrepreneurs.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/small-business-grants-how-to-apply\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Startups.co.uk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/startups.co.uk\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-08-13T03:24:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-06-13T15:49:04+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/images.startups.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/lexscope-0k2mMcdTOYU-unsplash-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1333\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Stephanie Lennox\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@startupstowers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@startupstowers\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Stephanie Lennox\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"14 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/small-business-grants-how-to-apply\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/funding\/grants\/small-business-grants\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Stephanie Lennox\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/startups.co.uk\/#\/schema\/person\/e9612d345ce4210c3dbef117d03cc926\"},\"headline\":\"Grants for small businesses &#8211; 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