150 UK small business grants to apply for right now

By Anna Jordan on Small Business UK - Advice and Ideas for UK Small Businesses and SMEs

Securing grant finance for your small business or start-up is a constant challenge – but there is help available. Here, we have rounded up a comprehensive list of business grants from all over the UK.

These funds are available to SME businesses either within a specified local authority, defined as having fewer than 250 employees or with a turnover of less than £45,000 and a balance sheet totalling less than £39,000.

You will see that many of the funding opportunities are often based on a specific location or sector, or ring-fenced for a certain part of a business, like job creation or making eco-friendly changes. But we explain each grant with the information needed to see if it can apply to your project.

Where possible, you will want to talk with the grant provider to assess your suitability. In addition, almost all awarding bodies will want to see a business plan and in many cases matching funding, so it pays to prepare your paperwork before making contact.

Grants can sometimes be combined with other forms of funding, such as banks, grant makers, crowdfunding platforms, and other lenders.

Links to each grant can be found in the following headings.

UK Business Grants
England Business Grants
Wales Business Grants
Scotland Business Grants
Northern Ireland

UK Business Grants

1. Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) Non-CO2 programme

The ATI Programme offers funding for research and technology development in the UK to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace. Sustainability is a core element of Destination Zero – the UK’s aerospace technology strategy. Priorities are focused on reducing CO2 emissions in line with aviation sector’s target of Net Zero 2050, as well as further reductions of Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) and Noise.

This Non-CO2 programme focuses on addressing challenges with reducing non-CO2 emissions from the aerospace sector, outlined in the ATI’s new non-CO2 emission roadmap. Funding will be awarded from the ATI programme’s 10-year research and development (R&D) budget; extended to 2035, with up to £2.3 billion available.

The ATI Non-CO2 programme is a 2-stage competition:

• Stage 1: outline stage
• Stage 2: full stage application

Only successful applicants from the outline proposal will be invited to apply for the full-stage strands which are assessed separately by IUK, the ATI, and DBT.

If your full-stage application is successful, your application will progress to final approval through DBT ministers. Contracts will be issued by IUK.

Apply through the website.

2. The King’s Trust Enterprise Programme

A good source for help with funding is the King’s Trust, which offers development awards to help younger people kickstart their business or access training courses.

At present the Trust offers development awards of up to £500 for UK residents aged between 16 and 30 who are looking for funds to help with training. They must fit the following criteria:

• Aged 16 to 30 and living in the UK
• Studying less than 14 hours a week or not in compulsory education
• Unemployed or working less than 16 hours a week

Furthermore, development awards can support:

• Accredited course fees up to Level 3 (A level equivalent)
• Tools, equipment or uniforms for a job or qualification
• Job licence fees
• Transport to a new job until your first pay slip

Development awards can’t support:​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

• Living expenses e.g. rent or bills
• Business start-up costs
• Costs for items that have already been paid for
• Gap year or overseas projects​​​​​​​
• Level 4 course fees and beyond (i.e. Higher National Certificate​​​​​​ or Diploma)

3. R&D tax credits

R&D Tax Credits are for innovative projects in science and technology. They can be claimed by firms who want to research or develop an advance in their field. You can even claim it on unsuccessful projects.

You can apply if you have fewer than 500 staff members and a turnover of under €100m or balance sheet total under €86m, and a balance sheet beginning before April 1, 2024. Check Eligibility Today

4. Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

Gigabit vouchers can be used by small businesses to go towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable broadband connections. SMEs can claim up to £4,500. Eligibility criteria apply around speed and type of business – check the website for more details.

5. Innovate UK

Innovate UK provides grant funding opportunities to help companies turn innovative ideas into commercial products and services. It promotes Research and Development across a wide range of sectors, funding different stages of innovation, from early research to commercialisation.

These grants are highly competitive, with opportunities for both open innovation (encouraging cutting-edge projects from any sector) and challenge-led innovation (seeking applicants with a solution to a predefined challenge).

If your company has an innovative project in mind, you can learn more and discuss your eligibility in a free consultation with Inventya.   Check eligibility

6. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

You have probably heard of the SEIS scheme. It helps start-ups to raise money for their business. You get a maximum of £250,000 including state aid awarded in the three years running up to the date of investment.

Make sure you meet the conditions so investors can claim and keep SEIS tax reliefs relating to their shares. Said tax reliefs will be withheld or withdrawn if you don’t meet these conditions for three years after the investment. The money must be spent within three years of the share issue.

7. UK Global Screen Fund: International Business Development

UKGSF International Business Development provides non-recoupable grants for international growth strategies that span three or five years. The funding will support UK companies to develop and expand their turnover and scale of Intellectual Property (IP) creation, exploitation or acquisition. 

UKGSF International Business Development is open to independent UK screen companies with a track record in creating, acquiring, and/or exploiting IP in at least one of the following categories: 

• feature films – fiction, documentary, animation – for theatrical and/or online release 
• programmes – fiction, documentary, animation – for broadcast television, video-on-demand services or other forms of online release 
• interactive narrative video games for commercial digital platforms, generating revenue from the public consumer market 

Opens at 12pm on Thursday 16 April 2026 and closes at 12pm on Thursday 11 June 2026.

The next round is scheduled to open in April 2027. 

You can apply online once you’ve read the full guidelines. There is an application link in the guidelines. 

If you have any questions relating to this funding or your application, email ukglobalscreenfund@bfi.org.uk.  Check eligibility

8. Music Export Growth Scheme

MEGS provides match-funding grant support to representatives of UK-based music acts (normally music management companies or record labels who meet SME criteria) to help deliver high-quality marketing and promotion campaigns linked to international tours to enable these acts to grow their international business. The scheme is targeted at artists that have achieved reasonable levels of commercial impact in the UK and are now looking to break internationally. Successful recipients can claim no more than 50 per cent of eligible expenditure for their projects.

Eligibility

1. You are a UK* based music business or organisation trading from the UK.

2. You are a SME that has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than €50 million or a balance sheet total less than €43 million.

3. You have not and you have not received any other contributions from public funds towards the Project.

4.    You can demonstrate that: i) you are selling from the UK; and ii) you are enhancing the Artist’s competitiveness and providing tangible economic benefit to the UK from this trade development activity.

5. You will only promote the business, trading and brand names detailed in your Application unless you obtained express consent from the delivery partner the BPI, DBT and/or the Grants Selection Panel for a Project Change. (*Excluding businesses/organisations based in the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands unless UK registered.)

There will be funding rounds up to 31 March 2027.

9. Plug-in grant for low-emission vehicles

You can get a discount on the price of brand new low-emission vehicles through a grant the government gives to vehicle dealerships and manufacturers. You do not need to do anything if you want to buy one of these vehicles – the dealer will include the value of the grant in the vehicle’s price.

10. Government apprenticeships

The Government website has lots of info about apprenticeships as well as how to register and use the apprenticeship service. You’ve got different sites for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

11. British Council Grants

British Council Grants fund research, travel and workshops. Have a look at their website for current opportunities.

12. Ashden Awards 

The Ashden Awards are geared at businesses around the world who have outstanding climate solutions. If you win, you could get a cash prize of up to £25,000 as well as publicity and connections.

13. Countryside Stewardship

This grant supports landlords in installing electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at residential properties.  

You can get 75% off the cost of buying and installing chargepoints up to a maximum of £500 per socket.

You can receive grants for up to 200 sockets per year. 

The property must be located in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. If your property is in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, it is not eligible. 

Applicants must be registered at Companies House or VAT registered.

Eligibility

Residential landlords

You or the organisation you represent are a residential landlord if you own or manage:

• a property that is let for people to live in (for example a flat)
• a property that has multiple units in it where people live (for example a block of flats)
• the common or communal spaces of a property that has multiple units in it where people live (for example an apartment block or a housing estate)

When residential landlords can apply

You can apply for the grant if you’re a:

• landlord with property to let
• right to manage (RTM) company or residents’ management company (RMC)
• company or person owning the freehold of a multi-unit property 
• company owning a building’s common areas, including shareholders who are the leaseholders
• public sector organisation – for example government departments, local councils, the armed forces or the NHS and emergency services
• charity that manages or owns residential property
• registered social housing provider 
• property management company that represents a landlord

You must be a business either registered at Companies House or VAT registered with HMRC.

Property requirements

You can apply for:

• flats and houses
• apartment blocks

Your parking space

Each parking space you’re applying to install a chargepoint at must be:

• off-street, private and clearly defined – it does not have to be part of the property
• accessible to your tenant
• owned by you, or be one you have the legal right to

Some installations may need cables or parts to be placed across private or public land. You must have proof of all legal rights and permissions before work begins.

Your installer will check that the electric vehicle can charge safely in the parking space.

OZEV-authorised

You must use an OZEV-authorised installer and an eligible residential chargepoint:

• find an OZEV-authorised chargepoint installer
• see a list of eligible chargepoints

 People who cannot apply

You cannot apply if:

• you live in the property
• your property is not a residential property
• you have already installed the chargepoint you are seeking funding for – the chargepoint must not be installed before OZEV confirms you are eligible for a grant
• your property is only used for holiday accommodation
• you do not have a company registration number or a VAT registration number
• you’re installing a chargepoint because of a mandatory requirement

Mandatory chargepoint or infrastructure requirement

The grant cannot be given if the installation of the chargepoint and/or infrastructure was a mandatory requirement.  This includes:

• buildings under construction or being renovated where the Part S Regulations applies on or after 15 June 2022 (for England), for example, for single domestic dwellings with an associated parking space and for non-residential buildings with more than 10 car parking spaces
• devolved countries where there are similar regulations as for England, for example, the Building (Scotland) Regulations from 5 June 2023
• where there was a planning application condition mandating the installation of chargepoints and/or infrastructure

Funding is confirmed until 31 March 2027.

The government reserves the right to end or change this grant scheme. If the grant ends or the grant amount changes, the government will aim to provide 4 weeks’ notice and honour claims made before any public announcement, subject to the grant criteria.

14. Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)

Receive a maximum of £30,500 per project for creating multi-purpose woodland.

15. Funding Futures Programme – Starting Up

This is one for entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs who aim to solve a social or environmental issue.

You can apply for up to £8,000 to help you start or grow your business which aims to make a difference to people’s lives, especially during the cost-of-living crisis.

16. Funding and advice for space services

ESA Business Applications offers funding and support to businesses from any sector who intend to use space (satellite navigation, earth observation, satellite telecommunication, space weather, space technologies) to develop new commercial services.

Applications are open all year. Businesses can submit a proposal at any time through the Call for Proposals for Downstream Applications  or can apply to a competitive tender or a non-competitive Thematic Call for Proposals. 

17. Heritage Enterprise UK

This fund is for restoring neglected historic buildings and sites. Community organisations can get a grant between £250,000 and £10,000,000.

18. Workplace charging scheme

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a voucher-based scheme that provides eligible applicants with support towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.

The WCS is open to businesses, charities and public sector organisations that meet the applicant and site eligibility criteria.

The grant covers up to 75 per cent of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (inclusive of VAT), capped at a maximum of:

• £500 per socket
• 40 sockets across all sites per applicant – for instance, if you would like to install them in 40 sites, you will have 1 socket available per site

After applying using the online application form, successful applicants are issued with a unique identification voucher code by email, which can then be given to any OZEV-authorised commercial chargepoint installer.

19. Wrap grant schemes

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (wrap) manage grants, loans and investments to help increase the use of recycled materials, growing recycling capacity or overcoming specific market failures by acting as a catalyst to encourage other funders to invest. There are grant opportunities available throughout the year.

20. Innovative Health Initiative

This firm (formerly Innovative Medicines Initiative) provides funding for health research and innovation, with opportunities in advanced therapies, voice in cancer clinical trials and more. Open calls are listed on their page.

If your company has an innovative healthcare project in mind, you can learn more and discuss your eligibility in a free consultation with Inventya. Check eligibility

21. Emerging Technologies Competition

Each year, the Royal Society of Chemistry welcomes applications from early-stage start-ups, spin-outs and academic entrepreneurs who are developing the most novel, innovative and disruptive chemistry tech in each of these four categories:

• Enabling Technologies
• Energy
• Environment
• Health

It particularly welcomes applications from companies, start-ups and spin-outs led by black and other minority ethnic scientists. 

In addition to press coverage and exposure, winners receive a share of a £100,000 prize pot.

22. Funding Futures Award – Scaling Up

Administered by UnLtd, who also give out the Starting Up Award above, the Scaling Up Award will help you grow your business with a grant worth up to £18,000. It’s available for social ventures that have been trading for over a year.

23. CRACK IT Challenges

A challenge-led competition that funds collaborations between industry, academics and SMEs to solve business and scientific challenges which will deliver scientific benefits, either by improving business processes or developing a commercial product. Depending on the challenge.

24. Parkinson’s UK Physical Activity Grant

Parkinson’s UK is launching its popular Physical Activity Grants programme to help more people living with Parkinson’s get active.

The charity’s Physical Activity Grants programme is for physical activity providers, leisure groups, sports clubs, national governing bodies, Parkinson’s groups and many more across the UK.

For more information about the physical activity grants programme and how you can apply, visit www.parkinsons.org.uk/information-and-support/grants-physical-activity-providers or contact physicalactivity@parkinsons.org.uk

25. SWEF Grants

The SWEF grant provides start-up grants (up to £500) and business grants (up to £2,000) for young people aged 18-30 who face barriers to starting or growing their own businesses.

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Our funding is guided by our Community Foundation partners’ local knowledge and insights, ensuring support reaches young people who need it most and can’t access finance from traditional sources like family or banks.

If you’re on Universal Credit, you can apply directly through SWEF.

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England Business Grants

26. Elmbridge business boost grants

The business boost grants can help your business with:

• Up to £5,000 available in grant support to help businesses improve their shop fronts or signage
• Up to £5,000 available in grant support to help bring a shop that has been empty for at least 3 months back into commercial use
• Up to £2,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment, streetscene improvements or sustainability

All applications need at least 50 per cent match funding and 2 quotes for each element. Apply by filling in one of the forms on the website.

27. Birmingham commercial vehicle grant

The BThis £10m grant scheme aims to help small businesses based within the Birmingham Clean Air Zone (CAZ), wider Birmingham and West Midlands region to meet European standards.

To help small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with HDVs, coaches and/or LGVs upgrade their fleet to meet Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone emission standards, we have secured a £10.05 million commercial grant.

Eligible businesses must be able to evidence that they:

• Are based within the Clean Air Zone, wider Birmingham or West Midlands area, and
• Are conducting commercial operations within the Clean Air Zone

The total grant package for each business is up to £180,000 – that’s up to £15,000 per heavy goods vehicle and up to 35 per cent of the maximum cost of an upgrade up at a maximum of £4,000 for each light goods vehicle. You can find out more and register here.

28. Elmbridge green business boost

High street independents, as well as small and medium enterprises across Elmbridge, can now benefit from new green business boost funding to help them become more sustainable by reducing their carbon emissions.

In support of thriving high streets and sustainable businesses in Elmbridge, the green business boost is the latest addition to our business boost support grants.

Grants can be used to help fund investment in energy saving products such as LED lighting, new energy efficient equipment or renewables to help small businesses in the borough save money and reduce energy consumption.

You can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 with funding available on the following basis:

• the first £1,000 of any project has no match funding required
• anything above £1,000 up to £5,000 requires a 50 per cent match from the applicant

Complete an expression of interest form on the website.

29. Made Smarter Adoption Programme – East of England 

The Made Smarter Adoption programme connects manufacturers in the East of England to digital tools, innovations, and skills that can revolutionise their operations.

Grant funding is available via 50% match funding (up to a maximum of £20,000) for equipment and/or specialist advice to implement projects encompassing digital transformation and workforce development.

30. Elmbridge digital high street boost

You can apply for a grant of up to £2,000 of digital high street grants, with funding available on the following basis:

• Any further grant funding (up to £2,000) requires a 50% match
• The first £1,000 of grant funding is fully funded (100%)

The funding is available to independent high street retailers located within the defined primary or secondary frontage of our town centres and high streets. Special consideration can also be given to ‘in town’ applications from independent retailers with shop frontage not in primary or secondary locations. This will be at the discretion of the board.

The following projects are ineligible:

• Websites without an e-commerce function
• Hardware
• Services, for example digital coaching or consultancy
• Maintenance of existing digital technology
• Domain name
• Website hosting as a stand-alone cost
• Paid advertising, for example Google AdWords and Facebook

Fill out an application form on the website.

31. Sterling Road The North West grant

Sterling Road’s North West Grant gives £1,000 to 25 teams per year.

The grant is focused on founders based in the North West of England, you can apply with any idea but most grants will go to software projects and traditionally overlooked founders.

The application shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes to complete and Sterling Road will aim to give applicants a response within 30 days.

32. Farming in Protected Landscapes

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is open to all farmers and land managers within an AONB or National Park in England, or the Broads. This includes farmers and land managers from the public, private and charity sector.

The programme is also open to farmers and land managers on land outside of protected landscapes.

To be eligible the project must benefit the protected landscape, or the protected landscape body’s objectives or partnership initiatives.

Contact your local protected landscape body for advice about whether your land or project is eligible.

To apply you must:

• Manage all the land included in the application
• Have control of all the activities you would like to do

Or you must have written consent from all parties who manage and control the land.

Other organisations and individuals can apply when collaborating with a farmer or land manager, or in support of a farmer or group of farmers.

Common land is eligible for this funding. You can apply as a landowner with sole rights, or as a group of commoners acting together.

You can get an application form from the protected landscape body where your project will take place.

You can submit your application anytime up until the programme closes for applications in March 2029.

You could get up to 100 per cent of the costs of a project if you will not make a commercial gain from it. If you will benefit commercially from a project, then the programme will fund a proportion of the costs. The amount will depend on how much the project will benefit your business.

Applications for over £10,000 will be judged by a local assessment panel. Applications for less than £10,000 will be scored by a senior member of the team who has not been involved with or given advice to the application.

33. Nelson Town Deal grants

The grants are to help manufacturing businesses become more resilient and to help them grow.

There are three priorities for the funding:

1.      Investment in new plant or machinery

2.      Energy efficiency/Carbon reduction

3.       Premises improvements or adaptations

The grant funding can be for up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs. The business would meet the remainder of the cost. The maximum grant is £100,000. The grants are not retrospective, i.e. any work or item that has already been ordered and/or paid for before your grant application cannot be considered for a grant.

For every £10,000 of grant, the business is expected to create one new full-time job.

In addition to jobs created we are looking for safeguarded Jobs. For every £10,000 of grant the business will need to show that two jobs, which would have been at risk without the funding, have been safeguarded.

34. OxLEP Business

OxLEP offers mentorship and support to businesses, including guidance as to what national grant funding schemes are available.

35. Improve Animal Health and Welfare

Payments are available for farmers in England for vet visits and diagnostic testing to reduce endemic diseases, improve productivity, and raise welfare standards across herds and flocks. It is part of the wider Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. The grant provides direct payments to livestock keepers to cover the cost of these vet visits.

Summary

There are 2 parts to the service:

• animal health and welfare review
• endemic disease follow-up

You can choose the vet you want to do these. The review and follow-up are not an inspection or audit. If you are a farmer who is a vet, you cannot carry out your own visit, you must use another vet. As part of your IAHW agreement, you can have up to: 

• 3 reviews on any number of herds or flocks of one or more species from the list of eligible livestock – beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs or sheep 
• 3 follow-ups on any number of herds or flocks of one or more species from the list of eligible livestock – beef cattle, dairy cattle, pigs or sheep

Animal health and welfare review During a review, the vet will:

• test for endemic disease (for cattle and pigs)
• test the effectiveness of medicines to treat worms (for sheep)
• advise you on how to improve animal health and welfare
• advise you on how to increase animal productivity
• discuss any other topics that are important to you

After the vet has completed a review, you can choose to have an endemic disease follow-up.

Endemic disease follow-up You can only do a follow-up on a herd or flock after you have done a review. You may also prefer to claim successfully for the review before you organise a follow-up. The follow-up must be on the same species as the review. During a follow-up, the vet will:

• do more in-depth disease testing based on your review results (cattle and pigs) 
• do disease testing or condition assessments based on farm health priorities (sheep) 
• do a biosecurity assessment

The vet will also advise you on further steps to:

• control and prevent disease
• improve animal health and welfare
• improve animal productivity

Payment Rates

Funding is per species, not per animal. Payments cover diagnostic testing, the vet’s time, and the farmer’s time.You can claim up to 3 reviews and 3 follow‑ups per species before June 2027.

Funding available is dependant on species with seperate payments for the Review and follow ups. For full detail of the funding available for your specific herd or flock please see GOV.UK

www.gov.uk/guidance/farmers-how-to-apply-for-funding-to-improve-animal-health-and-welfare

Eligibility

Meet minimum livestock numbers –

You need at least:

• 11 beef cattle
• 11 dairy cattle
• 21 sheep
• 51 pigs

These minimum numbers must be present each time the vet visits.

Livestock must be registered in England

• You can only claim for animals kept in England.

You must have a valid SBI and CPHYour business must have:

• A Single Business Identifier (SBI)
• Linked to a County Parish Holding (CPH) number registered in England

CPH numbers not eligible:

• 8,000 series (abattoirs, pet food manufacturers, racing pigeon sites, showgrounds)
• 9,000 series (poultry keepers)

You must be responsible for animal welfare on the holdingYou need to be the person who is legally responsible for caring for the livestock at the time of the vet visit.The review must be done by an external vetIf you are a farmer who is also a vet, you cannot conduct your own review  you must use another vet.

• You can claim for one or more species, but funding is paid per species, not per animal.
• Follow-ups must be on the same species as the initial review.

Total allowable reviewsUnder your IAHW agreement, you can have:

• Up to 3 reviews per species
• Up to 3 follow-ups per species
• All must be completed by 19 June 2027, and claims submitted by 19 September 2027

The service ends on 19 June 2027. Your review and follow-up visits must be done by then. You must submit your claims by 19 September 2027.

Apply for funding to improve animal health and welfare on GOV.UK

www.gov.uk/guidance/farmers-how-to-apply-for-funding-to-improve-animal-health-and-welfare

36. People and Research

The People and Places scheme provides funding for research and engagement activities and to build skills and capacity in our historic environment at both national and regional levels.

The research funding from this scheme helps us to know what our historic environment comprises, which aspects of it are the most significant, how people value and interact with it, and what innovation in science and approach will help us to look after it for the future.

The capacity building is targeted towards helping to reduce or avoid risk to the historic environment by building capacity and commitment of local communities to champion the conservation and enhancement of their own local historic environment. The promotion of best-practice standards and skills for the conservation, documentation, interpretation and sustainable management of the resources of England’s historic environment.

Funding towards projects which enable national third-sector organisations to reduce their reliance on public funding and to increase their effectiveness in their work with the historic environment.

Eligibility

All organisations including local authorities, educational institutions, charitable trusts and registered companies that have an eligible project (see below) can apply for this grant. Individuals can also apply as long as they can provide evidence of self-employed/sole trader status.

To be eligible for a grant your activity needs to meet one or more of our 4 grant priorities:

1. Help more people to connect with, enjoy and benefit from the historic environment.
2. Use heritage to improve civic pride, prosperity and well being.
3.  Achieve a positive change and sustainable future for historic places including buildings, landscapes, archaeological sites and marine assets.
4. Ensure heritage plays an important role in the fight to limit and manage the effects of climate change.

All applications are managed through the Central Grants Team and where applicable are Regional Teams. If you are interested in applying, please see the website: https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/grants/apply/

37. Plug-in Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle Grant

Base vehicles used for grant eligible wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs) must have a recommended retail price (RRP) below £50,000 (see full price definition), subject to grant limits. This excludes the cost of conversion. A base vehicle is a standard vehicle that can be modified by a converter to create a WAV. We regularly review grant levels. Both the level of grant and the criteria for each category is liable to change at the discretion of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV).

The plug-in wheelchair accessible vehicle grant (PiWG) can only be claimed by new WAVs at first registration. Preregistration conversions are eligible to apply for the grant scheme. Post-registration conversions are not eligible for the grant.

End customers are limited to 20 orders per financial year.

Eligibility

Some wheelchair accessible vehicles can be sold at a 35% discount. The seller will include the discount in the purchase price. The maximum discount is £2,500.

If you work for a vehicle dealership or manufacturer, you can apply for a grant using the online portal. There are a limited number of grants – you should find out how many are available before you apply.

To be eligible for a grant, the vehicle must:

• be converted from a passenger vehicle (sometimes known as a ‘category M1 vehicle’)
• have zero tailpipe CO2 emissions
• be able to travel at least 112km (70 miles) without any emissions
• cost less than £50,000 (recommended retail price, including VAT but not including cost of conversion or delivery fees)

The vehicles that can be converted are:

• Citroen e-Berlingo
• Citroen e-Spacetourer Business M
• Citroen e-Spacetourer Business XL
• Peugeot e-Rifter
• Vauxhall Vivaro-e Life – Combi

If you work for a vehicle dealership or manufacturer, you can apply for a grant using the online portal. There are a limited number of grants – you should find out how many are available before you apply.

38. Malvern Hills Growth Fund

The Malvern Hills Growth Fund is fully funded by Malvern Hills District Council.  It supports a wide range of activities that help businesses grow—whether through investing in new equipment, expanding facilities, creating new jobs, or improving productivity.

The Fund welcomes applications from micro, small and medium sized enterprises, Community Interest Companies, social enterprises, and commercially active not for profit organisations based in Malvern Hills. This includes all sectors from manufacturing, rural enterprises, hospitality, tourism, and the wider business community. Grants range from £500 to £15,000, depending on your project and business type.

This page explains who can apply, what funding is available, and how the application process works.

If you’d like support at any stage, just contact us—we’re here to help

To apply, your business must:

• Be an SME based in Malvern Hills. This includes micro, small and medium sized enterprises which have fewer than 250 employees and either a turnover of £44 million or less, or a balance sheet total of £38 million or less.
• Show that your project supports business growth.
• Provide 50% or more match funding.
• Contact us before applying if your project involves building works or planning considerations.

When assessing whether your business or organisation is an SME, you should consider any affiliated businesses or organisations. These are entities connected through ownership, control, or significant shared interest.

Start‑ups (operating under a new legal entity and not yet trading or trading less than 12 months) must also:

• Have completed recognised business start‑up training, or demonstrate equivalent experience
• Provide a business plan

If you cannot confirm all eligibility criteria, unfortunately you will not be able to apply.

Applications are now open and submitted through the simple, step‑by‑step digital form on the website linked above.

39. Rural Business Growth Fund, Babergh and Mid Suffolk

Capital grants are available up to £10,000 per application for businesses / organisations within Babergh and Mid Suffolk. By exception grants may be agreed of up to £15,000 for projects which strongly support the Net Zero Infrastructure or Farm Diversification priorities. The fund intervention funding rate will be 50% of the total project costs up to the maximum grant amount which means the project must be match funded at 50%. Payments are made at the end of the process, so the project will need to be fully funded before any reimbursements are made. 

Please note that this is a capital only fund (capital means assets that have monetary value, such as equipment, real estate, and inventory). Projects must meet one of the following priorities: 

1. Investment in net zero infrastructure  
2. SME investments and diversification 
3. Farm diversification outside of agriculture  
4. Visitor economy business expansion 

If you are interested in applying, please email BMSDCeconomicdevelopment@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk

40. Enterprising Ashfield Growth Programme

The Growth strand can help you review and grow your business with a suite of assistance and programmes. It delivers help via supportive 1:1 business mentoring, expert workshops, peer learning, leadership training, sector-specific support programmes and a grant.

41. Town Centre Shop Front Grant, Amber Valley

Businesses located within the defined town centre boundaries of one of Amber Valley’s four market towns: Alfreton, Belper, Heanor, or Ripley can apply for funding of up to £4,000, aimed at improving and revitalising shop frontages.

The grant operates on a match-funding basis, with the contribution varying depending on the total project cost.
Total Project spend band:

– Below £1,250 – Not eligible
– £1,251–£2,500 -80% flat
– £2,501–£3,000 – Slides 80% → 70%
– £3,001–£4,500 – 70% flat
– £4,501–£5,000 – Slides 70% → 60%
– £5,001–£6,667 – 60% flat
Above £6,667 – 60% capped at £4,000

*If your total project cost is higher, you can still apply for the grant, however the maximum grant award is £4,000.

If you are unsure about the timing of your project or need further advice, please contact regeneration@ambervalley.gov.uk

To apply, please complete an online application form.

42. Enterprising Worcestershire Grant

Give your start-up business a boost with support from the Enterprising Worcestershire Grant.

Matched-funded grants from £1,000 to £10,000 is now available for Small to Medium Sized Enterprise (SME) businesses at the start-up stage or which have been trading for 3 years or less.

Our funding offers a significant financial boost, giving you the necessary support to achieve your milestones quicker and help you with establishing yourself in the market.

Grants are awarded on a match-funded basis, meaning the business will need to provide at least 60% of the total cost of the project.

Funding can be used can be used for a project consisting of items such as, but not limited to:

• Machinery
• Equipment
• Website construction
• Marketing materials
• Consultancy support

This programme is open to businesses or residents situated in the district of Bromsgrove. All of the other regions have had their funding allocated.

Those within Worcester City District Council should contact the Worcester City Economic Development by:

• Email: economy@worcester.gov.uk
• Phone: 01905 722106 

43. Innovation Worcestershire Grant

The Innovation grant can only be used to fund activities directly related to the development and/or introduction to market of innovative products, technologies or services, including, but not limited to:

• New tooling and equipment
• Creating a prototype
• Product testing and certification
• IP and trademark protection
• External market research
• New marketing materials
• Product launch

The minimum innovation grant amount your business can apply for is £2,500, with a maximum available grant of £15,000.

Grants are awarded on a competitive and match-funded basis, meaning the SME will need to provide at least 60% of the total cost of the project. Amounts available are subject to change and no funding is guaranteed until a signed agreement is in place.

This programme is open to businesses or residents situated in the district of Bromsgrove. All of the other regions have had their funding allocated.

44. North of Tyne Business Support Fund 

The Fund covers up to 50% of eligible business spend and grants are available to support projects costing between £3,000 and £8,000 (excluding VAT).

Your business may be eligible for funding if it’s a trading SME based in the North of Tyne Combined Authority catchment area.

You can use the grant for most types of business support where external expertise will help your business to grow or become more resilient.
 
Apply here.

45. Premises Improvement Grants, Pendle

These grants provide assistance of up to 50 per cent of eligible costs, up to a maximum of £3,000. It applies to eligible buildings which are occupied by commercial users and are located within Pendle and town centre boundaries. It also covers redundant commercial properties within and immediately adjacent to the town centre planning boundaries.

46. Apprenticeship support – Barking and Dagenham

The Council has pledged to transfer £100,000 a year from their own levy funding to support more employers to offer high-quality apprenticeships. 

Organisations offering apprenticeships to Barking and Dagenham residents can apply to have their training costs fully funded through the scheme. 

To ensure employers have the support they need to do this, the Council has partnered with Workwhile: a charitable organisation that helps businesses to access funding to cover training costs and provides free one-to-one support to help them get apprenticeships up and running. 

Please note that the scheme is only available for those offering opportunities to Barking and Dagenham residents, unless employed within a Barking and Dagenham school.  

It is available to non-levy paying employers offering quality apprenticeships with good wage and progression opportunities. Levy-paying organisations that have used up their levy entitlements may also apply. 

Applications will not be considered from Apprenticeship Training Agencies.

47. Independent Retailer Grant, Test Valley

Provided by Test Valley Borough Council, the Independent Retailer Grant supplies £1,200 to encourage independently owned retailers to take up vacant space in Romsey and Andover.

It’s open to new or existing businesses moving into ground floor premises which have been vacant for at least one month in the primary shopping areas of Andover and Romsey.

48. Repair Grants for Heritage at Risk

Grants under this scheme are intended to reduce the risk faced by some of the most historic sites within England, according to the Heritage at Risk Register. You can apply for a grant at any time during the year and Historic England will aim to get you a response within six months.

49. Greentech Business Growth Fund, Crawley

The ‘Greentech Business Growth Fund’ (GBGF), part of the ‘Towns Fund’ programme, is a 3-year £450,000 grant fund that responds to the strategic priority need of ‘greening’ Crawley’s economy. The overarching objective is for grant funding to support the continued development and growth of the local green technology and green construction sectors.

Business based in Crawley that operate in the green-tech or low-carbon sectors are able to apply for grants of between £10,000 and £50,000 to fund projects and investments that enable business growth and generate additional employment.

Businesses must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to apply for the GBGF grant scheme:

• Crawley-based and intend to remain in Crawley for at least 5 years
• Operate in the ‘green-tech’ sector and be able to demonstrate how the proposed project and grant funding would deliver business growth, in terms of jobs created and increased turnover
• Businesses are to be small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – including micro-enterprises and start-ups
• Any grant funding awarded under the GBGF grant scheme cannot result in a breach of the conditions of the UK Subsidy Control Regime on the part of applicant businesses

Applicants to the GBGF grant scheme are entitled to include a range of costs as part of their project proposals including, but not limited to:

• Investments in business premises, facilities, or equipment
• Product development
• Specialist research, training, or consultancy
• Market development

For further information, including:

• Detailed eligibility criteria
• Guidance on preparing and submitting a grant application
• Examples of permitted expenditure

Fill out an expression of interest form on the website.

50. The PIVOT cross-sector innovation programme

 What PIVOT provides

• The R&D grant funding thanks to the WMCA’s Innovation Programme
• The aerospace technology, engineering and innovation expertise to guide you
• The customer/end-user advice about demand to steer you thanks to leading regional aerospace firms
• The support to pull your project closer to the aviation and aerospace markets

What organisations PIVOT can support

• Must be led by a supply chain company located in the WMCA 3-LEP geography (Black Country, Greater Birmingham and Solihull, Coventry & Warwickshire); knowledge base bodies (universities, Catapults . . .) can be involved but not lead
• Not restricted to SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises): but if your company is larger you will need to make a case for why the subsidy is needed, and we won’t be funding very large companies.
• May already operate in more than one industry including aerospace and aviation, it’s the transfer across sectors of the technology or innovation that matters
• Can draw on expertise and partners from other places (not all spend need be in the WMCA area; we welcome collaborative projects

Project design (we guided applicants on this)

• Must be to develop a technology or innovation that is new to aerospace and aviation markets
• Must be “industrial research” (middle TRL (Technology Readiness Level), applying GBER R&D&I rules on matched funding); essentially, you can receive funding and use your staff time to match it.
• We required some indication there is a market opportunity (e.g. market intelligence, or support of an end user).

Key stages of the programme

• Call Announced
• Virtual briefings held
• Deadline to submit outline proposal
• Projects selected to proceed to full proposal stage
• Deadline for full proposal stage
• Project proposal presented to expert panel
• Grant funding awarded
• Projects delivered until end

For more information, contact: info@midlandsaerospace.org.uk

51. Improving Green Spaces for Businesses, Staffordshire

Through this pilot, funded by Staffordshire County Council, fifteen businesses will be selected to receive up to £1,000, enabling them to create a new green space or make meaningful improvements to existing green spaces on their site. Participants will also receive expert advisory sessions to help shape their project, ensuring each green space maximises benefits to wildlife, visual appeal, and positive impact for staff and visitors.

The project aims to target underused, unkept, sites with little or no planting, or poor biodiversity value. The project will support the transformation of these spaces to maximise benefits.

– Business premises located in Staffordshire (Staffordshire Post Code not including Stoke-on-Trent)
– SME businesses that are registered on Companies House (and trading for 12 months)
– Will continue to trade from their premises for a minimum of two years after the project is completed
– Own the land the green space is on, or have permission from the landowner
– Can match fund the grant with their own funds at a minimum 50% contribution
– Can ensure that site constraints and ecology of the site have been considered before any work is undertaken

Applicants will be required to join advice sessions after joining the programme (it will be a requirement that all businesses accepted will attend sessions with expert advice to develop site specific plans to maximise impact for staff, wildlife and curb appeal).
 
Fill out an expression of interest form here.

52. Local Growth Fund Low Carbon Project, Sheffield 

This project provides dedicated support and a source of funding for eligible businesses to reduce their energy consumption and carbon emissions.

To be eligible to take part in the project your business must:
– Be a Small or Medium Sized Enterprise (SME), meaning 250 employees or fewer, with a turnover of less than £54 million
– Have commercial premises in Sheffield – the scheme cannot support home-based businesses
– Not have received more than £315,000 Minimal Financial Assistance subsidy over the last 3 years
– Be able to provide 12 months’ energy bills to establish baseline energy use (or however many months you’ve been in your premises, if less than 12 months) 
Find out more here.

53. Large energy efficiency grant for small businesses, Islington

Your business can receive money for large-scale measures to save energy and reduce carbon emissions.
You can apply for grant money for large infrastructure works that will improve the energy efficiency of the premises of your business and reduce its carbon emissions.

You could get up to £10,000 for measures such as:

• Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump
• Installing solar photovoltaic
• Or other larger measures including insulation projects

If you want to replace lighting or buy other small-scale electrical equipment, you should apply for the Energising Small Business grant instead.

Eligibility

The grant scheme is open to all businesses (commercial enterprises only) who:

• Are in Islington;
• Have fewer than 50 employees;
• And a turnover of less than £10million.

In addition, you must commit to at least two initiatives which will provide benefits to the local community. We call these ‘social value initiatives.’

Your social value initiatives must be from each of the following two tiers.

Tier one initiatives

• Commit to London Living Wage accreditation
• Participate in 100 hours World of Work programme
• Employ an apprentice or trainee
• Co-produce a case study for the project
• Hold site visits for other businesses
• Use cargo bikes for delivery of products

Tier two initiatives

• Deliver on other ‘green skills’ priorities as defined by project officers
• Become an Islington Sustainability Network member, if not already
• Open an Islington Working Account
• Use local suppliers or installers for the project

How to apply

Complete the online application form. 

Assessing your application

Applications are reviewed and approved by a panel of local economy and energy services officers. We assess applications based on the projected carbon savings, value for money and commitment to social value initiatives.

Following your application, we will arrange a visit to your premises to discuss it in person and verify the potential works.

We will work with you to calculate the savings that your project will make, to check it will meet the minimum 20% energy savings. The measures must be for a commercial premises and achieve energy savings of at least 20% as long as they do not conflict with good energy or environmental practice.

If you are successful

• You must provide at least two quotes for the works, ideally from Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified installers.
• You must spend the funds within six months of receiving your money. and you must supply the council with copies of relevant invoices for the work within this time. Once you have notified the council that the works are complete, an officer will visit your premises to validate the fact that the works have taken place.
• If you do not carry out the works or do not provide the council with copies of relevant invoices within the six-month time, you must repay the money to the council. If you spend less than you were awarded, you must repay the difference.
• It will be your responsibility to fund any ongoing maintenance for the measures you installed
• You must complete a follow-up survey 12 months after your grant award

More information

For any other information on the scheme, contact greengrants@islington.gov.uk.

54. Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) grants scheme

The CITB has grants and funding schemes available throughout England focused around staff training and apprenticeships. There is also an ‘Advanced Craft’ grant for Scotland only.

55. Solar for Business, West Suffolk

Through the Solar for Business scheme, West Suffolk Council will design, fund, install, and maintain a solar photovoltaics (PV) installation on your business’s roof. 100 per cent of the electricity generated by the system is provided for your business to use at a discounted tariff cheaper than your current electricity supplier, to help you cut your energy bills.

To be eligible for Solar for Business, the following criteria must be met:

– Annual electricity consumption of at least 5,000 kilowatt hours (kWh), this is equivalent to an annual electricity bill of £1,250 if paying 25p per kWh
– Your building must be located within West Suffolk, Babergh, or Mid Suffolk
– Your building cannot be Grade I or II listed
– If you do not own the premises, you would like the panels installed on, you must have landlord permission to join this scheme.
 
Complete the Solar for Business Enquiry Form to express your interest in the scheme.

56. Endangered Crafts Fund

Heritage Crafts invites craft practitioners and organisations in the UK to apply for small grants to fund projects that support endangered crafts (the craft must be listed as endangered or critically endangered on the current Red List of Endangered Crafts). A number of grants are ringfenced for Essex, East Sussex, West Sussex, and Brighton and Hove, but those outside of these areas are also eligible to apply.

Heritage Crafts published the fifth edition of its groundbreaking Red List of Endangered Crafts in May 2025, the first research of its kind to rank the UK’s traditional crafts by the likelihood that they will survive into the next generation. The report assessed 285 crafts to ascertain those which are at greatest risk of disappearing, of which five were classified as extinct, 93 as ‘endangered’ and a further 72 as ‘critically endangered’. As a result of this alarming threat to our cultural heritage, Heritage Crafts set up its Endangered Crafts Fund in 2019 and 79 grants have been awarded nationally in that time.

Applications may, for example, include:

Implementing changes that will ensure the longer-term viability or survival of heritage craft skills, for example:

• Developing a new, innovative approach to heritage craft skills;
• Investing in more efficient machinery;
• Developing new routes to market;
• Exploring the use of sustainable alternative materials while maintaining the heritage character of your practice.

Direct and indirect skills transfer, for example:

• Taking on a trainee or apprentice;
• Preparing to teach courses, including the creation of training materials;
• Online or video content to support skills sharing and documentation;
• Specialist tools and equipment to facilitate training.

Continuous professional development, for example:

• Acquiring the knowledge and skills required to run a successful small business;
• Acquiring the advanced craft skills or allied craft skills necessary to make a craft practice more viable, e.g. through a training course or self-directed learning.

In addition to the funding you will receive support from Tess, the Recipient Engagement and Impact Lead and rest of the Heritage Crafts team to ensure that your project is a success. This will be unique to your project but it could include mentoring support, business support or signposting to other opportunities.

APPLY FOR THE ENDANGERED CRAFTS FUND

DEADLINE: 5pm on Friday 16 October 2026 

57. Get Exporting, Yorkshire

Funding: Revenue grants between £3,000 and £10,000.
Match Funding: Businesses must contribute 25% of the total project cost.

Application Window Opens 9am, 11 May 2026
Application Window Closes 5pm, 30 June 2026
Decision Notification Expected by end of September 2026

Eligibility criteria
The applicant:
Must have a trading address in York or North Yorkshire.
Must have been customer-trading for a minimum of 12 months.
Must demonstrate a clear interest in exporting (for example by using the DBT Export Academy, previous export research, or engagement with DBT representatives).

The project:
Start date: Expenditure is only eligible after a grant funding agreement is signed (expected Oct 2026). Costs incurred before this date cannot be claimed.
Completion: All activity must be finished and claimed by March 2028.
Eligible activities: Trade event attendance (Standard class travel), website/marketing adaptation for foreign audiences, export-related legal/consultancy fees, and market research.

Begin your application here.

58. Birmingham and Solihull Export Support Programme

The programme is funded by the UK government through the UKSPF, which was established to:

• Create pride in place
• Increase life chances by investing in local communities
• Support local businesses, people and skills

Find out more about UKSPF

Through BASESP, grants are available to businesses looking to engage in new or enhanced export-readiness activity in overseas markets. The grant fund will do this by supporting 100% of the total eligible costs up to a maximum grant award of £6,000.

Businesses can submit more than one bid up to a combined total value of £6,000 subject to funding availability at the time.

This grant is open to small to medium enterprise (SME) based within the Birmingham City Council and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council local authority areas.

Businesses from all sectors are eligible for consideration, except for:

• Charities
• Those of a political or religious persuasion
• Any business activity that is illegal or deemed unsuitable for public support by Birmingham City Council

BASESP is being used to encourage business growth by supporting projects that enable businesses to:

• Realise their exporting potential in existing and new markets, and to secure new international opportunities
• Connect businesses to the wider trade and export support network and facilitate introductions to new market opportunities
• Engage with overseas trade missions and connect to new market opportunities
• Increase the value of goods and/or services exported

This fund is open to business from B2B and B2C categories, however applications will be prioritised from businesses operating within the following sectors:

• Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
• Clean growth
• Automotive and future mobility
• Advanced manufacturing
• Health and life sciences
• Legal, finance and business services
• Food and drink
• Education and training
• Creative and digital

The fund will support businesses to become ‘export ready’ by providing financial assistance for things such as:

• market research
• consultancy on intellectual property rights (IPR)
• translation services/cultural advice
• social media and search engine optimisation (SEO)
• taking part in trade shows and overseas trade missions, to include appropriate and reasonable travel and accommodation costs
• market development
• routes to market
• coaching and mentoring or meeting any training or upskilling requirements needed for a business to begin or recommence exporting
• access to professional support
• production of an export strategy
• undertaking research into an overseas market
• actively preparing a product or service for export

This list is not exhaustive. We are looking to support projects that enable business export growth and development, while also aligning with the fund objective.

Potential applicants will need to meet the following fund objective to be considered for grant funding:

• increase export capabilities by supporting businesses to engage in ‘new’ or ‘enhanced’ export-readiness activities.

New means activity that was not carried out before the grant support.

Enhanced means additional activity to deepen or widen activity already underway.

Funding is limited and we cannot guarantee that all applications will be successful.

To support your application, Birmingham and Solihull based businesses will need to complete an expression of interest form and submit it to the Greater Birmingham and Solihull Growth Hub.

To request an expression of interest form, email the Growth Hub: bsgh@birmingham.gov.uk. Use ‘Birmingham and Solihull Export Support Programme’ in the email subject field.

When the Growth Hub receives your expression of interest, they will arrange a free business diagnostic appointment.

The diagnostic provides the Growth Hub with a summary of your company and your proposed activity. It is not the final support application form, which you must complete separately.

We strongly recommend that you check the eligibility criteria to make sure that you qualify for consideration before approaching a business advisor and completing a grant application.

If you would like to speak with one of our Growth Hub Business Advisors, email: bsgh@birmingham.gov.uk. Use ‘Birmingham and Solihull Export Support Programme’ in the email subject field.

59. Spruce Site Assessment

The Spruce Site Asessment (SSA) grant is for landowners and land managers in England with spruce trees on land inside the Ips typographus proactive spruce removal area. The SSA grant offers a fixed payment of £2,000. This funding is for landowners (or their agents) to assess their woodland to understand the amount and condition of spruce present and plan for potential felling and restocking.

You must own spruce trees (Picea A. Dietr.) in the proactive spruce removal area. Check the map to see if your land is inside the proactive spruce removal area.

The grant aims to reduce the risks of Ips typographus (eight-toothed spruce bark beetle) and outbreaks occurring by encouraging the removal of material that might be susceptible to the beetle. If outbreaks are found, Statutory Plant Health Notices (SPHNs) are issued. SPHNs require the owner to take specific urgent forestry actions. Find out more about the SPHN process for Ips typographus infestations.

The SSA is open until March 2029, with a limited number of agreements being available on a first-come first-served basis.

Email to request an application form: SSAenquiries@forestrycommission.gov.uk.

Enter ‘Spruce Site Assessment application form request’ in the email subject line.

They will email an application form to you.

60. ADOPT Facilitator Support Grant: Round 9

This competition is designed for farmers, growers and foresters based in England who are keen to test and trial new ideas or solutions on-farm and require support to develop a Full ADOPT Grant application.

The aim of this competition is to:

• provide a £2,500 grant for a farmer, grower or forester based in England to engage an external Project Facilitator to support with submissions into the Full ADOPT Grant competitions
• improve the quality of Full ADOPT Grant applications
• make ADOPT funding accessible to a wider range of applicants
• enhance the skills and expertise of the farming eco-system to engage with innovation funding

If you are successful in this competition, you will need to provide evidence within six months of funding being awarded that your Full ADOPT Grant application has been sent for assessment before any payment can be made to you.

£2,500 will be awarded to successful applicants after their Full ADOPT Grant application has been sent for assessment.

To apply for this grant your organisation must:

• be an active farming, growing or forestry business of any size based in England
• be able to evidence that you are an established commercial business, including sole traders and partnerships
• have a UK bank account

Closing date: 8 July 2026, 11:00am

61. Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II

NPIF provides funding throughout north of England through microfinance, debt and equity funds.

They’re broken down like so: Smaller Loans (£25,000-£100,000) Debt Finance (£100,000-£2 million) and Equity Finance (Up to £5 million)

62. Coventry Business Support Programme

Coventry City Council is able to support SMEs within the Coventry area with both non-financial support and financial support, subject to grant availability and meeting the funding criteria. This business support is being provided under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which is part of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Business Growth West Midlands Programme (BGWM).

The grant funding can be used for the following activities:

• Relocation, expansion, and growth of existing businesses
• Developing new market opportunities
• Low carbon/energy efficiency/waste management – Green grants through the Business Energy Advice Service Programme
• Improving systems and processes
• Capital investment, e.g., new plant, machinery and equipment.
• Increase in productive capacity of new and existing premisses through new property builds/refurbishment/extensions.

For more information, complete an expression of interest form.

63. Buckingham Business First Grants and Vouchers

Buckinghamshire have a plethora of options for grants for manufacturing, growth, innovation and other areas. Check Buckinghamshire Business First to see what’s available.

64. Capital Grants, Cumbria

Capital grants from £1,000 up to £49,999 with an average award of around £15,000 are being made available to rural micro and small businesses in Cumbria to support the purchase of new equipment and small-scale capital improvements to help businesses to grow, startup, diversify, innovate and improve productivity. Grants can cover up to 80% of the cost of your project, up to the maximum grant limit with a total grant pot of £1,000,000 available and 65 grants being awarded. Please note that although the maximum match funding is 80%, applications should be for the percentage needed to enable the project to happen, which is likely to be considerably lower.

Specifically, grant funding aims to:

• Support businesses to overcome the challenges facing them and respond positively to opportunities, for example by providing funding to support cost reductions, productivity enhancements and growth
• Grow businesses: grants help rural businesses invest in equipment, facilities, or technology, increasing productivity, turnover and resilience
• Create jobs: capital funding will in turn support new hires and apprenticeships, reducing local economic inactivity
• Diversify the rural economy: encourage non-traditional enterprises, visitor economy, creative industries, and agri-businesses, making rural economies more resilient and impactful
• Support new startups: encourage new businesses to start and recently formed businesses to grow through derisking early-stage capital investment
• Attract investment: successful grant-funded projects will leverage additional private or public investment

Applications which deliver against a range of these aims are more likely to be successful – for example an investment in machinery which increases productivity, creates jobs and involves private spend above the 20% level is likely to be a more attractive proposition than pure purchase of solar panels outside a wider growth project and which delivers costs savings only.

Delivery runs until 31st March 2027. Grant spend must be completed and claimed by 26th February 2027 at the latest.

The first stage is to complete an expression of interest. The deadline for submission for consideration at the first panel is 12noon on Monday 22nd June 2026 – early submission is preferable, you don’t need to wait until the deadline to submit.

All fully completed paperwork must be submitted to info@cumbriagrowthhub.co.uk with the subject header – Capital grant scheme expression of interest – an acknowledgement email will be sent on receipt of your submitted paperwork. Download the registration form and subsidy control declaration here.

You can read more details in the guidance notes here.  For any queries contact Paula Martyn-Jones at paula@cumbriachamber.co.uk

The grant panel will meet on Tuesday 14th July with decisions sent out that week. Those invited to full application will receive the required paperwork and be offered support from a business adviser. We will also be hosting a webinar to go over common issues/mistakes to ensure your application has the best possible chance of being successful.

65. Shop Signage Grant, Erewash

The Grant is open to new and existing businesses occupying ground floor retail units in the town centres of Ilkeston and Long Eaton, the local centres of Borrowash and Sandiacre, and the villages of Draycott, Breaston, Little Eaton, and West Hallam. New “Growth Zones” have also been introduced as eligible areas, including College Street in Long Eaton, parts of New Sawley, Cotmanhay, and Kirk Hallam. To check if you are eligible to apply, please contact the Regeneration team on regeneration@erewash.gov.uk. 

The aim of the Grant is to support traders and businesses within Erewash and is one of a number of initiatives funded through the Erewash Investment Fund. The scheme will provide a boost to the local economy by providing grants for new signage of up to a maximum of £1,000 for existing businesses and of up to £2,000 for new businesses or businesses occupying vacant units.

More information can be found in this Applicant’s Guide and in the Shop Signage Grants Terms and Conditions.

Apply using the form on the website linked above.

66. Made Smarter, West of England 

Currently closed but applications will be processed for the next round.

Fully funded bespoke assessment, delivered by the National Composites Centre, enabling SMEs to see the benefits industrial digital technologies can offer their business.

Eligible businesses will be able to access match funded grants for SMEs to invest in digital technology hardware or software and/or specialist advice to implement projects.

Eligible businesses will be able to access leadership and management training, and student internships, delivered by the University of the West of England, to ready your workforce for a digital future.

Eligibility

• You are a manufacturing organisation
• You are a small and medium-sized organisation and have fewer than 250 employees
• You are based in the West of England (Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol or South Gloucestershire)
• You are able to provide funding towards financial and skills support measures

Businesses that are likely to get the most value out of this programme will have a minimum of two employees.

67. Support packages, Cheshire East

Chesire East Council delivers a programme of promotional activity to encourage and secure new inward investment and reduce barriers to growth for businesses looking to relocate or expand. It works to attract investment in key employment sites and regeneration schemes to help create high value jobs.

Find out about the latest opportunities at the link above.

68. Go Digital, Norfolk

Business owners and managers can also apply for a grant of up to £500 to help you implement a digital action plan. Applications are on a first come first served basis.

Your business must meet certain requirements to take part in the Go Digital funding programme:

• Your business must be based in Norfolk
• You must have fewer than 250 employees
• Your turnover must be less than £42.9M
• You must have received less than £198k in public sector funding in the last 3 years
• You have been trading for the past 6 months
• You already use digital technology in some way e.g. a website, social media account etc

Fill out the form on the website to apply. 

69. Eden Tourism Grants

Eden Tourism offers a small tourism marketing grant for tourism related projects in the Eden District. There is a maximum of £500 available per project. Applications can be made at any time throughout the year.

Application details are on the Eden Tourism site linked above in the sub-heading.

70. Open arts funding schemes, Norfolk

A range of open arts funding schemes are available in Norfolk. Check out the website for more details.

71. Supply Chain Skills Development Fund, Suffolk

This part-funded ESF project, provides grants to co-fund the development of the workforce in key local supply chains across Norfolk and Suffolk.

It has been established by Suffolk County Council, in partnership with Norfolk County Council, and aims to benefit both individual employees and local employers in Norfolk and Suffolk. The delegated grant scheme will enhance both the development and delivery of training available to employers in the New Anglia area and will focus on what is required to build the capacity of key local supply chains, ultimately resulting in the creation of inclusive economic growth.

Grants are available to:

• SME employers to be used to pay for a proportion of the costs of training, learning opportunities, or services that will help their employees develop additional competencies and capabilities
• SME employers and local training providers to enhance, develop and deliver regional training

To learn more about the fund please contact supplychainskills@suffolk.gov.uk

72. Funding for farmers and land managers

This is a page detailing several grants and funding opportunities for farmers and land managers.

Click on the link above to find out more about this grant and others for farmers and land managers.

73. National Highways Lorry Parking Facilities Improvements Scheme 

National Highways is promoting a funding scheme of up to £20m to improve lorry parking facilities used by heavy goods vehicle drivers who rely upon good quality, safe and secure rest areas.

Motorway service area operators and operators of service areas that provide facilities for professional drivers at rest areas can apply for funds to improve their facility providing it offers benefits to professional drivers. 

National Highways will fund up to 50 per cent of the capital cost of an improvement project. The funding ratio will be confirmed in each funding agreement. In your application you must be able to demonstrate that the improvement project will be completed by 31 March, 2031.

The cost of resourcing and staffing future improvements is not included in the funding issued to a facility. Neither are normal running costs, general business overheads and direct or agency/contractor labour costs.

For example, funds can be used to fund construction and refurbishment works, security equipment and installation, engineering and architecture and design, and fixtures and fittings.

The improvement project must not seek retrospective funding or funding for work that would be undertaken in any event should the funds not be issued.

Lorry parking facility operators can apply for funding if they operate HGV driver facilities at:

·       Motorway service areas

·       Independent truck stops

·       Trunk road service areas

·       Local authority truck stops

Sites must be located on, or within a five-mile radius of the strategic road network in England.

The easiest way to apply is by completing the expression of interest form and submitting this to the Designated Funds inbox.

Successful applications will be funded using the National Highways Users and Communities Designated Fund, specifically the freight theme.

74. Shopfront Improvement Grant, Erewash

This year the Council will also be running a complementary Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme which aims to encourage owners or tenants of rundown premises in the town centres to clean, repair, or renovate their buildings so that they are less of an eyesore and contribute to the attractiveness of our town centres. You can apply for £1,000 – £10,000 to carry out works such as graffiti removal, repairing brickwork or rendering, re-painting, replacing windows, and clearing guttering.

You may be eligible if:

• You are an owner and/or business occupying a ground floor unit in the town centre of Ilkeston or Long Eaton. In Ilkeston this covers Bath Street, Market Place, and South Street. In Long Eaton this covers High Street, Market Place, Tamworth Road (no further south than Broad Street), and Derby Road (between Fletcher Street and Waverley Street only).
• You can provide 20 per cent match-funding for the works. Start-ups and social enterprises are not required to provide match-funding.

More information can be found in this Applicant’s Guide and in the scheme’s Terms and Conditions.

Apply using the form on the website linked above.

75. Shopfront Improvement Grant, Medway

We have been given £300,000 of Pride of Place government funding to improve shopfronts for independent businesses in Medway.

Businesses will be able to apply for up to £5,000 to make improvements to their premises.

The purpose of this grant is to:

• improve the external appearance of retail and hospitality premises
• support local businesses
• reduce the number of vacant units
• promote regeneration and create high street activity.

Grants must be awarded to businesses by 31 March 2027. Proposals must be finalised and grant offer letters signed by this date.

Businesses in Medway will be able to apply for:

• up to £2,500 for cosmetic improvements such as repairs, window replacement, repaint, signage and lighting
• up to £5,000 for structural works including accessibility enhancements.

To be eligible for this grant, you need to be either:

• an existing business occupying commercial units
• property owners of vacant or eligible units
• tenants with a valid lease with a minimum of 2 years remaining. 

To apply for the SFIG you’ll need to provide:

• 3 months of bank statements
• 2 forms of ID
• schedule of proposed works and 2 competitive quotes
• relevant permissions including planning and licensing if applicable
• use class of property if known and how long it has had the use class
• tenancy or lease agreement and owners consent if applicable
• visuals of proposed alterations including before and after photos with verification visit. 

Fill out the application form on at the website linked above.

76. Partners for Growth (PFG) grant scheme, Medway  

Partners for Growth (PFG) is a Medway Council scheme. It provides grants for small-to-medium enterprise (SME) businesses in Medway that are looking to take their growth to the next stage.

The scheme is available to Medway residents who are looking to:

• further grow their businesses
• increase staff numbers. 

First time applicants may apply for up to £2,000 under this scheme. Previously successful applicants can apply for an additional £1,000.

The maximum grant you can apply for is £2,000. If you have previously received a PFG grant before May 2025, you can apply for an additional £1,000. Apply for additional PFG funding.

To be eligible for the scheme, the business must:

• be in Medway
• be an SME
• be at least a part time business working a minimum of 22 hours per week
• provide an annual income turnover
• not owe any debts to us
• adhere to De Minimis State Aid (financial aid from the government)
• have a business bank account.

Fill out the form here.

77. Yorkshire Content Fund

The Yorkshire Content Fund is a public-private investment fund for the TV, film, video games and digital sectors in Yorkshire and Humber, open to producers either based in Yorkshire or wishing to film or establish a base in the region.

• Up to £500,000 investment available per project
• Open to TV, film, video games and digital sectors

To receive investment from the YCF you and/or your business must:

• Be based in, or planning to locate in, the Yorkshire & the Humber region. The YCF can only invest in limited companies.
• Be preserving jobs or creating new jobs in the Yorkshire & the Humber region.
• Be viable and be able to demonstrate the ability to repay the investment and provide a profitable exit for investors.
• If your business is eligible and has already completed an Expression of Interest form, and received positive feedback from Screen Yorkshire on your outline project plan, the next stage is to send us a detailed business case.

You will need to complete, sign and submit the application form via the link below, together with the following:

• A Business Case, which should cover the key areas described in the accompanying Business Case Summary (see below).
• For an existing business, three years historic (audited where available) accounts and current management accounts. This is not required if the business has been recently, or is about to be, formed.
• Supporting documentation, in detail, for the project including a budget, timeline, sales projections (if any), a financing plan to include analysis of actual and proposed co-financing and a recoupment proposal.
• Full CVs of the creative and management teams.
• Copies of Health & Safety Policy; Environmental Policy; and Disability & Equal Opportunities Policy/Statement.

You must always submit an Expression of Interest form via our website and obtain feedback from Screen Yorkshire staff before filling out your application form for the YCF, so that you make the best application possible and to avoid wasting time. If you do not do this, we will not read your application and will return it to you. The application form and associated documentation will be reviewed by the Head of Investments who will then contact you to discuss your proposal.

The fund is open to applications but all applicants must complete an Expression of Interest (EOI) form prior to completing a full application. If you have a project looking for investment please complete the Expression of Interest form via the website. Please ensure that you read the YCF Guidelines, which you can download on the website.

78. Ad:venture Growth Grant

New round coming soon.

Start Up West Yorkshire has a comprehensive business programme for businesses who have been actively trading for less than three years.

The grant award will cover up to 50 per cent of total project costs and requires businesses to provide a minimum of 50 per cent of match funding.

The Growth Grant is available between £1,500 and £5,000.

To qualify for an AD:VENTURE Growth Grant, businesses must:

• Be located in, and trade from, an address within West Yorkshire, this covers the local authority districts of Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield.

• Be a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME)

• Have fewer than 250 FTE employees (Full-time Equivalent)

• Have an annual turnover of less than €50 million (around £43 million)

• Have received less than €310,000 in State Aid over the last 3 financial years. State Aid is funding from any national or local public sector organisation or programme

• Have a business bank account

• Be able to demonstrate that the business is viable with high growth potential, through a business plan or overview, cash-flow forecast and end of year accounts or other appropriate document

• Be registered and accepted onto the AD:VENTURE Programme.

What can the grant be used for?

The Grant can be used to fund costs that support growth and job creation in your business. For example:

• Tools and production equipment

• Developing initial marketing collateral

• Website development and design

• IT equipment and office furniture

You can discuss with your Business Manager if the items you wish to purchase do not appear in the above list.

What the grant cannot be used for

The Grant cannot be used to fund the on-going running costs of your business or anything that is a statutory requirement. For example:

• Stock or working capital

• On-going marketing costs

• Rent, rates, staff salaries

• Qualifications

• Data protection regulation

• Health and safety implementation

• VAT

• Delivery or shipping costs

• Warranties

79. Boiler Upgrade Scheme

With this scheme, you can get a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with a heat pump or biomass boiler throughout England.

You’re eligible if:

• Own the property you’re applying for (including if it’s a business, a second home or a property you rent out to tenants)
• Be replacing fossil fuel heating systems (such as oil, gas or electric)

You’re still eligible if you’ve already had funding to make your property more energy efficient, for example by insulating it.

80. Conservation grant scheme, Howardian Hills

This one is a Yorkshire-based grant for community infrastructure projects and countryside conservation work in the Howardian Hills Area of Natural Beauty (AONB).

Assistance normally sits in the 30-75 per cent range but with this scheme you may be funded 100 per cent of your project.

81. Partners for Green Growth (PFGG), Medway

The Partners for Green Growth scheme aims to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Medway to become more sustainable and environmentally responsible.

The funding is to help businesses in the:

• implementation of their decarbonisation plans
• adoption of new processes that contribute to their net-zero journey.

The grant aims to offset some of the costs associated with sustainable initiatives and allow businesses to make meaningful progress towards their environmental goals.

If you have previously received a PFGG grant before May 2025, you can apply for an additional £2,500. Apply for additional PFGG funding.

Businesses from any industry sector can apply.

However, the business must:

• be in Medway
• be an SME
• have a business bank account
• operate from a commercial premises
• adhere to De Minimis State Aid (financial aid from the government)
• have a valid Net-Zero Audit Certificate or demonstrate decarbonisation plans or report that outlines how  the proposed interventions will contribute to Medway’s climate agenda and contribute to the overall sustainability goals.

A Green Audit certificate is a Net-zero Audit certificate that must be issued by a reputable organisation like the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce or any other organisation that provides such services. The aim of the certificate is to provide proof that an audit report has been conducted for the business in their net-zero plan.

To apply to the scheme, you’ll need to use the online form.

You’ll need to provide:

• your personal details, including name and contact information
• your latest bank statement
• your Net-Zero Audit Certificate.

You’ll also need to tell us:

• how you plan to use the grant
• cost estimates including quotes and professional fees
• of at least 3 quotes for all works that will go over £2,500. 

The scheme will remain open until all funds have been allocated.

82. Keighley and Shipley Towns Fund

This grant is designed to help new business start-ups, small, medium and large businesses based in or looking to locate into the Keighley & Shipley Towns Fund designated area.

Grants are available to businesses to undertake investment projects subject to them fulfilling eligible criteria. The project will need to be designed to

• create new businesses
• improve productivity
• expand or diversify existing businesses leading to sustainable growth and job creation

Businesses can use the grant to invest in business premises, machinery, equipment or property fit out and bringing disused buildings back into use.

Grant applications can be submitted by a business after engaging with a business adviser. Visit the website linked above for more.

83. Shipley Shop Front Improvement Grant Scheme

Business property owners and tenants in Shipley are encouraged to apply for a grant that will allow them to spruce up their shop frontages within specified areas.

The grant is being offered through the Shipley Towns Fund.

The grant will cover 80 per cent of the cost of improvement works, costing a minimum of £1,250 with a maximum award of £20,000. 

Improvements will be subject to planning permissions and can include exterior work to premises such as painting; removal of vegetation from guttering; new windows; new signage; repairs; and access improvements.

84. Start-up Grant, Rochdale  

To help boost business and create more vibrant town centres in the Rochdale borough, we’re offering a big benefit to new independent retailers opening in selected empty units.

Whether you’re setting up in business for the first time, trading outside the town centre and looking for a high street base, or thinking of expanding, there’s never been a better time to bring your business to the borough of Rochdale.

You can use the start-up grant for new doors, windows and signage, as well as other permanent work such as internal improvements. 

The grants cover 50% of the cost of the work, with grants of up to £5,000 available. ​​

The start-up grants apply to selected empty properties in the following areas:

Rochdale

• Yorkshire Street up to John Street
• The Walk
• Parts of Baillie Street
• South Parade
• Cheetham Street
• Union Street
• St Mary’s Gate

Heywood

• Market Place
• Market Street
• Parts of Bridge Street

Middleton

• Parts of Long Street
• Parts of Wood Street
• Middleton Gardens

Applications must be submitted before the new business has opened. Any money spent or committed to be spent before a grant is approved will not be eligible to be covered by the grant.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from the following types of businesses:

• Cafes, restaurants and coffee shops
• Clothes shops
• Shops selling food and drink
• ​Home and garden shops
• Travel shops
• Specialist shops
• Health and beauty shops
• Finance, banking, solicitors and professional services ​- in selected areas in Rochdale

To apply for a start-up grant, complete an application return and return it to us using the details listed on the form.

Please read the guidance notes carefully before you apply through the form on the website.

85. Bus Service Operators Grant Plus: commercial transport operators

The Bus Service Operators Grant Plus (BSOG+) is a discretionary grant paid to operators of eligible local bus services to help them recover some of their fuel costs.

Bus operators in receipt of the grant must keep accurate records of the eligible kilometres run and the fuel consumed in operation of local bus services so as to satisfy officers of the Department for Transport (DfT) that the figures on the claim are correctly stated. It should be noted that while DfT’s intentions are to avoid placing unnecessary administrative burdens on bus operators, officers of DfT or Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) will periodically visit bus operators to check that claims comply with the appropriate legislation and to ensure that accurate records are being kept in support of claims.

Operators who believe they are eligible should contact bsog@dft.gov.uk.

The deadline for applications is 31 March, 2027.

86. Elmbridge start-up boost

You can apply for a grant of up to 50 per cent of the eligible costs, up to a maximum of £1,000. Applicants are expected to fund at least 50 per cent of each item as part of the project costs.

The fund is only available to businesses that are looking to set up within Elmbridge, are not taking over an existing business or have set up in Elmbridge within the last six months.

Fill out an application form on the website.

87. Growing Hull & East Yorkshire Business Investment Grants

Growing Hull and East Yorkshire is a £1.5m business investment scheme aiming to provide capital grants to SME businesses in Hull and East Yorkshire to support and incentivise business growth, investment and job creation.

The programme builds on the success and momentum of the successful Growing the Humber business grant programme. The scheme should be considered alongside other finance options such as bank loans or asset finance.

Grants of between £5,000 and £250,000 are available to SME businesses that are able to demonstrate viability and will contribute to the wider growth of Hull and East Yorkshire. Grants below the minimum threshold may be considered as an exceptional case.

88. Doncaster Enterprise Grant

Funding has closed for now but you can still submit an expression of interest to info@businessdoncaster.com.

89. Crawley Shop Front and High Street Improvement Grant Scheme

A £128,000 fund has been created to support independent and small shops across the borough and to pay for town centre improvement works. Eligible businesses in Crawley town centre and the neighbourhood parades will be able to bid for grants of up to £5,000 toward significant visual improvements to their frontage, or physical improvements to frontline business operations. Up to four adjoining businesses can also make a joint bid for a maximum of £20,000.

The funding is available to eligible Crawley businesses and could include:

• Shop front enhancements
• Lighting and decoration improvements
• Minor building works
• Display equipment
• Payment system improvements

To be eligible to apply for a grant, businesses must:

• Be registered with HMRC or Companies House
• Pass due diligence checks undertaken by council officers
• Have a physical shop premises in Crawley borough
• Be a small independent business with a maximum of 50 employees
• Not be part of a regional, national or international chain or franchise
• Demonstrate security of tenure for the premises for a term of at least six months
• Not propose inappropriate physical shop front improvements if the premises is located in designated conservation areas

A due diligence and evaluation process will be undertaken on applications. Grants offered are subject to meeting eligibility criteria, fulfilling the aims of the scheme and a subsidy control declaration. 

How to apply

Eligible businesses must complete an application form which will then undergo a due diligence and evaluation process.  

Please ensure that you complete all relevant sections of the application form and that all supporting documentation and evidence is provided. Any incomplete or insufficiently detailed applications will not be accepted or processed for evaluation. 

The application process requires information about the following areas:

Business details

This section requires supporting information on latest accounts, tax returns and leases as well as:

• Business registrations
• Location
• Operations
• Company representatives
• Leaseholder information

Project proposal

A detailed outline of the project proposal including:

• Research
• Product details
• Timescales for delivery
• Expected outcomes and impact, for example business growth or creation of jobs
• Environmental benefits
• Visual improvements to the surrounding business environment

Finances

This section requires supporting information on accounts and cost quotations as well as:

• Grant value
• Itemised breakdown of costs
• Profitability and cash flow position of the business
• Details of other funding sources or previous grants awarded
• Details of other public funding received

Planning considerations

This section covers any planning considerations required, including:

• Does the proposal require planning permission?
• Is the premises located within a conservation area?
• Has advice been sought from the Local Planning Authority?

90. Invest to Grow, Derbyshire

The University of Derby supplies grants and loans of up to £250,000 to support private businesses across the East Midlands to innovate, grow and create jobs. The following objectives will be prioritised:

• It will create new jobs or safeguard existing positions in your company
• It will increase the scope or scale of your company activity
• It will improve the company’s performance
• It has not commenced and will not be achievable in the timescales proposed without Invest to Grow support

You must be able to create jobs that can be sustained for at least three years – businesses that create higher-skilled jobs are preferred. The following sectors are also preferred:

• Manufacturing (e.g. transport equipment and food and drink)
• Life sciences
• Construction
• Logistics
• Engineering
• Technology
• Creative industries
• Low carbon

91. B&CE, construction industry

Does your organisation support people with education and training in construction? Good news. You may be eligible for a corporate grant from the B&CE Charitable Trust.

Grants are available for projects that either promote careers in the construction industry or lead to accredited qualifications.

We encourage applications from not-for-profit organisations, excluding public sector. However, if you’re unsure, please get in touch.

If you’d like to find out more about our grants for organisations or make an application, please get in touch – email us at charitabletrust@bandce.co.uk.

We also provide grants to help individuals get back into construction or to retrain in another skill if there’s an occupational health requirement. Find out how to apply for grants for individuals for education or training.

92. Salford Skills for Business Apprenticeship Fund

With this apprenticeship fund, you can get assistance to cover the cost of training for an apprentice role, apprenticeship training for your existing workforce and funding to support employment costs for a new apprentice.

93. ECITB Engineering Training Grants

Engineering training grants are funded by the industrial training levy and used to meet the needs of employers and the wider industry.

Grants that are paid employers to subsidise training costs for their workforce. The ECITB also pays grants to training providers who provide the training, tests and qualifications that industry requires.

The ECITB works with employers to identify training needs and to drive up skill levels across the industry. Eligible employers can access a wide range of engineering training grants to support the training they require.

Some grant money is invested in strategic projects that benefit the wider industry, for instance a project to recruit more apprentices to our graduate retention programme for the oil and gas industry, which has helped to secure graduates skills.

Grant support is available for a range of training activities. The ECITB prioritises funding for training that improves the productivity and safety of the engineering construction workforce and also training that develops skills that are transferrable across industry.

These areas of training include:

• New entrant training – apprenticeships, graduate development and workers transferring across industry sectors.
• Craft/technician skills (e.g. Mechanical Joint Integrity)
• Safety training (excluding the CCNSG safety passport)
• Leadership, management and supervisory development.
• Competence assurance (e.g. vocational qualifications and technical tests)
• Contractual requirement (e.g. works access and plant operations)
• Project management, project controls and commercial awareness
• Design training (e.g. CAD and BIM)

Some training, such as safety passports required to gain access to sites and to ensure a worker can travel overseas, is excluded from grant support. This includes:

• CCNSG
• CSCS
• BOSIET
• MIST

All in-scope engineering construction companies are eligible for support from engineering training grants, whether they pay the training levy or not. The levy contribution or size of a company has no bearing on the decision to award a grant. Small and medium-sized companies may be exempt from levy payments but are eligible to receive training grants.

• The ECITB can also award grants to employers, training providers, individuals and other institutions that are not in-scope but are part of the engineering construction industry.
• The ECITB must agree to fund training before the activity takes place.
• If an employer does not seek a commitment for funding beforehand there is a risk the grant will not be paid.
• Apply for grant funding either via an ECITB Approved Training Provider or directly through the ECITB’s online member services portal (MSP). If you are not already a registered MSP user contact msphelp@ecitb.org.uk
• Employers should make their claim for grant funding as soon as possible after the training has taken place.

For further information please see the ECITB’s grant policy here.

94. Architectural Feature lighting grants, Leicester  

We offer grants of up to £30,000 to help improve the appearance of architecturally significant buildings in Leicester.

Funding is available for lighting schemes that enhance buildings and public spaces, especially in these city zones:

• St George’s Cultural Quarter
• The Old Town
• The Lanes and St Martins
• Town Hall Square and Market Square
• Wider city centre

The scheme aims to:

• make spaces more inviting at night
• highlight historic buildings and architecture
• improve orientation
• attract more visitors

Planning approval

Your project may need planning permission or listed building consent after we’ve approved your idea. These additional approvals could take up to 8 weeks to process. You must not start any work until you’ve got all the permissions you need. Speak to our planning team by emailing planning@leicester.gov.uk.

Who can apply

You must be the owner or occupier of a building that is considered architecturally significant. This usually means historic or visually important buildings, especially in Leicester’s city centre zones such as the Old Town, St George’s Cultural Quarter and the Market Square area.

You must also:

• be willing to match at least 50% of the cost
• submit an expression of interest before starting any works.

Read more in our grant guidance.

Architectural feature lighting scheme guidance notes (PDF, 343.28KB)

Start by submitting an expression of interest. If successful, you’ll be invited to complete a full application with quotes and a lighting design.

Expression of interest architectural feature lighting scheme (2018 – 2019) (PDF, 382.03KB)

Architectural feature lighting scheme application form (PDF, 516.91KB)

Get in touch by:

• writing to the Development Team, Leicester City Council, 1st Floor Rutland Wing, City Hall, 115 Charles Street, Leicester, LE1 1FZ
• emailing development-team@leicester.gov.uk

Wales Business Grants

The main providers of grants in Wales are the Welsh government, the UK government, the EU, local authorities and charities.

The finance locator on the Business Wales website is a great starting point for looking at the grants and other types of funding available in Wales, allowing you to filter and sort your results by funding type, source, geographic area, application status and so on to see the most relevant options for your business.

95. City of Newport Business Grants

The grant scheme offers 50 per cent of net costs up to £2,500 for eligible businesses outside the city centre, and up to £5,000 for those located within the city centre boundary. 

The grant can be used for funding towards up to five equipment items, such as: 

• Plant and equipment
• ICT equipment and software
• Website development

This grant cannot be used towards:

• Salaries
• Property refurbishment
• Purchase of vehicles
• Stock
• Marketing and signage
• Training and licences
• Leased equipment

Applicants need to evidence that they have the funds to cover the total cost of the investment, as grants are paid once evidence is provided of the purchase. 

You must not commit to any premises or expenditure prior to receiving a grant offer in writing.

There is a limited amount of funding available and the scheme will close once the funding has been allocated, which may be before the end of the financial year.

To make an initial enquiry about applying for funding you will need to sign into your My Newport account or register and provide information on your business activity and planned investment. This information will be used to determine your eligibility for the funding support. 

96. Business Renewable Energy Fund, Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire County Council continue to be fully committed in supporting economic development and businesses throughout the county and as such have secured funding to deliver Carmarthenshire Business Renewable Energy Fund which is funded by the UK Government via the Local Growth Fund 

The aim of the grant package is to support local businesses on their carbon reduction and environmental sustainability path. 

The Business Renewable Energy Fund will support local businesses to become resilient to grow, prosper and be sustainable.  

The grant will be open for applications between 8th May 2026 and 31st August 2026 or until the fund is fully allocated (whichever is the earlier) 

• Grants available between £1,000 (minimum) and £30,000 (maximum) towards the cost of the renewable energy system
• Each grant award will be based on no more than 50% of eligible costs
• It is important to note that grants are paid retrospectively, applicants must have the financial means to purchase the item(s) in full up front, and then claim the grant value from Carmarthenshire County Council following the claims process (please see in the terms and conditions within this document) 
• Claims must be submitted within 4 months of the offer letter or by 31 December 2026, whichever is the earlier date.

The Carmarthenshire Business Renewable Energy Fund is available only to new or existing businesses within the eligible sectors that are located in or planning to locate within Carmarthenshire.

Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis subject to their potential contribution and value to the local economy and commitment to decarbonisation.

You must either:

• Own the freehold, or
• Hold a lease with a 5 year minimum period remaining after the final grant payment date. The leasehold must be registered with the Land Registry, and you will need to evidence this with your title documents as part of your application and you will need to secure your landlord’s written consent for the approved works.

Please note, if the applicant is a Ltd Company, ownership of the freehold or leasehold must be in the Limited Company name.

Submit an expression of interest here.

97. Caerphilly Business Start-Up grant

This business development grant is to help companies to start up a business for the first time. Business start-ups in all business sectors may be considered. The applicant must be setting up the business in the Caerphilly County Borough.

Eligible costs could include:

• Capital equipment
• ICT equipment
• Development of websites
• Marketing
• Building works to business premises
• Training

The business must not have started prior to application and approval. It’s a discretionary grant and can provide 50 per cent of eligible project costs to a maximum of £500.

98. Town Centre Property Improvement Grant, Flintshire

The scheme offers support for retail and commercial building occupiers and owners. The grant can be used to enhance building frontages and bring vacant commercial floor space back into beneficial business use and repurpose properties where appropriate.

The main purpose of the fund is to make a tangible difference to the appearance of our town and city centres making them more attractive places to visit and work; encouraging people to spend their time and money there.  The Council will, therefore, support improvements to business premises within the main commercial centre (generally the high street – or similar – and locations immediately adjacent). Its other aims are to help to reduce the number of vacant properties in our town centres, creating new employment and business opportunities and increase the sustainability of existing and new businesses in the town centres.

The first stage is to contact the Regeneration Team by email on regeneration@flintshire.gov.uk to arrange to discuss your application. The Regeneration Team will ensure that you are fully informed and supported throughout the process.  The Regeneration Team can provide an application form and assist with its completion.

99. Commercial Property Grant, Neath Port Talbot

The Commercial Property Grant (CPG) is available to owners of commercial premises that want to improve the appearance of their building. Applicants must be the freeholder of the property or a tenant with a lease that has an unexpired term of at least 5 years from the date that the grant is anticipated to be paid out on. 

The CPG is a discretionary grant that covers up to 50% of eligible costs. Eligible work includes that which directly contributes to improving the external appearance of the building as visible from the public realm. Typically, this includes work to the front of the building that faces the public highway, but may also apply to roofs, and to side and rear elevations of properties if they are visually prominent. 

The scheme prioritises applications that improve unsympathetic shopfronts in traditional high streets and other prominent buildings in key locations, as well as those that involve job creation, through business start-up or expansion. 

Eligible works include: 

• Replacement shop frontages 
• Replacement windows and doors 
• New signage 
• Rainwater goods 
• Painting, rendering and attention to stone and brickwork 
• The cost of scaffolding necessary to carry out eligible work is also considered an eligible cost, as are the fees incurred obtaining relevant statutory consents and the fees of any professionals directly involved in the eligible work, such as architects and project managers.

Ineligible works include: 

• Routine repair and maintenance
• Works relating to health and safety and statutory requirements 
• Works that will not make a significant contribution to the general environmental enhancement of the area 
• Legal costs incurred in relation to the CPG projects are considered ineligible.

For further information and grant guidelines, please contact Nicola Bulcraig on 01639 686683, or send an email to the address at the link above.

100. Town Centre Minor Improvements Grant, Rhondda Cynon Taf

The Town Centre Minor Improvements Grant (TCMG) will provide support for minor improvements which will improve the external front elevation of town centre properties.  

The improvements will be expected to contribute to a positive impact on the street scene, creating a more attractive, vibrant and safer environment, which will increase retail spend and stimulate further private sector investment.

Applications are invited from town centre traders and owners of vacant properties in the town centre retail areas of Aberdare, Ferndale, Llantrisant, Mountain Ash, Pontypridd, Porth, Tonypandy and Treorchy.

Previous applicants are welcome to apply with a new proposal.

The TCMG can help to support town centre businesses with smaller-scale decorative improvements to the external façade of their commercial premises such as;

• Painting the front elevation
• Repair, repointing and cleaning of stonework or render
• Repairs to glazing, doors, shopfronts
• Repairs to existing awnings
• Repair or reinstatement of rainwater goods
• Repair or installation of signage (non-illuminated)
• Powder coating of existing roller shutter doors

The grant can contribute 75% towards the cost of eligible works up to a maximum grant of £2,000.

If you need to erect scaffold or hire a skip to undertake the work, the grant can make an additional contribution towards these specific costs.  This will also be a maximum of a 75% contribution up to a maximum additional grant of £500.

If you think your project could be eligible, email the Regeneration Team with your name, trading address (including postcode) and details of the proposed work and subject to eligibility. We’ll then send you an application form.

Email: regeneration@rctcbc.gov.uk

101. ReAct for Businesses

ReAct is a redundancy support which helps businesses connect with people who have lost their jobs. The programme can help you pay their wages and get them into role-specific training.

You’ll receive £4,000 in quarterly instalments for the first 12 months to help cover their wages. The scheme will cover those:

The person you wish to recruit must be aged 20 or over and disabled (inclusive of people with physical impairment, neurodivergence and mental health), and one of the following:

• Under formal Notice of Redundancy or
• Within six months of the date of redundancy or
• An ex-offender or an offender who is serving their sentence in the community

102. Green Gateway Grants, mid and west Wales

The focus of the programme is sustainable growth of towns and cities, and their transformation into places of living, working, learning and leisure.

The scheme is part of the Welsh government funded ‘Transforming Towns Programme’. There are two parts – grants for residential units and grants for ‘Commercial property improvements’. The latter will typically focus on enhancing building frontages together with the upgrade of vacant commercial floor space to bring it back into beneficial business use. For more details click on the link in the sub-heading above or contact the Business Support team at Swansea council here.

103. The Refreshing Town Centre Property Fund, Carmarthenshire

The aim of the grant intervention is to strengthen local entrepreneurial ecosystems and the Refreshing Town Centre Property Fund is funded by UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund and Carmarthenshire County Council.

The funding will be made available to owners/leaseholders and is focused external improvements to the facades of buildings to improve the visual landscape in the town centres. If the property is owned by Carmarthenshire County Council, correspondence must take place with CCC Property Department prior to the application process CPSales@carmarthenshire.gov.uk 

In the event of the application being submitted by the landlord who is intending to let out the premises, prior to submission of a full application a pre let/end tenant for commercial use will need to be in place.

Applications within the defined red line boundary delivery areas from the towns of Ammanford, Carmarthen, Llanelli, and Burry Port will be considered for the fund. Premises from outside the boundary will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The building which is the subject of the application will be assessed to ensure that proposed works through the grant would improve the visual aesthetic of the building.

The minimum fund awarded £500 whilst the maximum will be £2,000 with an intervention rate of 80%, per property.

Please contact Towns@carmarthenshire.gov.uk for an application form.

104. The LoRaWAN Stimulation Project, mid Wales

The Growing Mid Wales LoRaWAN Stimulation Project is designed to support small and medium sized businesses (less that 250 employees) businesses across Ceredigion and Powys explore and adopt new digital technologies that can improve efficiency, reduce costs and support growth.

The project provides targeted grant funding alongside dedicated business support to enable local businesses to trial and implement LoRaWAN-based solutions within their day-to-day operations.

Through the Growing Mid Wales LoRaWAN Stimulation Project, eligible businesses in Ceredigion and Powys can apply for a capital grant of up to £4,999 to fund sensors, devices and gateways.

The grant is provided on a retrospective basis, meaning businesses must first submit an eligible application and receive approval prior to purchasing equipment.
Following purchase and installation, businesses will then be reimbursed by Growing Mid Wales.

If you are interested in improving efficiency, reducing costs or exploring new ways to use data in your business, we encourage you to submit an Expression of Interest via the link below.

Business Grant Expression of interest

105. Accreditations Grant Scheme, Gwynedd County

Cyngor Gwynedd is keen to assist small and medium sized businesses located in Gwynedd to achieve accreditations which set recognised specifications for products, services and systems, to ensure quality, safety and efficiency.  

Examples are ISO accreditations such as ISO9001 which specifies requirements for a quality management system and ISO14001 which specifies requirements for an environmental management system.

A grant scheme is available which contributes towards the costs of a consultant to work with businesses in order to achieve the necessary standard for certification. The cost of the actual certification is not included in the scheme. 

The objective is to make businesses more efficient and effective in supplying quality goods and services leading to increased competitiveness and placing businesses in a better position to respond to tendering opportunities with Cyngor Gwynedd, other local authorities, government organisations and the private sector. 

For further information, contact the Cyngor Gwynedd Business Support Service (you’ll need to have an online account to apply).

106. Caerphilly Business Start-up Grant

This is a flexible grant scheme delivered through a partnership with UK Steel Enterprise and Caerphilly County Borough Council. It is designed to help residents of Caerphilly County Borough set up a full-time business for the first time, who are not able to access any other sources of funding. The Caerphilly Business Start-Up Grant provides financial support to help eligible new businesses develop and grow.

Business start-ups in all business sectors may be considered. The applicant must be setting up the business in the Caerphilly County Borough.

Eligible costs could include:

• Capital equipment
• ICT equipment
• Development of websites
• Marketing
• Building works to business premises
• Training

The business must not have started prior to application and approval.

The applicant must provide a business plan with a minimum of one-year cash flow forecast and projected profit and loss. Two comparable quotes are also required for each capital item required. The business must provide full time employment for the applicant (min. 30 hours).

At least one of the owners or directors must be employed full time in the business.

Contact Business Enterprise Renewal Team for further information.

The Caerphilly Business Start-up Grant is a discretionary grant and can provide up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs to a maximum of £500.

Applications are continuously assessed by the Business Enterprise Renewal Team.

107. Commercial Property Development Grant, Denbighshire

The Denbighshire Commercial Property Development Grant is open to commercial properties based in one of the 8 principal town and city centres in the county that have proposed project(s) to develop and upgrade their property and the Town Centre. Properties must be within the town or city centre boundaries of one of the following:

• Corwen
• Denbigh
• Llangollen
• Prestatyn
• Rhuddlan
• Rhyl
• Ruthin
• St Asaph

The project must fit into the following criteria:

• Individual Project grant awards will be limited to £50k per application with a minimum of £5,000.
• There will be a 30% match funding requirement from the applicant.
• The fund is available to the freehold owners of the property, or occupiers who hold a lease with 7 years or more remaining at date of application, and who have secured their landlord’s written consent to the proposed works.

What is available?

Grants between £5,000 and £50,000 are available to improve or develop a commercial property.

External works to the building frontages would be considered without the need for internal work. This can include work deemed necessary for the structural integrity and the end use of the property particularly where there is a change of use proposed. Items may include:

• Shopfronts
• Improved Display Windows
• Signage Improvements
• Windows & Doors
• External Lighting
• Roofs and Chimneys
• Rainwater goods
• Rendering, stone cleaning and repairs, repointing
• Structural Works

Internal works would only be eligible for funding as part of a comprehensive package of external improvements to the building or for where a proposed change of use is required. This should include all work, visible or structural, necessary to complete the project to Building Regulations. This may include:

• Windows & doors
• Improved accessibility
• Walls, ceilings, lighting
• Utilities and services, including heating
• Welfare Facilities (e.g. essential washroom and cleansing facilities only)
• Structural work

In addition, any works to improve the energy efficiency of the building (e.g. enhanced insulation), will be eligible, as part of a broader suite of works.

Each project should be able to demonstrate benefits to the town centre, such as:

• A reduction in town centre vacancy rates
• Overall quality and image of the environment improved (creating identity, sense of place and business confidence) to encourage more people to spend more time in the town centres and encouraging more activity and trade to support local businesses
• Creation of new employment and business opportunities
• Sustainability of existing and new businesses in the town centres

 If you would like to apply for a Commercial Property Development Grant, you will need to submit an Expression of Interest online form on the website linked above.

108. Ten Towns Programme, Carmarthenshire

The aim of our Ten Towns Programme is to support the economic recovery and growth of the following rural towns across the County.

• Cross Hands
• Cwmaman
• Kidwelly
• Laugharne
• Llandeilo
• Llandovery
• Llanybydder
• Newcastle Emlyn
• St Clears
• Whitland

You’ve got the Capital Development Fund and the Ten Towns Event Fund. Find out more on the website linked above.

109. Northern Valleys Initiative

The Initiative, totalling £50m, has been set up by Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) and supported by Local Authority Delivery Teams from Blaenau Gwent, Bridgend, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Torfaen. This will support businesses and projects that have the ability to increase prosperity in the region.

Investments will be focussed on businesses that offer high-growth potential and the ability to help transform the regional economy. Operating over a five-year period, the programme will act as a financial catalyst to support businesses that are either based in the Region or that wish to relocate for the long term. Typical grants and investments available for successful applicants will range from (but are not limited to), £100k to £2m.

The programme concentrates on infrastructure, digital connectivity and tourism sectors delivering a wide range of outcomes including jobs, ecological regeneration and de-carbonisation.

The programme will run over a five-year period with the aim of delivering projects in the 2024-2029 financial years. It is open to all local authorities in the Northern Valleys, or businesses that have a local authority sponsor, and projects will be selected based on their ability to deliver against an agreed benefits matrix.

To find out more, please contact NVI@cardiffcapitalregion.gov.uk

110. Accelerated Growth Programme

The programme offers support to high growth pre-revenue firms and SMEs. You must be able to grow turnover by at least 20 per cent a year, generate at least ten new jobs in three years. Start-ups are also accepted but they must have been trading for 12 months and must be looking to achieve the levels of growth mentioned above.

111. Neath Port Talbot Council Green Renewable Fund

Grants of up to 50 per cent of eligible costs or, a maximum of £25,000 to support capital investment in green technology.

What business sectors are eligible?
Funding can support businesses operating within:

• Manufacturing
• Engineering/Fabrication
• Construction
• ICT
• Renewable Energy sectors

What costs does the grant support?

Power Systems
• Small scale, single wind turbines.
• Solar photovoltaic panels (roof mounted/ ground mounted).
• Solar photovoltaic battery*.
• Grid linked battery storage system (where the tariff is with a renewable energy supplier)*.
• Hydro-electric

Heating Systems
• Air Source Heat Pump (Air to water and air to air).
• Ground Source Heat Pump (vertical, horizontal, diagonal & radial).
• Solar thermal panels (roof mounted/ ground mounted).
• Combined Heat & Power (CHP) Systems.                              

Businesses operating in the following sectors are not eligible to apply:
• Professional services such as accountants, solicitors, estate agents, insurance brokers, etc.
• Banking
• Education
• Primary Healthcare e.g. GP Surgeries, physiotherapists, etc.
• Supermarkets
• Small operations with low power usage.
• Storage yards and facilities
• Businesses that are part of a franchise
• National companies or those part of a larger chain
• Sports clubs

Business premises must be registered on Neath Port Talbot Council’s Non Domestic Rates register and the applicant must either own the freehold, or secure your landlord’s written consent for the proposed works. A lease must also be in place and remain valid after the final grant payment date. Please note: Independent businesses (not part of a larger group) operating within the Hospitality, Leisure, Tourism, Care and Retail sectors will also be considered if expenditure meets the criteria.

112. Cardiff Knowledge Transfer Partnerships

Part of the cost of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership is funded by a grant from Innovate UK or other government co-funders that you apply for in a competitive bid for submissions (there is a success rate for applications of around 90 per cent). The remainder of the project cost is met through a cash payment by your organisation.

Project costs are variable, but can typically be around £80,000 – £100,000 per project year. For Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises the grant rate is 67 per cent of the project cost; for large companies 50 per cent; and for third sector organisations the grant rate is 75 per cent.

The cost of a KTP is comparable to employing a well-qualified graduate, but includes so much more:

• Access to the exceptional resources of the university
• A dedicated team to deliver a strategic project
• Expert academic input bringing a breadth and depth of knowledge to support the graduate and the project
• The input of a highly experienced Knowledge Transfer Adviser who is there at every stage to support and help the project succeed
• The partnership introduces new capabilities and embeds knowledge
• The risk of developing the innovation project is shared with the government co-funders
• The wider support and opportunities offered by links to Innovate UK KTN.

To apply for a Knowledge Transfer Partnership companies should:

• Be UK registered and of sufficient size to support the project.
• Have the financial capacity to make the required contribution to the 
cost of running a Knowledge Transfer Partnership
• Be aware that Knowledge Transfer Partnerships can have a long-term legacy that can be measured over five years, as well as shorter term impact.
• Be able to show that their project demonstrates Impact, Innovation, Challenge and Cohesiveness

Find out more about the eligibility criteria for KTP here.

In the first instance, you should talk to a Knowledge Transfer Adviser who can answer all your questions about Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, checking the feasibility of your idea and its suitability for funding. Advisers can then help find an academic partner and draw up a grant application with you.

Locate and contact your local Knowledge Transfer Adviser on this map of KTA locations or from the list here.

113. Agile Cymru

Agile Cymru is a scaleable programme of coordinated action, an agile tool to deliver greater economic co-operation at speed, guided by the International Strategy and our economic policies. This includes a flexible grant mechanism to support cross-border and international activity that maximises shared opportunities across themes, sectors, and geographies. 

In general, Agile Cymru provides small-scale financial support. There are no fixed grant thresholds, but based on past experience the following can be expected:

• For small projects, such as travel, engagement and consultancy, applicants should bear in mind that between £500 – £5,000 per application may be considered reasonable.
• For strategic projects, such as forming networks, feasibility studies and pilot projects involving significant staff-time and materials, applicants should bear in mind that between £10,000 – £50,000 per application may be considered reasonable. Please note that strategic projects are likely to be supported under a specific call for applications and therefore limited by the terms of that call.

Agile Cymru can fund up to 100% of specific eligible costs, but the rate offered will take into account the strength of the application, risks and budget availability.

To apply for Agile Cymru funding, complete the application form: Agile Cymru: application form | GOV.WALES

Signed scanned pdf applications can be sent to AgileCymru@gov.wales.

114. Conwy Pride in Place Fund (PiPF) – Business Grant

Applications can currently only be accepted from Business in the core shopping areas / commercial centres of the following towns

· Llanfairfechan
· Penmaenmawr
· Conwy
· Llandudno Junction
· Deganwy
· Llandudno and Craig y Don
· Rhos on Sea
· Colwyn Bay
· Old Colwyn
· Llanrwst
· Abergele and Pensarn,
· Kinmel Bay and Towyn

The scheme offers funding of UP TO 70% on eligible capital and/or revenue expenditure for projects with awards offered from £3,000 up to £25,000

To be eligible to receive investment support, businesses must be located and operating in the County of Conwy, have been actively trading over 3 months and registered with HMRC

The scheme is targeted at small and medium sized enterprises (employing up to 250 people) with either a turnover at less than €50 million or a balance sheet at less than €43 million.

Prior to submitting an application, it is requested that you speak to a member of the Conwy Business Support team

Please email business@conwy.gov.uk.

115. Transforming Towns Place Making Grant – Mid Wales

Ceredigion County Council has secured funding from the Welsh Governments’ Transforming Towns Programme to help support capital investment to regenerate a number of our towns across Mid Wales.

The Transforming Towns Place Making Grant offers support for a wide range of projects, from green infrastructure developments to internal and external commercial and residential improvements for business owners.

Potential projects will need to satisfy eligibility criteria which will include demonstrating clear links to a current Town Place Plan or Town Centre Strategy. Also, potential projects will need to satisfy the Transforming Towns Place Making Grant Framework criteria.

Applicants can discuss potential projects with their local project officer who can advise whether the project could be eligible and help with the expression of interest process.
Projects need to be complete by December 31, 2026.

The scheme is open to private businesses, including developers, third sector businesses, and the public sector. It is not available to private individuals.

116. Community Innovation Denbighshire

Innovators and entrepreneurs with sustainable project ideas are being urged to apply for grants that will drive post-Covid economic recovery in Denbighshire.

Led by Cadwyn Clwyd and Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC), the £600,000 Community Innovation Denbighshire project will focus on encouraging micro firms, community groups and social enterprises in rural and urban areas to put forward proposals that will deliver regional and environmental benefits.

Supported by Denbighshire County Council and part-funded by the UK Government through the £220m UK Community Renewal Fund, support is available for 25 organisations or individuals who can apply for a £5,000 grant they will match-fund to trial new products, systems, and services.

For more information, email admin@cadwynclwyd.co.uk or call 01490 340500.

Scotland Business Grants

In Scotland there are a few larger organisations who offer a number of different funding opportunities.

Better Business Finance: A portal that provides impartial information and support to businesses and entrepreneurs looking to develop and grow. Use this search to find out exactly what grant funding is available to your business with a complete list of known grants in Scotland.

Scottish Enterprise: A non-departmental public body which encourages economic development, enterprise and innovation in Scotland. For all grants and funding information please click here.

Business Gateway: Offers advice and guidance to start-up companies and established companies across Scotland. See below for specifics on grants and funding.

117. Beyond Scotland Market Development Grant

This grant provides specific support to businesses to enable them to expand into new markets overseas or into other parts of the UK (excluding Scotland).

Grants of up to £3,000 covering up to 50% of eligible costs are available. Costs cannot be incurred prior to a grant being awarded.

• The business must be registered in the Perth and Kinross Council area and must have business premises in Perth and Kinross.
• The business must have a maximum of 250 employees (this includes sole traders, constituted community groups, social/community enterprises, and co-operatives).
• The business must have a business bank account.

The following are not eligible for this grant:

• betting shops
• off-licence shops
• online services, including teaching and training services, for example fitness or wellbeing classes, or similar digital platforms

Eligible costs (but not limited to):

• transport and accommodation (where these are directly related to a specific business event or initiative)
• exhibition and trade show attendance, stand costs and marketing materials (note: trade shows and exhibitions which take place in Scotland are not eligible)
• new product development for the overseas market
• consultancy services, for example legal costs associated with overseas trading

Ineligible costs (but not limited to):

• Costs incurred prior to the Grant Offer Letter being issued
• The purchase of capital equipment
• Property acquisition
• Software licences
• Internal payments or salaries
• Web design and web development
• Food and drink
• Trade shows or exhibitions which take place in Scotland
• Press trips and familiarisation trips
• Social media campaigns and influencer related costs

Please contact BusinessDevelopment@pkc.gov.uk to apply.

118. Scottish Venture Fund

The Scottish Venture Fund invests in companies from start-ups, early-stage to expanding businesses seeking funding to develop products and/or markets.

This fund can invest alongside sophisticated private sector investors on equal terms, up to a maximum of 50 per cent of the total funding package on a commercial basis. This flexible equity gap fund invests alongside private sector investors, offering equity funding from £100,000 up to £2m.

119. National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations

The Open Fund has separate funding strands for individuals and organisations within the creative industries.

• Funding available for between £1,000 and £100,000
• The fund aims to enable organisations to do creative activity such as a specific project or production, a programme of creative work or a period of research and development.
• The fund is open all year round, with no deadlines and can support projects that last up to 18 months

120. Young EDGE

Young EDGE is a competition aimed at entrepreneurs in Scotland aged between 18-30 with a cash grant prize of up to £15,000.

The Scottish Edge Young competition is aimed at companies run by those aged between 18 and 30.

121. Start It

Start It is a funding programme that helps budding social entrepreneurs in Scotland to get their businesses up and running. Funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund.

To apply for Start It, you must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• You are aged 18 or over.
• You are a permanent resident of Scotland.
• Your proposed social enterprise operates primarily for the benefit of people or communities within Scotland.
• Your proposed activities do not involve political campaigning or the advancement of religion.
• Your proposed social enterprise is in the early stages of development – i.e. the ‘start-up’ phase – and is not trading on a regular basis.
• Your proposed social enterprise is an independent organisation and not the project or subsidiary of an existing body.
• Your proposed social enterprise does not form part of your current employment.
• Your proposed social enterprise aims to be financially sustainable through trading as opposed to grant income.
• Your proposed social enterprise will reinvest its profits into the business and its social aims. No private individuals or bodies benefit from the assets or uncapped dividends of the business.
• Your proposed social enterprise aims to provide direct, measurable social impact to individuals, communities, and/or the environment.
• If your proposed social enterprise requires premises before it can start trading, you have already identified these premises and obtained an agreement in principle.
• You have not previously received Start It funding for another idea within the last 10 years.
• Your application request is for eligible costs associated with starting up a social enterprise.

Download a form on the website linked above.

122. SMART: SCOTLAND

New fund will be launched in summer 2026.

The SMART: SCOTLAND grant is one of our research and development (R&D) grants that aims to support high-risk, highly ambitious projects.

It provides support to conduct feasibility studies. It’s only available to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) based in Scotland, and supports activities that have a commercial endpoint.

What projects can SMART: SCOTLAND funding support?

SMART: SCOTLAND can support feasibility studies that help to show your idea could work in the real world.

Your business will need to own any intellectual property (IP) generated from your project.

Specifically, the SMART grant aims to support priority areas for economic transformation. These are:

• Creating an internationally competitive energy transition industry in Scotland
• Driving capital investment to deliver a step-change in Scotland’s productivity
• Scaling the impact of Scotland’s innovation strengths into high-growth industries of the future, namely:
  • Space
  • Industrial biotech 
  • Life sciences (human health)
  • Fintech
  • Critical technologies like quantum, photonics, and semiconductors

You may be eligible if:

• You’re a small or medium-sized business, university spin-out or an individual
• You’re based, or planning to set up, in Scotland
• You have secured, or have a clear line of sight to private match funding for the project
• Your project represents an advance in technological innovation for the UK industry or sector concerned
• There are technical risks and challenges associated with defining and developing the technology
• You own, or have rights to use, the intellectual property required to undertake the project
• You’ll own all intellectual property developed during the project
• You have the necessary management and technical expertise and resources (either in-house or brought-in) to make the project a success
• Both the project and the business are financially viable
• Financial assistance from SMART: SCOTLAND is essential for the project to go ahead

If you would benefit from broader support to develop an innovation strategy, or to help your businesses achieve its growth ambitions, further guidance can be found here.

All companies which are awarded SMART: SCOTLAND grant funding need to meet the Scottish Government’s approach to Fair Work and net zero. This will include:

• Appropriate channels for effective voice, such as trade union recognition
• Payment of the Real Living Wage to all employees over the age of 16, including apprentices 
• Investment in workforce development
• No inappropriate use of zero hours contracts
• Take action to tackle the gender pay gap and create a more diverse and inclusive workplace
• Offer flexible and family friendly working practices for all workers from day one of employment
• Oppose the use of fire and rehire practice
• A credible plan in place to reduce operational greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045 at the latest

What level of funding is available for feasibility studies?

We can support up to 70% of the eligible costs for a small enterprise and up to 60% of the eligible costs for a medium enterprise.

Studies must last between 6 and 18 months, and the maximum grant is £100,000.

Feasibility is paid with a third of the grant in an upfront instalment and the rest is quarterly in arrears.

Is it essential that a patent arises from the project?

No. Many inventions are protected by patent, but this is not the only way to protect intellectual property (IP). Our assessment process does, however, include a patent search to determine the level of innovation and identify any prior art.

While patent protection isn’t essential, it is essential that you demonstrate that you will own all IP generated through the project. You’ll also need to tell us of how you will protect that IP.

SMART: SCOTLAND accepts new applications all year round.

123. Build It

Build It supports early-stage social enterprises on their journey to financial sustainability. It offers up to £40,000 in grant funding for salary costs, helping organisations create jobs that grow income, reduce reliance on grants, and strengthen long-term social impact.

A Build It award is for social enterprises with a track record of trading and social impact and that need salaried positions to take the business to the next level of financial sustainability. Typical requests are:

• Up to £27,000 for a single salary (at Real Living Wage)
• Up to £40,000split between two or more salaries at Real Living Wage

To apply for Build It, your social enterprise must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Has a registered office in Scotland.
• Operates primarily for the benefit of people or communities in Scotland.
• Its activities do not involve political campaigning or the advancement of religion.
• Has an asset-locked constitution registered with either Companies House, The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), or the Mutual Public Register.
• Has a business bank account in the name of the social enterprise.
• Has a board of directors in place, of whom no more than half are related to one another, or employed by the enterprise.
• Has been trading for three years or less.
• Is an independent organisation and not the project or subsidiary of an existing body.
• Can provide evidence of successful trading and demonstrate the potential to become financially sustainable.
• Can provide evidence of the direct, measurable social impact it delivered.
• Its salary request adheres to the Scottish Government Fair Work policy.
• It has closed its Start It award (if previously funded by Firstport through Start It).
• Uses the required cashflow template for the application.

Please read the guidance notes for additional explanation of the eligibility criteria.

Upcoming deadlines:

• Thursday 25 June 2026
• Thursday 24 September 2026

Apply through the website linked above.

124. International Events Funding Programme

Through this programme of investment, the EventScotland team fund major, world-class events which are raising the profile of Scotland’s Perfect Stage around the world.

They support events though this programme in a number of ways: working in partnership with local authorities and governing bodies on bids to secure major international properties for Scotland; communicating directly with event organisers for annual events where they have an established relationship, and; actively looking for new and existing events to bring to Scotland for the first time.

If you would like to discuss any opportunities further, please contact through the link above.

125. Community Enterprise Fund

The Community Enterprise Fund is a funding programme that helps community organisations to start trading or set up social enterprises in Scotland. It offers grants of up to £5,000, to be spent over twelve months. Funding comes from the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund (SEF).

The Community Enterprise Fund is open to constituted third sector or community groups. To be eligible, your organisation must:

• Be based in Scotland
• Operate primarily for the benefit of people or communities within Scotland
• Be a constituted group (unconstituted groups are not eligible; if your group is not yet constituted, you may be better suited to the Start It programme)
• Have a bank account in the name of the group
• Not yet be trading on a regular basis
• Not be involved in political campaigning or the advancement of religion

The grant can be used for most start-up and development costs, including:

• Legal fees for setting up a legal entity for the enterprise, and/or registration as a charity or community interest company
• Rent for premises/office space
• Venue hire
• Utilities – including phones
• Website, branding, logo design
• Marketing materials and stationery
• Insurance
• Accountancy
• Equipment
• Laptop and/or software

For more information on eligible and ineligible costs, please see the guidance notes.

Apply at the website linked above.

126. Scottish Edge

Scottish EDGE is a competition aimed at identifying and supporting Scotland’s up-and-coming, innovative, high-growth potential entrepreneurial talent.

The Scottish EDGE competition offers funding of up to £100,000 on a split grant/loan basis.

The application process consists of each business completing the Scottish EDGE online application form and producing a 3-minute video presentation. They run various rounds throughout the year – click the link above to find out when the next one is.

127. Early Enterprise Support Scheme

The scheme aims to fill the gap for business start-up funding and development funding for early-stage companies.

The scheme is financed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and administered by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Business Gateway service.

Full-time businesses

Maximum £5,000 towards capital costs.

Part-time businesses

Maximum of £2,500 towards capital costs.

Level of Support Available

Normally up to 50% of eligible costs.

Up to 70% is available to projects that include any of the following:

• Applicants under 30
• Net zero
• Cruise market product development
• Uist repopulation zone
• Childcare

 The Early Enterprise Support Scheme is subject to the following conditions:

• Applicants must be based in the Outer Hebrides.
• All grant funding support will be towards capital start-up costs only.
• Applicants may be sole traders, partnerships, limited companies or other legitimate trading entities.

Contact Business Gateway for more information.

128. Argyll and Bute Business Start-up Grant

A grant of up to £1,000 is available for full-time businesses (35+ hours per week) and up to £500 for part-time businesses (16-34 hours per week).  The grant is paid on approval of your application and supporting evidence. Funding is limited and the programme will close when all funds are committed, so please apply as soon as you can. 

The aim of this grant is to help new businesses to establish and grow, by assisting with start-up costs. You must be able to specify what you would spend the grant on and explain why your business requires financial support with those costs.

Revenue and capital costs are eligible on a discretionary basis, including machinery, tools and equipment, marketing, and website development.  The grant cannot be used towards wage subsidy, statutory costs, debt repayment, working capital (including the purchase of stock or materials), purchase of an existing business, routine maintenance and property/land purchase or development.

The grant application process is as follows:

If approved, you will be issued with a grant.

You submit a fully-completed application form with the required supporting documents.

You meet (by phone or video) with a business adviser from Argyll and Bute Council’s Business Gateway to discuss your application.

129. Inverclyde Council Business Assistance Grant

This discretionary fund from Inverclyde Council provides financial assistance to help businesses in the area achieve specific business growth objectives. The fund can cover up to 50 per cent of eligible capital expenditure costs, with a maximum contribution of £5,000.

Applicants must submit:

• A business plan
• A one-year cashflow projection
• Evidence of trading status
• The last full year’s accredited accounts and up-to-date management accounts
• Three quotes for project costs
• Proof of business insurance
• An uncensored copy of a bank statement, dated within the past 3 months, that clearly shows the name of the account holder, the account number and sort code
• A description of the works to be undertaken and how these contribute to the development of the business

If the business is operating from commercial premises, you must also submit evidence of ownership of a lease. If the grant is for building works, you must also clarify if planning permission and a building warrant are required.

You will need to meet with a business adviser from Business Gateway Inverclyde before you receive an application form.

You are eligible if:

• Your business is trading from an address in Inverclyde
• Your business has been trading for at least 12 months
• Your business operates in a sector where there is unlikely to be a significant impact on other local businesses
• You have attended a one-to-one meeting with a business adviser from Business Gateway Inverclyde

130. Fife Financial Support to Businesses

This Fife Council support can help with funding to encourage small companies in Fife to invest and grow their business and can help in the following areas – plant and machinery, property improvements, product development, process improvement, training and market development.

131. East Renfrewshire Micro Business Grants

The Micro Business Grants are open to small businesses trading for 12  months or more and with a turnover from £10,000 to £100,000.

Businesses should be trading for 16 plus hours per week.

Businesses should be able to provide one quote for each purchase requested with rationale as to chosen supplier (i.e. website upgrade – use existing web provider as knows site).

The grant sum is up to £2,000 and will be paid on evidence of payments made through a business bank account.

132. Training Grant, West Lothian

Ready to improve productivity and profits through workforce development?  With grant support from West Lothian Council, businesses can invest, work smarter and increase profitability.  We will help West Lothian businesses to invest in accredited training and upskilling. Our grant award is between £10,000 to £50,000 against approved training and productivity objectives. Your business needs to be viable, have a plan for growth and operate in a higher-value sector including construction, food & drink, manufacturing, engineering, technology and life sciences.

133. West Dumbarton Business Start Up Grant

This grant is for people in West Dunbartonshire to get up to £500 support with their business start-up costs. You must put forward a business plan and provide proof of trading such as evidence of a business bank account and identification like a passport or birth certificate.

134. Screen Scotland – Broadcast Content Fund

The Broadcast Content Fund aims to help the sustainable growth of Scotland’s broadcast production sector, encouraging the development of new projects, the scaling up of already successful activities and the production of commissioned programmes.

The Fund will prioritise projects which have the potential to generate lasting benefits to build companies of scale, reflect or promote Scottish culture, creativity and diversity, as well as projects which offer significant opportunities to people currently under-represented in the screen sector.

The Broadcast Content Fund accepts applications for all genres of broadcast content including factual and scripted programming where there is a clear and demonstrable need for public funding.

Funding can be provided in two ways.

1. Broadcast Content Development Funding: Support towards the development costs of a single project or a slate of projects.
2. Broadcast Content Production Funding: Support towards the production costs of a single project (one-off or a series).

Apply through the website linked above.

135. Start-up grants for new businesses in Shetland

The Shetland Business Start-Up Grant Scheme provides funding of £500 – £4,000 to newly established businesses in Shetland. Applicants will be able to receive 100 per cent of eligible costs up to the maximum grant amount. The grant is open to:

• Individuals (pre-start); sole trader; partnerships, limited companies or social enterprises
• Businesses established up to 12 months prior to the application date will be eligible to apply for assistance 
• Most sectors can apply (see exclusions below)
• Applicants must be located within the Shetland area

Grants may be awarded for:

• capital costs
• marketing costs
• training costs

This grant is jointly funded by Shetland Islands Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

136. East Renfrewshire SBA Get to Zero Grant

The SBA Get to Zero Grant provides funding for businesses in East Renfrewshire to invest in sustainable products and services, to help them become more efficient and reduce carbon emissions and energy loss.

The SBA Get to Zero Grant provides funding of up to £5,000 with no match funding required. Your annual turnover must be at least £50,000.

Measures could include:

• low energy heating and lighting systems 
• improved insulation for roof and building 
• solar, ground or air source heat or solar thermal technology 
• waste management or recycling 
• equipment that demonstrates a significant energy saving through its installation

137. Business Resilience Grant, Renfrewshire

The Business Resilience Grant is part-funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and provides up to 50% match-funded grant from £1,000 up to £10,000 to support small and medium sized businesses, including people self-employed, in meeting changed objectives and plans for growth.

This includes purchase of new equipment, property expansion or improvements or the costs to exhibit or develop new products and processes.

This grant is to support business growth and resilience but is not able to be used towards the purchase of vehicles, employee wages, general purchase of stock or routine maintenance. Projects must not have commenced prior to making this application.

To be eligible for the grant, the business must:

Be a wholly autonomous cost/profit centre, responsible for their own day-to-day management and producing their own management accounts and audited accounts. 

Be an existing business, including social enterprises, that can evidence, actively trading for at least 12 months from the date of application. Businesses which are at the development, pre-trading or feasibility stage or have been actively trading for less than one year from the date of application will not be eligible.

Be operating from dedicated commercial premises in Renfrewshire.

Have a turnover over the current VAT threshold of £90,000 or expected to reach a minimum level equivalent to the current VAT registration threshold within 12 months of the date of application.

Be registered for non-domestic rates with Renfrewshire Council.

138. Renfrewshire Business Development Grant

The Business Development Grant is a competitive, discretionary fund, part funded by the UK Local Growth Fund, providing up to 50% match funding from £1,000 to £10,000 to help small and medium sized businesses in Renfrewshire deliver their growth plans.

This includes the purchase of equipment or digital systems which are new to the business, property improvements or expansion, export development, exhibition costs, and the creation of new products or processes.

This grant is to support business growth by helping businesses implement projects which increase turnover and employment through improvements in productivity, competitiveness or innovation.

It cannot be used for vehicles, wages, stock, general purchases, or routine maintenance, and projects must not begin before an application is submitted. To be eligible, businesses must operate from a commercial premises within Renfrewshire.

To be eligible for the grant, the business must:

• employ fewer than 250 employees
• be an existing business, including social enterprises, that can evidence, actively trading for at least 6 months from the date of application. Businesses which are at the development, pre-trading or feasibility stage or have been actively trading for less than 6 months from the date of application will not be eligible
• be operating from a dedicated commercial property in Renfrewshire
• be registered for non-domestic rates with Renfrewshire Council
• have a turnover over the current VAT threshold of £90,000 or expected to reach a minimum level equivalent to the current VAT registration threshold within 12 months of the date of application
• be a wholly autonomous cost/profit centre, responsible for their own day-to-day management and producing their own management accounts and audited accounts
• supply the minimum of 2 quotes (dated within one month of application date) for each item of expenditure. Quotes should clearly show the cost of each item excluding VAT and must include contact details for the supplier and cannot be a handwritten note or headed invoice

139. West Lothian Council Trade Development Grant

The Trade Development Grant has been developed to help businesses in West Lothian grow beyond their local market. Funding is available to help businesses to attend trade exhibitions in a wide range of industry sectors. Businesses that meet the criteria can receive funding to cover up to 50 per cent of eligible costs, to a maximum of £2,000. Minimum grant is £250.

Due to budgetary restraints, they can no longer accept applications from professional service businesses. 

To register interest and find out more, please email invest@westlothian.gov.uk

Grants are awarded at our discretion and based on their likely economic impact.  Where a business is awarded a grant, they may not reapply for further funding within 18 months.

Please note that projects funded must be completed by January 31, 2026.

140. Renfrewshire Digital Development Grant

The Digital Development Grant can provide match funding to small and medium-sized businesses in Renfrewshire to cover up to 50 per cent of their costs to develop and implement new digital systems. Grants of £1,000 up to £10,000 are available.

This discretionary grant can support digital projects which are new to the business. To qualify, you must operate from a commercial premise in Renfrewshire.

Northern Ireland Business Grants

141. Proof of Concept Grant Fund

This Proof of Concept Grant Fund from Techstart is a pre-commercial grant awarding fund. It supports entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland with grants to explore the viability and commercial potential of an innovative concept.

Techstart gives out concept grants of up to £15,000, which are awarded throughout the year.

142. Skills Advancement Grant

Applicants can get up to £15,000 for staff training to go towards travel, external training and accommodation. Just be aware that it’s only open to Invest Northern Ireland clients.

143. Back in Business rate support scheme

The Back in Business rate support scheme has been created to incentivise business ratepayers to consider occupying retail premises which are currently unoccupied when looking for business premises. The rate relief can be applied from 1 April 2024.

The scheme will bring long term unoccupied retail properties back into use, helping to regenerate our high streets and core shopping areas. This information linked below has been developed to help answer some of your questions.

• this application can be made by the owner of the business or the landlord, if they are the ratepayer
• all necessary information and supporting evidence must be provided, if it is not the application will be rejected

Closes 31 Mar 2027.

Apply at the website above.

144. Acumen Funding

The Acumen programme aims to enhance the capacity and capability of SMEs to take the first formal steps onto the export ladder by helping to fund an experienced and skilled sales resource to help businesses to identify new opportunities and win new sales in the cross-border market.

There are two funding options available under the Acumen programme.

Full-time sales support

Acumen offers a valuable contribution towards the cost of a full-time sales resource, for a 12-month period, up to a maximum of €21,562/£17,250.

A full-time sales resource must be an individual directly employed by the business and not a contractual representative. They can reside within the same or opposite jurisdiction to your business, whatever option works best for your business.

Part-time sales support

Acumen offers a valuable contribution towards the cost of a part-time sales resource, for a 6-12-month period, up to a maximum of €11,500/£9,200.

A part-time sales resource can be an individual directly employed by the business or alternatively a contractual representative e.g. experienced sales agent, consultant or a lead generation company. They can reside within the same or opposite jurisdiction to your business, whatever option works best for your business.

Apply through the website.

145. Inclusive Tourism Vouchers

The purpose of the inclusion vouchers is to help tourism businesses invest in services and small items of equipment that can help them become more inclusive. 

Who can apply

• Businesses, charities, social enterprises and sole entrepreneurs can all apply. 
• Your business must be based in the Belfast City Council local government district. 
• Your services must be used by visitors – that is people who do not live or work in Belfast and who are visiting the city for leisure or business purposes.

What you can apply for 

• You must use the voucher to buy services or equipment that can help your business be more inclusive of disabled visitors. For example:
  • Staff training 
  • An access audit 
  • Updating your website or marketing materials 
  • New signage 
  • Sensory packs 
  • Other solutions to make your business more inclusive
• Your proposed supplier must be able to provide the work as described, to a high quality and within usual market prices. 
• If you are unsure about where to look for the product or service you need,  you find some inspiration in our suppliers directory. This list is not exhaustive, and other suppliers are available. 
• You must use the supplier you name in your application form. 
• You cannot use your voucher on capital expenditure – that is the cost of buying physical assets for long-term use, such as buildings, land, vehicles and so on.

How we will award the vouchers

• We award vouchers on a first-come, first-served basis. This means we will close the scheme when the budget runs out. 
• Vouchers can be for any amount up to £500.  
• Vouchers will be paid to you on receipt of a supplier’s invoice and evidence of the work having been delivered. This could be a report, photographs, endorsements from visitors or similar.
• Vouchers must be claimed within six months of being awarded. 

This programme is delivered in partnership with Visit Belfast and Tourism NI.

Find out more about the programme from Visit Belfast

146. Concept Plus Grant

Concept Plus is a follow-on grant from the Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund offering up to £30,000 to entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland. Grants are awarded every six months.

147. Grade A Office Development Grant Scheme, Newry

The demand for sustainable, high quality and technologically advanced workspaces is growing and the office development scheme will provide the capital support needed to turn ambitious blueprints into landmark realities.

The scheme will support developments that deliver Grade A quality office space as a standalone development, or multi-use developments that integrate quality office space with residential, retail or leisure components

This is an opportunity to deliver for Newry City workplaces that contribute to a vibrant city centre, enhance the environment, create employment opportunities, contribute to the local economy and increase city centre footfall.

The Grade A Office Development Grant Scheme is now open.

• Opening Date: Monday 18 May 2026
• Closing Date:  Friday 20 November 2026

Applications can be submitted through our online portal.

SmartSimple | Newry, Mourne & Down District Council. (smartsimpleuk.com).

148. Business Explorer Programme

The Business Explorer programme can help you explore the best way forward within your business to effect change through Innovative solutions.

Business Explorer is part of InterTradeIreland’s Innovation Pathway offering funding to help businesses solve technical challenges by collaborating with academic or industry specialists. We offer businesses the opportunity to:

Explore – Investigate up to three technical challenges with £5k per application (up to £15k total) and 5 days of support per challenge.

Plan – Take two solutions forward with £20k per application (up to £40k total) and 18 days of support per plan.

Implement – Take one plan forward through Innovation Boost with funding of up to £56k to deliver the solution in your business.

Apply through InterTradeIreland’s website.

149. Technical Development Incentive

Up to £25,000 financial support towards developing new products, improving processes and testing/certification to satisfy requirements of export markets.

The TDI is only available to existing Invest NI customers who meet the definition of an SME.

The criteria to become a customer with Invest NI is as follows: 

• Reach a turnover of £250K per annum within 5 years; and 
• Achieve at least 25 per cent of those sales outside of Northern Ireland
• Employ at least ten staff within five years

You will also need to demonstrate growth potential, which is defined as:

• Potential employment growth >= 20 per cent or >=20 jobs within 3 years; or 
• Potential external sales growth >=20 per cent or >=£500k within 3 years; or 
• Potential increase in GVA / employee >= 20 per cent within 3 years. 

Other TDI criteria:

• Businesses in transport and agricultural sectors are excluded.
• Only third party costs are eligible.
• Training, equipment purchase and labour are not eligible.

TDI provides financial support to companies to help with the cost of technical projects that require using consultants or companies to implement innovative solutions which can add value to the business through increased competitiveness, particularly when targeting key export markets.

Activities include but not limited to:

• Intellectual property (copyright, patents trademarks and design)
• Product and process development and improvement
• Management systems (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, British Retail Consortium Global Food Safety Standard)
• Product and process approval and/or certification (for example CE Marking, Fire Certification)

Invest NI clients should speak to their Invest NI client executive or alternatively contact the business support team.

150. Agri-Food Investment Initiative programme

The Agri-Food Investment Initiative (AFII) aims to enhance the economic performance and competitiveness of Northern Ireland’s Agri-food sector through financial assistance for transformative capital investment in several key areas. These areas include:

• Machinery and equipment
• Buying or developing computer software
• Buying patents, licences, copyrights and trademarks

The main aims of AFII are to:

• Support enterprises to increase their efficiency and improve their productivity
• Improve the competitiveness of Northern Ireland’s Agri-food sector
• Support capacity building, growth, innovation and new product development

Small businesses – The maximum aid intensity that can be granted is 35 per cent of the eligible investment costs. Minimum project size is £300,000.

Medium businesses – The maximum aid intensity that can be granted is 25 per cent of the eligible investment costs. Minimum project size is £500,000.

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