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Government Grants for SMEs in the UK – A Hands-on Guide

What is a Government Business Grant?

 

A government grant is essentially an incentive package made available by various government bodies and organisations to individuals as well as businesses. Government grants (barring the finance grants) are usually non-repayable.

Depending upon the nature of the grant body and the grant objective, these grants can come in a variety of sizes and formats. As far as small businesses are concerned, such grants range from £1,000 to £500,000. Some of the bigger and more prized grants can go even higher.

Why Are Grants Given to SMEs?

 Government grants have been there for a long, long time. The names and forms they have taken may have changed over time – from business subsidies to business support – but the objectives haven’t. If you were to analyse government grants across business sectors and districts, two things become very clear: 

 

  • Most government grants have a singular objective – to keep the economy growing. This objective takes many avatars such as employment generation, sectoral development, regional development and so on. Grants that have these objectives are more or less permanent fixtures.
  • Other grants aim to follow, aid and complement ongoing policies of the government. Such grants typically reflect the incumbent government’s views in regard with trade, environment, social welfare, technology etc.


 To put things in a more sweeping perspective, we can say that government grants have three clear objectives: 


 

  • Boost economy through regional and local development
  • Generate employment by supporting businesses
  • Create an economic environment that encourages innovation, entrepreneurship and ‘home-grown’ research

Why SMEs Should Take Government Grants More Seriously

 Even though government grants are incredibly appealing, very few SMEs actually realise the potential of such grants. Here are some features of government grants that SMEs can’t afford to overlook: 


Government grants are diverse: Very specific grants are available across all business sectors. This allows SMEs to compete more fairly for similar grants.  


Grants are more than just money:  As we will discuss in the next part of this post, government grants offer much more than just money. 


Winning a grant validates your business idea:  A large number of SMEs are stuck in the validation loop that stops them from expanding or trading more confidently. Inadequate funding makes matters even worse. A grant can be a good way to turn the corner in such times and receive external recognition and validation. 

Government Grants: Shortcomings & Drawbacks

 While the features associated with government grants are certainly attractive, there exist shortcomings and drawbacks you should be aware of: 


The competition is fierce:  The competition for government grants is fierce to say the least. Since young businesses, start-ups and established businesses all tend to spill over into the space that’s reserved for SMEs, the competition can become entirely off-putting. 


It can take months before you see the money:   Applying for a government grant isn’t always the smoothest of processes. It can take many months for the assessment process to conclude, making grants irrelevant for businesses that require urgent funding. 


Grants can never replace external funding:  Given their limitations in size and scope, government grants cannot replace external, third-party funding channels – not in the long run, anyway. 

UK GOVERNMENT BUSINESS GRANTS IN 2022

EV Chargepoint Grant for flat owner-occupiers and people living in rented properties

 

The Chargepoint Grant for people renting and  living in flats is open to Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers who live in a  flat or rent a property. 


The grant will cover up to 75% of the total  costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (inclusive of  VAT) and enabling infrastructure for future chargepoints. 


This grant is a  continuation of the current Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme but with  a reduced scope of who can apply.


Location National

Funding organisation Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)

Who can apply Personal / Individual

How much can you get From £350 to £350

Total size of grant scheme £50 million

Opening date 1 September 2014, 12:01am

Closing date 31 March 2024, 11:59pm



Workplace Charging Scheme


 

The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) is a  voucher-based scheme that provides eligible businesses with support  towards the upfront costs of the purchase and installation of electric  vehicle (EV) chargepoints. All businesses can use it to help provision  chargepoints for their staff or fleets. 


Charities and small  accommodation businesses can further use it to provision chargepoints  for their guests or visitors. 


Location National

Funding organisation Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)

Who can apply Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £350 to £14,000

Total size of grant scheme £50 million

Opening date 1 September 2016, 12:01am

Closing date 31 March 2024, 11:59pm



Find out more

BFI Development Fund

 

The BFI Development Fund awards money from the  National Lottery to support formal development of original live action,  emerging media and animation feature filmmaking from treatments to  production-ready screenplays from storytellers demonstrating a bold  vision and creative excellence. 


They aim to help develop viable projects  by teams across the UK who can demonstrate previous experience in  writing, directing and producing to a point where they are ready to seek  production funding from the BFI or other sources. 


Location National

Funding organisation British Film Institute (BFI)

Who can apply Personal / Individual, Private Sector, Non-profit, Public Sector

How much can you get From £1 to £250,000

Total size of grant scheme £2.5 million

Opening date 1 January 2022, 12:01am

Closing date 31 December 2022, 11:59pm

Find out more

UK Tradeshow Programme (UKTP)

 

UK businesses that are currently exporting can  apply for support to exhibit at or attend approved overseas tradeshows and conferences and potentially receive grants to cover some costs. 

UK businesses can also apply for support if they’re thinking about  exporting but are not currently doing so.  

Attending or exhibiting at overseas tradeshows can help businesses gain  essential market knowledge and increase a company’s brand awareness amongst overseas buyers and business sales by securing new customers.


Location National

Funding organisation Department for International Trade (DIT)

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £200 to £4,000

Total size of grant scheme Not applicable

Opening date 1 January 2022, 12:01am

Closing date 31 December 2022, 11:59pm

Find out more

UK-South Korea Collaborative R&D

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million for this competition. 

This funding is for the purpose of developing innovative proposals with South Korea.  


Location National  Funding organisation UK Research and Innovation in partnership with Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT)

 Who can apply Private Sector 

 How much can you get From £1 to £350,000 

 Total size of grant scheme £2 million

  Opening date 13 February 2022, 11:00pm

  Closing date 6 July 2022, 10:00am

Find out more

Urban Tree Challenge Fund

 

The Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) supports the  planting and establishment of standard trees in urban and peri-urban  areas in England. Through scoring applications UTCF prioritises the  planting of trees in socially deprived urban areas with low canopy  cover, in proximity to healthcare and educational  facilities. By requiring match funding from applicants UTCF encourages  engaging local communities in efforts to fund-raise for, plant, and  maintain, trees. UTCF supports planting of large ‘standard’ trees making  an immediate impact.


Location England

Funding organisation Forestry Commission

Who can apply Personal / Individual, Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £10,000 to £30,000

Total size of grant scheme £3.8 million

Opening date 2 March 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 31 May 2022, 11:59pm

Find out more

Innovation in time resilience, dissemination and application - demonstrator

 

UK registered organisations can apply for a share  of up to £4.7 million for business led innovation in resilient time,  frequency and synchronisation.


Location National

Funding organisation Innovate UK working with the National Physical Laboratory

Who can apply Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £70,000 to £1 million

Total size of grant scheme £4.7 million

Opening date 13 March 2022, 11:00pm

Closing date 1 June 2022, 10:00am.

Find out more

Biomedical Catalyst 2022 Round 1: Industry-led R&D

 

UK registered SMEs can apply for a share of up to  £15 million to develop innovative solutions to health and healthcare  challenges. This funding is from Innovate UK.


Location National

Funding organisation Innovate UK

Who can apply Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £75,000 to £2 million

Total size of grant scheme £15 million

Opening date 28 March 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 25 May 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

UK Seafood Fund: Infrastructure Scheme

 

The UK Seafood Fund is a £100 million investment  to support the long term future and sustainability of the UK fisheries  and seafood sector. 

The Fund has three schemes: Science and Innovation,  Infrastructure, and Skills and Training. 

The Infrastructure scheme will provide infrastructure funding to improve  the seafood industry’s ability to sustainably catch, land, process and  sell seafood as the UK’s quota increases over the next five years. The  scheme has been designed by Defra in collaboration with Scotland, Wales  and Northern Ireland and Marine Management Organisation (MMO).    The scheme will fund projects that build capacity across the UK fishing  sector supply chain through investment in ports, processing, and  aquaculture infrastructure. 


Location National

Funding organisation Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £250,000 to £5 million

Total size of grant scheme £65 million

Opening date 29 March 2022, 12:01am

Closing date 14 June 2022, 12:00pm

Find out more

Farming Innovation Programme – Large R&D Partnership Projects

 

£8M is available for ‘Large Research and  Development (R&D) Partnership projects’ that will drive forward  large-scale research, development and demonstration of solutions to  substantially improve the productivity and environmental sustainability  of England's agricultural and horticultural sectors. This is the fourth  competition to launch in the Industry-led R&D Partnership Fund,  following the launch of the Farming Innovation Programme in October  2021. Projects must have a significant focus on demonstration and  knowledge exchange to enable the commercialisation and adoption of new  solutions.


Location England

Funding organisation Defra, delivered in partnership with UKRI

Who can apply Personal / Individual, Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £3 million to £6 million

Total size of grant scheme £8 million

Opening date 30 March 2022, 9:00am

Closing date 29 June 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

Farming Innovation Programme – Farming Futures R&D: Climate Smart Farming

 

This competition focuses on further delivering  food security through productive, sustainable ‘climate smart farming’.  We will fund large-scale, ambitious, and transformative projects that  focus on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions or help the sector adapt to  the inevitable changes that climate change will bring. £12.5M is available in this competition. Businesses or researchers can  lead these projects, but projects must be collaborative and must benefit  farmers and growers based in England. Projects will be valued between  £3M and £6M and will last up to 4 years.


Location England

Funding organisation Defra, delivered in partnership with UKRI

Who can apply Private Sector, Non-profit, Personal / Individual, Public Sector

How much can you get From £3 million to £6 million

Total size of grant scheme £12.5 million

Opening date 30 March 2022, 9:00am

Closing date 18 May 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

APC 21: Developing automotive technologies and capability for net zero

 

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of  £25 million for late-stage R&D projects that help accelerate the UK  towards a net-zero automotive future.


Location National

Funding organisation Advanced Propulsion Centre

Who can apply Public Sector, Private Sector, Non-profit

How much can you get From £2.5 million to £20 million

Total size of grant scheme £25 million

Opening date 30 March 2022, 11:00pm

Closing date 18 May 2022, 10:00am

Find out more

EV chargepoint grant for landlords

 

The grant provides residential and commercial  landlords, social housing providers or property factors funding to  install electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints in rental and leasehold  properties.


Location National

Funding organisation Department for Transport

Who can apply Non-profit, Public Sector, Private Sector

How much can you get From £350 to £30,000

Total size of grant scheme N/A

Opening date 1 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 31 March 2024, 11:59pm

Find out more

Canada-UK Net Zero Value Chains - Transportation

 

UK registered businesses and Canadian SMEs can  apply to collaborate on joint R&D projects that enable the  transition to net zero for the automotive, rail, or maritime sectors.


Location National

Funding organisation UK Research and Innovation working with National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program

Who can apply Private Sector, Non-profit

How much can you get From £1 to £300,000

Total size of grant scheme £4 million

Opening date 4 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 29 June 2022, 5:00pm

Find out more

NATEP helping SMEs innovate in aerospace: Spring 2022

 

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of  up to £2.5 million to carry out industry led civil aerospace  collaborative R&D projects.


Location National

Funding organisation UK  Research and Innovation working with Aerospace Technology Institute and  Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Who can apply Private Sector, Non-profit

How much can you get From £150,000 to £300,000

Total size of grant scheme £2.5 million

Opening date 4 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 18 May 2022, 11:00am

Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme: Restoration Grant

 

The Government has committed more than £750  million to a Nature for Climate Fund, including for peat restoration and  tree planting programmes. As part of this, Natural England (NE) is  delivering the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme (NCPGS). This  competitive scheme will run from 2021 to 2025. The NCPGS aims to set  35,000 ha of degraded peatland in England on a path to restoration by  March 2025, reduce emissions from peat by 9 million tonnes carbon  dioxide equivalent by 2050, with continued reductions after that. These  targets are linked to the England Peat Action Plan. Peatland restoration  will also deliver wider environmental and social benefits. It will:  contribute to the Nature Recovery Network (NRN); enhance ecosystems and  biodiversity; improve water quality; provide natural flood management;  protect the historic environment; give opportunities for people to  connect with nature. The NCPGS includes the Restoration Grant and the  Discovery Grant. This project is for Round 2 of the Restoration Grant  which will fund peatland restoration and its associated eligible costs.  The Restoration Grant is a multi-year grant and funds are intended for  projects where there is a complete programme of restoration works  identified for at least the first year of the agreement. The Restoration  Grant provides up to 75% of total project costs.


Location England

Funding organisation Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

Who can apply Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector, Personal / Individual

How much can you get From £100,000 to £2 million

Total size of grant scheme £16 million

Opening date 4 April 2022, 9:00am

Closing date 31 May 2022, 5:00pm

Find out more

Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Pilot

 

The local electric vehicle infrastructure (LEVI)  scheme will support the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging  infrastructure. To test the design of the new scheme we have launched a  £10 million pilot competition, which we anticipate will fund between 3  and 8 projects. Local authorities and partnerships in England can apply  for funding under the pilot scheme.


Location England

Funding organisation Office for Zero Emission Vehicles

Who can apply Public Sector

How much can you get From £1 to £1.25 million

Total size of grant scheme £10 million

Opening date 5 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 17 June 2022, 11:55pm

Find out more

Digital Growth Grant - Expression of Interest

 

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and  Sport (DCMS) will run a Digital Growth Grant competition over Summer  2022. Bids will be invited to accelerate the growth of tech start-up and  scale-up ecosystems across the regions and nations of the UK. The  successful bidder will be awarded up to £12.09 million to be spent over  two financial years 2023/24 and 2024/25.


Location National

Funding organisation Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)

Who can apply Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £10 million to £12.09 million

Total size of grant scheme £12.09 million

Opening date 11 April 2022, 12:00pm

Closing date 30 May 2022, 12:00pm

Find out more

Support to young people and their families involved in County Lines 22-25

 

The funding will aim to help young people to  safely move away from dangerous county lines activity through continued  provision of: a. a specialist county lines support service that will  operate in a minimum of London, the West Midlands, Merseyside and  Greater Manchester, which are some of the top exporting force areas for  county lines and where increased operational activity is being funded by  the Home Office to target high harm county lines. The service will  support under 25s and their families who are criminally exploited  through county lines to reduce and exit their involvement; and b. a  dedicated confidential county lines national helpline across England and  Wales to those exploited through county lines, their families and  statutory agencies.


Location England, Wales

Funding organisation Home Office

Who can apply Non-profit

How much can you get From £1 to £5 million

Total size of grant scheme £5 million

Opening date 12 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 25 May 2022, 12:00pm

Find out more

Automotive Transformation Fund Scale up Readiness Validation (SuRV)

 

Organisations can apply for a share of up to £15  million to validate readiness for scale up of net zero technologies and  processes.


Location National

Funding organisation Advanced  Propulsion Centre and partners, Innovate UK, Department for Business,  Energy and Industrial Strategy and Department for International Trade

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £1 to £2 million

Total size of grant scheme £15 million

Opening date 20 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 25 May 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

MyWorld Collaborative Research & Development

 

 

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £2 million for collaborative R&D projects in creative technology.


Location England

Funding organisation UKRI Strength in Places Fund

Who can apply Public Sector, Non-profit, Private Sector

How much can you get From £100,000 to £200,000

Total size of grant scheme £2 million

Opening date 25 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 1 June 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

Innovate UK Smart Grants: April 2022

 

 

UK registered organisations can apply for a share  of up to £25 million for game-changing and commercially viable R&D  innovation that can significantly impact the UK economy. This funding is  from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.


Location National

Funding organisation Innovate UK

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £100,000 to £2 million

Total size of grant scheme £25 million

Opening date 25 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 27 July 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

Net Zero Hydrogen Fund – Strand 1 Development Expenditure (DEVEX)

 

 

Strand 1 of the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund will  provide development expenditure (DEVEX) support for front end  engineering design (FEED) and post-FEED studies for new low carbon  hydrogen production facilities.


Location National

Funding organisation Net Zero Hydrogen Fund

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £80,000 to £15 million

Total size of grant scheme £90 milliom

Opening date 25 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 22 June 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

Net Zero Hydrogen Fund – Strand 2 – Capital expenditure (CAPEX)

  

Strand 2 of the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund will  provide capital expenditure (CAPEX) support for new low carbon hydrogen  production facilities to begin deployment in the early 2020s.


Location National

Funding organisation Net Zero Hydrogen Fund

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £200,000 to £30 million

Total size of grant scheme £90 million

Opening date 25 April 2022, 12:00am

Closing date 6 July 2022, 11:00am

Find out more

NCF Nature for Climate Peatland Discovery Grant Round 2

 

Discovery Grants fund work to unlock barriers to  peatland restoration and prepare projects to apply for Restoration  Grants in future rounds. It is expected that if you receive a Discovery  Grant, you will bid into the final Restoration Grant round in 2023.  Discovery Grants can cover up to 100% of costs. Peatland restoration  includes works to raise the water table or reinstate peat-forming  vegetation. Barriers to restoration may be from any aspect of a project,  such as the physical and historic nature of peatland sites, partnership  working and development and securing of private finance   This may include, but is not limited to, funding to build capacity and  capability in new or nascent peat partnerships, engage new partners or  landowners, explore opportunities for private investment funding and  develop site understanding, including baseline monitoring, hydrological  and ecological surveys, or historic environment assessments.  


Location England

Funding organisation Natural England

Who can apply Personal / Individual, Non-profit, Private Sector, Public Sector

How much can you get From £10,000 to £500,000

Total size of grant scheme £500,000

Opening date 4 May 2022, 2:00pm

Closing date 26 June 2022, 2:00pm

Find out more

Creative Careers Programme

 

This grant is for delivering the next phase of the  Creative Careers Programme (CCP) FY22/23-24/25. The pilot of the CCP  (2018-2020) was designed to address skills shortages and information  failures in creative industries (CIs) by providing young people across  England with specialist information, advice and guidance (IAG) about  creative careers. This phase of the CCP will continue to provide  specialist IAG, with a specific focus on engaging young people from low  socioeconomic backgrounds, and securing the long-term future of the  programme.


Location England

Funding organisation Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Who can apply Non-profit

How much can you get From £1 to £947,000

Total size of grant scheme £947,000

Opening date 10 May 2022, 5:00pm

Closing date 5 July 2022, 5:00pm

Find out more

Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF)

 

The IETF provides grant funding to support  industry to decarbonise and become more energy efficient reducing bills.  The fund is targeted at technology solutions that can be deployed  within existing industrial processes. The next competition window Phase  2: Summer 2022 will allocate up to £70m, supporting feasibility studies,  engineering studies and deployment of energy efficiency and deep  decarbonisation technologies. Funding is allocated through a competitive  process aimed at supporting the highest quality and most  transformational bids. The fund is open to a broad range of industrial  sectors and will support applicants based in England, Wales, and  Northern Ireland, both within and outside of industrial clusters. 


Location England, Wales, Northern Ireland

Funding organisation Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Who can apply Private Sector

How much can you get From £30,000 to £30 million

Total size of grant scheme £70 million

Opening date 30 May 2022, 11:00am

Closing date 9 September 2022, 3:00pm

Find out more

Kent County Council Business Grants

Kent and Medway Business Fund

The Kent and Medway Business Fund (KMBF) will open for online pre-applications on 29 October 2021. This scheme is funded by recycled loan payments from the former Regional Growth Fund schemes, Expansion East Kent, TIGER and Escalate. 


Offers 0% loans between £100,000 and £500,000 to fund capital investment for businesses in Kent and Medway 

Find out more

Innovation loans

 

The Innovation Investment Loan scheme (i3) is funded by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, Local Growth Fund, and has delivered up to £6 million in loans to local businesses.

The scheme offers 0% loans between £200,000 and £999,999 to small and medium sized businesses with the potential for innovation and high growth; to develop new or expand existing products, services, or processes, where these will lead to sustainable new employment.

The deadline for pre-applications closed on 7 December 2018. However, if you wish to register your interest in accessing future funding, complete the expression of interest form:

Find out more

EU funding

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A large number of European Union (EU) programmes offer financial support for projects helping to deliver economic, social or environmental benefits. Organisations in Kent can apply for funding for projects under many of these funding programmes.


To be eligible for EU funding, your organisation usually needs to have:


  • partners from at least 3 member states
  • match funding -  this means you need to provide a certain amount of financing yourself to match the contribution from the EU (the rate varies according to the programme but is typically around 50%)
  • pre-financing - funding payments are usually made in arrears so you would have to spend money before claiming back the EU contribution.


EU funding programmes operate in 7 year cycles. The current cycle runs from 2014 to 2020.

Find out more

No Use Empty

Bringing empty properties back into use since 2005 and creating new build homes from derelict sites since 2020.


The primary aim of the No Use Empty Initiative is to improve the physical urban environment in Kent, by bringing empty properties back into use as quality housing accommodation and to raise awareness of the issues surrounding empty properties, highlighting the problems they cause to local communities. 

Find out more

Start-Up Loans

A Start Up Loan is a government-backed personal loan available to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK.

In addition to finance, successful applicants receive 12 months of free mentoring and exclusive business offers to help them succeed.

The loan is unsecured, so there’s no need to put forward any assets or guarantors to support an application.

All owners or partners in a business can individually apply for up to £25,000 each, with a maximum of £100,000 available per business.

Find out more

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA)

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 The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) finds and funds exploitable innovation to support UK defence and security quickly and effectively, and to support UK prosperity. Its vision is for the UK to maintain its strategic advantage over its adversaries through the most innovative defence and security capabilities in the world. DASA is a cross-Government organisation, launched in December 2016 by the Secretary of State for Defence. 

 

To help UK defence and security maintain strategic advantage over its adversaries DASA aims to:

  • build an innovation network of government, private sector, academic and individual members for defence and security, including those who have never worked with us before.
  • understand the requirements of defence and security stakeholders and help them scout out, develop and exploit innovative ideas, inform decision making and find potential solutions to their challenges.
  • find, fund and support industry, embracing small and medium-sized enterprises and academia to develop their innovative ideas into exploitable products and services for defence and security customers.
  • experiment with novel methodology and innovative approaches to facilitate delivery of the best solutions.

Find out more

Low Carbon Kent

Low Carbon Kent is a network of businesses tackling and adapting to climate change. They aim to reduce costs by cutting emissions and promote the opportunities of the low carbon market.

Find out more

Low Carbon across the South and East

 We are delighted to announce that Locase has had our follow on programmes approved by HM Government. This means that they are in a position to help the South and East SMEs with grant funding (including those they have helped previously) right up until Spring 2023. 

This can be standard SMEs in the region who are looking at ‘green’ projects or LCREE/EGSS firms seeking grant funding for business development purposes, especially pertinent through COVID-19 adaptation. Maximum 40% ERDF grant contributions will remain at a limit of £10K with the minimum grant of £1K for qualifying projects. There is going to be plenty of funding available to help SMEs in this difficult transition time. 

Find out more

Green Recovery Vouchers

The Green Recovery voucher scheme will help small companies take advantage of environmental advice and services.

Businesses in Kent can apply for a voucher of up to £1,500 to implement an environmental project to help improve business sustainability, resilience and support economic recovery.

The funding is provided by the European Regional Development Fund

Find out more

UK subsidy control rules

 

From 1 January 2021, the provision of publicly funded business support, meaning grants and loans, are governed by the UK government’s international commitments on subsidy control. These include:


  • the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA)
  • other free trade agreements (FTA)
  • World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.


All new funding schemes we offer are designed around the obligations of the TCA, wider FTA and WTO rules and will be adapted as a new national framework, called the UK Subsidy Control Bill, is adopted later in 2022.


We will appraise each application based on their potential economic impact for Kent and that it meets our own funding priorities.


When you apply for funding, we will make an assessment to determine if the support is likely to be a subsidy. A subsidy is defined as a grant, tax break, loan, or other form of financial assistance paid from public resources. If it does, we will work with you to make sure any funding subsequently offered does not breach UK subsidy control rules. It is important that when you apply you provide full and accurate declarations in support of subsidy assessments.


We expect that in most cases financial assistance we offer to businesses:


  • if assessed as a subsidy will fall within the scope of Chapter 3 of Title XI of the TCA
  • if aid, within the scope of Article 10 of the NI Protocol
  • for awards of funding that include contributions from EU Structural Funds, within the scope of Article 138 of the UK-EU Withdrawal 
  • Agreement agreed on 17 October 2019 (as implemented by section 7A of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018).

Find out more

FUNDING FOR BUSINESS IN LONDON

Applying for Small Business Grants in London

 A range of grants are available in the London area for Not-for-Profit organisations and for business needs. There are many grants that are available nationally rather than merely assigned for just one geographic location. For local grants in the London area most are dispersed through the London Councils. The first port of call for grant funding is by going through this application process. 

LDA

 

This program provides information and advice along with business grants to business start-ups in London. The organisation is set up and funded through the (LDA). The LDA funds a whole host of projects throughout London and focuses on six main areas:


  1. Getting London Working
  2. Building Better Places in London
  3. Supporting London’s Business
  4. Investing in London’s Low Carbon Future
  5. Promoting London to the World.


The prevalence of these key areas gives some good indications of what is likely to be funded through the LDA.

London Co-Investment Fund

 

The London Co-Investment Fund is a managed fund, the managers and the founders are Funding London and Capital Enterprise. The fund’s feeding has come from the Mayor of London’s Growing Places Fund. The Co-Investment Fund has raised 25m from Growing Places. The purpose of the fund is the investment in seed rounds, estimated funding ranges from between £250,000-£1,000,000, which is led by the co-investment partners of the fund.


The objective of the fund is to enable the small businesses and start-ups who can raise funds to be able to raise considerably more. The purpose is so that they can gain more money, Time and resources to follow through with their business model. It is this influx of resources which allows the businesses to become well equipped to continue with further funding rounds. The goal for the fund is to rapidly empower the start-ups in technology to turn into London’s new tech leaders. The fund mainly invests in technology, predominately high growth areas. The rapid nature of the fund is perfect for tech start-ups who want to gain seed capital with the potential to earn more investment quickly.

Find out more

FUNDING FOR BUSINESS IN ESSEX

The Low Carbon Across the South and East (LoCASE) programme

The LoCASE programme provides grants for businesses of up to £10,000 as well as training workshops and fully funded events.

Targeted business support is on offer for companies who offer “green” or low carbon goods and services.

The Low Carbon Across the South and East (LoCASE) programme, supported by the European Regional Development Fund, is a free business support programme in the South and East. It can help your business to become more competitive and profitable while protecting the environment and encouraging low carbon solutions.

It provides grants for businesses of up to £10,000 as well as training workshops and fully funded events. Targeted business support is on offer for companies who offer “green” or low carbon goods and services.

For more information on the LoCASE programme and how it can help your business, visit the website.

LDA

 

This program provides information and advice along with business grants to business start-ups in London. The organisation is set up and funded through the (LDA). The LDA funds a whole host of projects throughout London and focuses on six main areas:


  1. Getting London Working
  2. Building Better Places in London
  3. Supporting London’s Business
  4. Investing in London’s Low Carbon Future
  5. Promoting London to the World.


The prevalence of these key areas gives some good indications of what is likely to be funded through the LDA.

London Co-Investment Fund

 

The London Co-Investment Fund is a managed fund, the managers and the founders are Funding London and Capital Enterprise. The fund’s feeding has come from the Mayor of London’s Growing Places Fund. The Co-Investment Fund has raised 25m from Growing Places. The purpose of the fund is the investment in seed rounds, estimated funding ranges from between £250,000-£1,000,000, which is led by the co-investment partners of the fund.


The objective of the fund is to enable the small businesses and start-ups who can raise funds to be able to raise considerably more. The purpose is so that they can gain more money, Time and resources to follow through with their business model. It is this influx of resources which allows the businesses to become well equipped to continue with further funding rounds. The goal for the fund is to rapidly empower the start-ups in technology to turn into London’s new tech leaders. The fund mainly invests in technology, predominately high growth areas. The rapid nature of the fund is perfect for tech start-ups who want to gain seed capital with the potential to earn more investment quickly.

Find out more

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This years charity is the Caldecott Foundation

Join us for a danceathon on 10th September to help raise money for this amazing charity.

Further information about our event coming soon!


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