Business Development

Businesses in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole can apply for grants of up to £5,000 through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), a government initiative to support economic growth and levelling up across the UK. The grants are available to businesses of all sizes, but priority will be given to micro and small businesses. The grants can be used to support a wide range of activities, including start-up and growth; exporting; research and d...

As part of a scheme to reinvigorate the city centre, Bristol City Council is making £1.3 million in funding available for small or micro businesses that wish to open new premises in vacant commercial buildings. The Vacant Commercial Property Grant Scheme will award grants of up to £10,000 to small businesses, sole traders, charities, CICs, and arts and culture groups looking to lease or rent a vacant commercial property located within the ci...

Grants of up to £18,000 plus business support are available to social entrepreneurs that are looking to start or grow an existing social venture. The funding is being made available through the UnLtd the leading provider of support to social entrepreneurs in and around the UK. UnLtd are committed to providing 50% of their awards to Black, Asian and minority ethnic social entrepreneurs, and/or disabled social entrepreneurs. To be eligible ap...

The Welsh Government is making £20 million of capital funding available to support SMEs in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors. The Future Proofing Fund will provide grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 to help eligible businesses reduce their running costs and increase their profitability through investment in renewable energy technology, improvements to the fabric of their premises, and upgrades to systems or machinery. The fundi...

AXA UK has launched this year’s AXA Startup Angel, a nationwide competition run in partnership with the Evening Standard, that offers UK entrepreneurs the chance to turn their business ideas into reality. The two winning entries of the competition will receive £25,000 in startup funding, as well as mentoring advice and business insurance. There are also four runners-up prizes featuring over £18,000 of media, mentoring and exposure. Previou...

To help support the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of England’s seafood sector, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has reopened the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, with at least £6 million in match funding available. The scheme, which is open to individuals, businesses, local authorities, universities, research institutes or new entrants to the industry, will continue to provide financial assistance for projects tha...

Community businesses in England that are looking to launch or in the early stage of launching a community share issue can apply for grants and equity match funding of up to £100,000. The funding is being made available through the Power to Change Community Shares Booster Fund. A number of funding streams are available. These include pre-grant support- which provides a few days of support for early-stage activity to get community businesses...

Small and medium-sized enterprises and registered charities in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire can apply for grants of up to £50,000 to install solar panels on their larger commercial and industrial roofs. The funding is being provided through the West of England’s Green Business Grants scheme, which aims to help businesses reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and cut their energy costs. Applicants will nee...

Creative developers and start-up studios are invited to bid for a share of £5 million in government funding to turn their new video game ideas into market leaders. The UK Games Fund (UKGF) Content Fund will provide UK games studios with grants of between £50,000 and £150,000 to support games in development and ready them for market. The funding, which will be available over the next 18 months, will support the development of intellectual pr...

Buckinghamshire Council has launched a new fund to support small rural businesses. The Bucks Rural Business Grant programme will provide £1.8 million in capital grants over two years to help micro and small enterprises in rural areas to grow and create jobs. Businesses can apply for grants of up to £300,000 to cover the cost of building works and equipment, and can be used for a variety of purposes, including net zero infrastructure, farm di...

£4 million in funding is being made available to support arts, humanities and social science researchers to develop and bring new products, processes, services and experiences to market. The Social science, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE) Catalyst programme will equip individuals or teams from UK research organisations with the skills they need to explore the commercial application of their research. At least three roun...

Grants and affordable loans are available to support charities and social enterprises working to improve the lives of people in their local community. Through the Community Enterprise Fund, Social Investment Business (SIB), in partnership with the Asda Foundation, will award a mixture of grants and unsecured loans up to £50,000 to support community organisations across England and Wales. Loans will be available over four to seven years at an...

The East Midlands Creative Consortium is offering a £1.3 million support programme to boost the growth of creative microbusinesses in Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Rutland, and Lincolnshire. The Create Growth Programme, funded by the government, aims to help 100 businesses develop over the next three years through tailored support packages, leading to job creation and investment readiness. Eligible businesses include those operating in advertis...

The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is encouraging small and medium-sized businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk to apply for grants ranging from £1,000 to £25,000 before the Small Grant Scheme comes to a close. The grants are intended to be used for investments in production, equipment, and expansion. Since 2014, the LEP has awarded £5 million to firms supporting local development and growth and this has been matched with £21 mil...

A new multi-million pound social investment fund focused on tackling inequality and promoting racial justice in the UK, has opened to applications from diverse-led social enterprises looking to grow their impact. The Growth Impact Fund, managed by Big Issue Invest, will invest between £50,000 and £1.5 million in social businesses to support early-stage founders from underrepresented groups who have previously been excluded from investment. I...

£14 million in funding is available to support fishing businesses and wider marine organisations in Scottish coastal communities. The funding, which is made available through the Scottish Government’s Marine Fund Scotland, will support projects that improve the marine environment, reduce carbon emissions and support coastal communities. Key aims will include helping to improve safety standards and upskilling the safety training of individua...

To help support the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of England’s seafood sector, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has relaunched the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme, with at least £6 million in funding available every year until April 2025. The scheme, which is open to individuals, businesses, local authorities, universities, research institutes or new entrants to the industry, will continue to provide financial ass...

To help provide certainty to the seafood sector, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is to relaunch the Fisheries and Seafood Scheme (FaSS), with funding available up to April 2025. The fund will deliver investment to safeguard the long-term sustainability, resilience and prosperity of England’s seafood sector, coastal communities and marine environment. The relaunched FaSS will replace the existing scheme, which will no longer be consi...

Food companies in the UK can apply for funding of up to £50,000 to offset the cost of sending surplus food to good causes and thereby helping people in need. The funding is part of the FareShare £3million Surplus with Purpose Fund and can be used to cover the additional staff costs needed for packing and sorting edible surplus food, or in building, implementing and managing new processes. It could also cover packaging and transportation cos...