Whether or not you’re a small enterprise proprietor or an aspiring entrepreneur, a money injection is rarely a foul factor.
Elevating finance is an important stage in beginning a enterprise, so a grant could possibly be the very factor that kickstarts or revives your enterprise – serving to you buy the instruments, tools or providers you want for operations, or just because the essential backing to attain what you are promoting targets.
Whereas beginning your personal enterprise is perhaps a tricky gig proper now, particularly given inflation, the cost-of-living disaster and financial uncertainty, the variety of new companies has elevated considerably over time, with roughly 5.5 million UK companies recorded as of January 2024.
Plus, these days there are a lot of forms of enterprise finance and funding to think about. One of the crucial in style routes is enterprise grants, and there are many schemes on the market to use for. On this article, we’ll offer you an outline of grants that might work for what you are promoting and what you are able to do to get your palms on them.
💡Key takeaways
You need to take the time to totally analysis the grant that’s the very best match for what you are promoting.
Guarantee you’ve gotten a detailed and up-to-date marketing strategy prepared for the appliance course of.
You must also be sure you have your earlier firm accounts prepared, and an define of why what you are promoting qualifies for that particular grant.
With the intention to stand the very best likelihood of successful the grant you must apply as quickly as attainable, as some function on a first-come, first-served foundation.
What’s a small enterprise grant?
Small enterprise grants are a sum of cash given to entrepreneurs and enterprise homeowners, both by the federal government or non-public organisations. Not like a enterprise mortgage, you gained’t need to pay curiosity, give away fairness of your organization, and even pay again the cash in any respect. Nevertheless, most enterprise grants are nonetheless topic to tax.
With this, you may spend money on all of the necessities you want for what you are promoting operations, together with training, supplies, workers, coaching or tools.
Kinds of enterprise grants
There are a number of forms of enterprise grants accessible, together with:
- Direct grants: these present the money sum on to the enterprise, although it could need to be allotted to a particular challenge or initiative.
- Useful resource and coaching grants: presents sources comparable to coaching and mentorship, to assist assist a enterprise’s progress and improvement.
- Inexperienced grants: a sum of cash given to a enterprise to assist the implementation of environmentally pleasant practices and lowering carbon footprint.
- Smooth loans: not technically a grant because it must be paid again, however are identified to supply extra beneficiant compensation phrases in comparison with conventional banks.
Options to enterprise grants
Undecided whether or not a grant is the best choice for you? Fortunately, there are a lot of different choices you may discover to get funding for what you are promoting. Take a look at our article on sources of enterprise finance for every thing it’s essential know.
Enterprise grants for girls
For years, the gender funding hole has created boundaries for girls searching for to entry finance for his or her enterprise ventures. In 2024, it was reported that women-led corporations obtained simply 5.8% of all investments, whereas a major proportion of funding went to male-founded corporations, together with angel buyers, non-public fairness and enterprise capital.
In gentle of this disparity, a number of organisations have began providing grants, particularly for feminine founders, to assist them acquire a leg up within the enterprise capital panorama. We’ve highlighted 4 of them under.
Feminine Founders Fund
Feminine Founders Fund is a seed-stage enterprise fund that invests completely in ladies founders and accepts purposes all yr spherical. To use, merely fill out the software type and submit your enterprise pitch.
Astia
Working for twenty-five years, Astia is a enterprise capital agency that invests in women-led companies – accepting purposes all yr spherical for corporations that function in high-growth industries. You’ll be able to simply apply for consideration by way of Astia’s on-line portal.
Innovate UK (Ladies TechEU Award)
Innovate UK presents a number of funding alternatives by way of a number of completely different programmes. For ladies-led companies within the tech business, purposes are actually open for the Ladies TechEU Award, by which 160 winners will obtain €75,000 (round £62,000), in addition to a personalised improvement programme. Functions are open till March seventeenth, 2025.
Anita Borg Institute
Whereas it isn’t technically a grant organisation, the Anita Borg Institute celebrates feminine founders within the tech business. There are three major programmes companies can apply for – the Abie Awards, Move It On Awards and PitcHER. Winners of those awards can win as much as $50,000 (round £40,000) in funding.
Functions for 2025 are but to be introduced, however you will discover out extra in regards to the awards programmes right here.
Cartier Ladies’s Initiative
The Cartier Ladies’s Initiative helps female-founded organisations by way of a number of enterprise grants. Its major award programmes embody the Impression Awards, Regional Awards and the Science & Expertise Pioneer Award. Functions shall be open from April 18 to June 24, however you will discover out extra in regards to the awards right here.
HATCH assist programmes
HATCH helps underrepresented entrepreneurs, together with feminine founders, in growing the important data and abilities wanted to begin a enterprise. It presents three programmes – Launchpad, Incubator and Accelerator. When you graduate from a Hatch programme, chances are you’ll be entitled to use for funding by way of its grant fund.
Enterprise grants for younger folks
The UK is residence to some extraordinary younger entrepreneurial expertise, and their urge for food for beginning a enterprise is catching. In keeping with analysis by Enterprise Nation, 54% of younger adults aged between 18 and 24 had been contemplating turning into entrepreneurs in 2024, equalling two million people with comparable ambitions. These are the highest small enterprise grants accessible for entrepreneurs aged 30 or below.
The King’s Belief Enterprise Programme
The King’s Belief Enterprise Programme has helped over 91,000 younger folks to begin their very own companies. Its programme consists of one-to-one assist, making a marketing strategy, interactive workshops and the chance to use for a Check My Enterprise Thought grant of as much as £500. From there, you may apply for extra funding of as much as £30,000 to cowl startup prices. You will get began immediately on The King’s Belief web site.
The YOUNG EDGE competitors
Should you’re a younger entrepreneur primarily based in Scotland, the YOUNG EDGE competitors could also be price looking for. With a mission to find and fund new entrepreneurial expertise, YOUNG EDGE presents aspiring entrepreneurs below 30 the prospect to win an award of as much as £15,000. Functions for Spherical 25 are actually open till February twenty seventh.
The SWEF Enterprise Fund
In partnership with Group Basis NI, The SWEF Enterprise Fund goals to assist 500 younger entrepreneurs a yr in growing their companies. The fund presents entrepreneurs aged 18-30 grants of as much as £2,000 to launch their enterprise and in addition presents assist and recommendation to construct important abilities. You’ll be able to apply for SWEF funding by way of its on-line portal.
Neath Port Talbot Innov8 Programme
For younger entrepreneurs primarily based in Port Talbot, Wales, the Innov8 Programme supplies assist in beginning, growing or rising a enterprise. In addition to a grant of as much as £10,000 for prices like advertising and marketing and tools, it additionally presents enterprise planning, tailor-made assist and ongoing mentorship for current companies. Learn how to use right here.
Enterprise grants for social entrepreneurs
Grant programmes are sometimes focused in direction of socially impactful companies that goal to sort out society’s largest challenges. Listed here are a couple of grants which might be open to social affect startups:
Large Problem Make investments Impression Loans
The funding arm of The Large Problem presents mushy loans between £20,000 and £200,000 (or as much as £400,000 in some circumstances) to assist social enterprises and charities develop. To use, merely register your curiosity on-line. From there, a member of Large Problem’s funding workforce will contact you to find out your eligibility and offer you an software type.
Make investments Impression Fund
Large Problem and UnLtd have teamed as much as type the Make investments Impression Fund, by which entrepreneurs can get hold of mushy loans as much as £1,500,000. It additionally presents companies the selection between three funding varieties – fairness, income share and affected person debt. Funding from Make investments Impression might be requested by way of its on-line software type.
Large Problem Make investments Social Impression Debt Fund IV
Launched in September 2023, this fund is geared toward corporations tackling the UK’s housing and social care disaster. Eligible companies can apply on-line for loans price between £1 million and £4 million.
UnLtd Beginning Up Award
Supporting socially-conscious companies, UnLtd’s Beginning Up Award presents as much as £8,000 for social enterprises which might be of their early levels and haven’t began buying and selling but. You’ll be able to apply by creating an UnLtd account and finishing an software type from there.
UnLtd Scaling Up Award
On the flip facet, UnLtd’s Scaling Up Award presents social ventures as much as £18,000 in funding if the enterprise has been buying and selling for over a yr (promoting items and providers). As with the Beginning Up software course of, you’ll must create an UnLtd account and full an software type from there.
Kilos for Objective
Kilos for Objective is a social enterprise fund below the property administration firm Firstport. Designed for socially aware younger entrepreneurs, Kilos for Objective presents as much as £500 for Scottish-based people who want to discover a enterprise thought to deal with social points. You’ll be able to apply for a grant by way of its on-line portal.
Key Fund
This social funding fund is designed to assist social enterprises, charities and group companies that goal to create a constructive social affect. It supplies investments between £5,000 and £30,000 and works to assist organisations that will wrestle to entry conventional finance, notably these working in deprived communities. Entrepreneurs can apply on-line at any time of the yr.
Assist for unemployed entrepreneurs
With job losses and office redundancies on the rise in 2025 – pushed by financial pressures like growing Nationwide Insurance coverage Contributions (NICs) – many are turning to entrepreneurship as a strategy to regain monetary stability. The truth is, 24% of startups cite job loss as their major motivator, in keeping with the Startups 100 for 2025 survey.
The Startups Loans UK fund is a viable possibility for funding, providing low-interest loans as much as £25,000 with 12 months of free mentoring. Many native councils additionally present startup grants to assist kickstart what you are promoting. Relying in your space, native councils can provide a very good quantity of funding, in addition to workshops, networking alternatives and advisory providers to assist new entrepreneurs.
You will discover a complete listing of grants accessible utilizing the federal government’s enterprise finance assist finder device.
Enterprise grants for folks of color
Within the UK, solely 0.24% of enterprise capital was allotted to non-white founders within the final decade. Regardless of the rising recognition of the necessity for range in enterprise, many minority-led startups wrestle to safe the funding wanted to develop. Luckily, there are grants and funding initiatives which were established to assist entrepreneurs of color. Listed here are some key choices accessible.
Black Seed Ventures
With a mission to deal with the funding hole for black founders within the UK, Black Seed Ventures presents seed funding of as much as £400,000 completely for black-owned companies. Because the winner of the Variety, Inclusion and Fairness (DEI) Award for the Startups 100 for 2025 Index, Black Seed specialises in supporting early-stage Black entrepreneurs with the funding they should launch their companies. You’ll be able to submit your pitch by way of the Black Seed web site.
The Black Artists Grant
Funded by Inventive Debuts, The Black Artists Grant (BAG) supplies small, unrestricted awards of £500 per thirty days to assist Black artists with residing bills, artwork provides, challenge improvement or the rest they should maintain their inventive observe. Entries are accepted all year long on its on-line software type.
The Black Funding Community
The Black Funding Community (BFN) is an initiative devoted to supporting Black-founded and Black-led non-profit organisations. Working as a group of people and establishments, BFN organises reside crowdfunding occasions all year long, the place chosen entrants current their tasks to potential donors. You’ll be able to submit your software by way of BFN’s on-line portal.
Enterprise grants for Scotland, Wales and Northern Eire
Should you’re operating a enterprise in Scotland, Wales or Northern Eire, you would possibly need to slender down your search to grants particularly for companies in these international locations. Beneath is an inventory of obtainable grants in every nation.
Scotland
- Tradition & Enterprise Fund Scotland: supplies match funding to cultural tasks. C&BS is at present growing a brand new software system, however you will discover out extra about it right here. Functions are open till March 31.
- Regional Selective Help (RSA): a discretionary grant aiming to encourage capital funding and job creation in Tier 2 and three areas. Companies can enquire about purposes right here.
- SMART: SCOTLAND: a analysis and improvement (R&D) fund particularly for revolutionary, high-risk startups. The utmost grant is £100,000. Companies can enquire about purposes right here.
- Scottish EDGE: a contest by which entrants can win as much as £100,000 on a break up grant/mortgage foundation. Spherical 25 of purposes are open till February 27. You have to to create a Scottish EDGE account earlier than you may apply.
- Inventive Scotland: a nationwide public physique that helps and funds the humanities, display and inventive industries in Scotland, distributing funding from the Scottish authorities and the Nationwide Lottery. There are a number of funding programmes accessible you may apply for.
- Higher Enterprise Finance (BBF): helps companies discover appropriate financing by providing steering on loans, grants and various funding options. Companies may apply for enterprise finance right here.
Additionally, relying on the place you’re primarily based, you might be able to apply for grants provided by the Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and your native council. You will discover enterprise assist on the Scottish authorities web site, or try our listing of enterprise grants accessible in Scotland.
Wales
- ReAct+: presents as much as £4,000, paid out in quarterly instalments, to companies that recruit a brand new worker who’s disabled and has been made redundant within the final 6 months. You’ll be able to submit an software type right here.
- Particular Regeneration Fund: companies primarily based in Bridgend can apply for grants that cowl 40% of eligible capital challenge prices. Companies can obtain as much as £25,000, excluding value-added tax (VAT). Learn how to use right here.
- Blaenau Gwent – Kickstart Plus: a joint initiative funded by UK Metal Enterprise and administered by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council. The funds assist companies as much as three years previous and provide a most of £2,500 in funding. You’ll be able to register your curiosity right here.
- Caerphilly Enterprise Startup Grant: a versatile grant scheme that helps residents of Caerphilly County Borough to begin a enterprise, however can’t entry different sources of funding. It supplies as much as 50% of eligible challenge prices to a most of £500. Learn how to use right here.
- Caerphilly Enterprise Fund: helps Caerphilly-based sole merchants, partnerships, restricted corporations, restricted legal responsibility partnerships and group teams. Affords a most grant of £2,000 at an intervention price of fifty%. Learn how to use right here.
- Newport Enterprise Grants: presents grants of as much as £2,500 in direction of 50% of internet prices for companies exterior the town centre Enterprise Enchancment District (BID) space and as much as £5,000 for these primarily based within the metropolis centre. Learn how to use right here.
The Welsh authorities presents a information to monetary help and grants on its web site, with Enterprise Wales being the principle assist service for entrepreneurs trying to increase funding. You should utilize the Enterprise Wales finance locator to search out grant choices which might be best for you or get an outline of the choices accessible in our information to enterprise grants in Wales.
Northern Eire
- Whiterock Progress Finance Fund: fund administration firm Whiterock presents small companies and SMEs business loans between £500,000 and £2 million to fund progress. You’ll be able to apply by contacting the corporate right here.
- Abilities Development Grant: small companies which might be prospects of Make investments NI can apply for a 50% low cost on worker coaching prices as much as £15,000. The grant is offered for 18 months solely. You’ll be able to apply by contacting NI Make investments right here.
- Funding Fund For Northern Eire (IFNI): an funding fund that gives as much as £5 million in fairness loans for early-stage and progress companies. You’ll be able to apply by contacting the IFNI right here.
- NI Small Enterprise Mortgage Fund: presents as much as £100,000 for current companies, and as much as £15,000 for startups. To use, merely full the on-line software type.
- From Scholar to First Sale (FS2FS): for those who’re a college graduate with a viable enterprise thought, FS2FS presents a £15,000 grant that will help you arrange for self-employment. Solely accessible to people who’ve graduated within the final six months and are working with the scholars’ union enterprise assist service. You’ll be able to apply by contacting NI Make investments right here.
- Enterprise Innovation Grant (BIG): presents monetary assist as much as £20,000, with the goal to assist small companies and SMEs develop and launch new merchandise, providers or processes to the market. You’ll be able to apply by contacting NI Make investments right here.
Enterprise Eire is the federal government company liable for supporting Irish companies together with Northern Eire. A spread of grant assist might be discovered right here, the place you may seek for grants by your stage of enterprise improvement. You can too go to NI Direct’s enterprise assist web page for additional enterprise help providers.
What do it’s essential get a enterprise grant?
Every grant may have a unique software course of, with completely different entry standards and necessities to fulfil. However, as with most potential enterprise alternatives, the reward is definitely worth the effort.
It’s necessary that you simply take the time to analysis to search out the grant that most closely fits what you are promoting. You don’t need to apply for a scheme you’re merely not suited to or eligible for, because it’ll solely waste the time it’s essential discover the suitable one.
However when you’ve discovered an appropriate grant, you can begin the method of attempting to acquire it. To your finest shot through the software course of, you must have:
- An in depth and up-to-date marketing strategy
- A transparent spending plan
- Earlier firm accounts, which you’ll be able to obtain out of your accounting software program
- An overview of why what you are promoting qualifies for the grant
Suggestions for making use of for a enterprise grant
To maximise your probabilities of securing a grant and beating the competitors, you’ll must be ready, keep organised and carry on prime of deadlines. Listed here are some prime ideas that will help you nail your software:
- Apply ASAP: be sure you’re frequently keeping track of deadlines and software home windows, as many grants function on a first-come, first-served foundation.
- Keep organised with challenge administration instruments: making use of for grants entails juggling deadlines, paperwork and stakeholder communications. That’s why utilizing good challenge administration software program may help you observe key dates, set reminders and make sure you don’t miss any essential steps.
- Contact somebody from the awarding physique: this fashion, you may get personalised recommendation in case something goes unsuitable together with your software.
- Contemplate hiring a grant advisor: that is somebody who may help you discover the grants finest fitted to you. Nevertheless, some our bodies gained’t let a 3rd get together apply for you, so make certain to verify the grant’s guidelines earlier than searching for exterior assist.
- Take note of the grant’s targets: this may assist you be clear on how you’ll use the cash to fulfil these particular targets.
- Be sincere: if it’s essential bend the details about what you are promoting to suit with the grant’s standards, it’s not the suitable grant for you.
The knowledge on this article is appropriate as of February 2025.
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