Business Development

The Royal Academy of Engineering has announced that the Enterprise Hub Launch Pad competition is open for applications. The Enterprise Hub Launchpad Competition will award entrepreneurs in the UK aged 16-25 with a cash prize and bespoke support to start a business based on an innovative idea. The winner will receive funding of £15,000 to set up the business and the JC Gammon Award. The winner will also be invited to join the Academy's Enterp...

Following the launch of the successful Mutuals Support Programme in January 2018 which provided 12 organisations with support to set up or grow as Public Service Mutuals, a second round of funding has been announced. Organisations aiming to establish themselves or expand as Public Service Mutuals can apply for a share of £1 million in funding to aid their development, growth and sustainability. Applicant organisations will need to offer match...

Bethnal Green Ventures (BGV), which supports teams with new ideas to help build solutions to social and environmental problems, has announced that its Autumn 2018 Tech for Good Ventures is open for applications. The programme is looking to invest up to £20,000 (in exchange for 6% equity) in ambitious technology start-ups that are tackling problems in the areas of achieving the global goals; supporting vulnerable young people; and building a f...

Aspiring community groups have the opportunity to apply for a grant of up to £15,000 to help them to set up their own community business. The programme supports new community business ideas through the start-up and planning stages with tailored business support, to the implementation stage. To be eligible to apply, businesses must be locally rooted; accountable to the local community; trading for the benefit of the local community; and delive...

The Solway, Border and Eden LEADER programme has opened for applications. Leader is a European funding programme designed to support the development of the rural economy by providing grants to small businesses and communities. The programme will run from 2015-2020 with £2.261 million available for projects in the Solway, Border and Eden LEADER area that are relevant to the main Leader priorities. This call for proposals is for investment in...

From the 23rd July 2018, small charities, social enterprises and community interest groups will be able to apply for grants of up to £30,000 plus support to unlock growth, sustainability and efficiency. To qualify applicant organisations will need to have a turnover of less than £500,000 per year). To apply for funding, organisations must register at the start of each funding round. Numbers for each round are capped and registration are acc...

BT Infinity Lab is offering business start-ups and small companies funding of up to £10,000 through the Better World Innovation Challenge 2018. The aim of the challenge is support ideas that make use of technology to improve the lives of others. This may include for example helping single parents juggle childcare with their education, or a service that helps disabled people get more involved in the activities they love. As well as the fund...

Social Entrepreneurs that want to grow their business can apply for grants of up to £15,000. As well as the funding, social entrepreneurs will have access to a support package that includes 12 months mentoring; expert advice networking with investors, corporate partners and other successful entrepreneurs. To be eligible the applicants needs to aged 16 or over and living in the UK; be the founder of the venture/organisation and beneficiari...

Small and medium size businesses in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland interested in investing in Gigabit connectivity are being encouraged to take advantage of a UK wide voucher programme. Offered by the UK Government, individual business can claim up to £3,000 towards the cost of full fibre connection or join together with nearby businesses to make a group application with each member able to claim a £500 voucher. The scheme is open unt...

A combination of business support as well as potential access to finance are available to social enterprises that improve access to employment for those excluded from the labour market. Designed to give social enterprises the chance to grow their business and deliver greater social impact, up to 20 ventures will be supported in 2018. The support is being made available through Unltd’s new social accelerator programme, Thrive. . Eligible a...

Key Fund, an investor in community and social enterprises, plans to invest £1m every month for the next five months through a combined loan and grant package to help finance new business ideas or existing business growth for the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector. Grants will be at the discretion of the Key Fund, but typically make up 10 percent of the loan taken. Applicants don't need assets or even necessarily experience, the...

Small and medium business within selected areas of the UK are able to get a grant of up to £3,000 to upgrade their business broadband to a Gigabit capable connection. The UK Government is testing a new Gigabit Voucher Scheme which will provide vouchers worth up to £3,000 to support the capital costs of getting new gigabit capable connections for businesses. In the Bristol and Bath & North East Somerset area, the Government are also making v...

Devon Community Foundation (DCF) is working with Enhance Social Enterprise (ESE) to support social enterprises and social entrepreneurs in Plymouth, Torbay, Devon and Somerset. The Devon Social Investment Fund aims to support the growth and impact of voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) with accessible loans, working alongside enterprises to tailor loans to the needs of the organisation and helping to bring ideas to fruition. L...

The fourth application window for the Welsh Government’s Farm Business Grant (FBG), designed to improve the economic and environmental performance of agricultural holdings, is due to re-open for applications from the 30th April to the 29th June 2018. FBG funding aims to help farmers make their businesses more efficient, resilient and environmentally friendly by providing a contribution towards capital investments in items of equipment and ma...

UnLtd, the charity for Social Entrepreneurs has launched its new UnLtd Impact Fund. The fund aims to address one the key challenges for early stage social ventures: getting to access to capital. The Impact Fund will invest in around 35 social ventures over the next three-years. Initially, the UnLtd Impact Fund is looking to support social ventures tackling challenges related to training and employment - including school leavers and apprentices...

Early stage Social Entrepreneurs in Hackney, Barking & Dagenham have until the 1st August 2018 to apply for support of up to £5,000 through the East End Connect scheme. This is a partnership of the charity UnLtd and UBS and will support 42 social entrepreneurs over the next three years. The support also includes with one-to-one support and specialist advice. There will also be some support for a small number of established social ventures t...

Visit Scotland has announced that it is now accepting expressions of interest from constituted groups of tourism businesses for the VisitScotland Growth Fund. The fund supports collaborative tourism marketing projects that focus on growth in the tourism sector and ensure that visitors experience the true Spirit of Scotland. It also helps businesses to build their digital capability and to market and measure their outputs and success more effec...