Business Grants: A free source of funding to help your businesses grow.

There are many different types of business grants available. Some grants are specific to certain industries, such as manufacturing, technology, or healthcare. Other grants are specific to certain types of businesses, such as start-ups, small businesses, or women-owned businesses. However, many are open to all SME businesses and can be used for a variety of purposes, such as:

• Marketing and websites
• Carbon-saving measures, including solar, heating, lighting and EV chargers
• IT hardware and software
• Developing new products or services
• Business coaching and consultancy
• Upgrading premises

• Purchasing machinery and equipment
• Hiring new employees
• Training employees
• Accreditations
• Export

Simplifying access to Grant Funding

When considering accessing grant funding for your business, many are deterred by the process. It can appear complicated and time-consuming with no guarantees of success.

So why bother??

With the right advice and guidance, there are many benefits, including:

• Your business does not have to repay the grant funds.
• Grants help you bring expert support into the business and/or purchase the equipment and resources you need to grow your business.
• Grants can help you to achieve your business goals faster. With the funds provided by a grant, you can implement your project sooner or on a larger scale.
• Grants can give your business a competitive advantage. By using grant funding to invest in your business, you can outperform your competitors and gain a larger market share.

Here are some tips for finding and applying for business grants:

• Start your search early. Grants cannot be awarded retrospectively.
• Grants are rarely 100%; you will be expected to contribute around 50% of a project cost.
• Your project must have some economic benefit to your business, e.g. new jobs being created, new products or services being developed/launched, new markets being entered, increased productivity or  a reduction in carbon footprint.
• Work with a grant expert; they will know everything about the grant process and will save you a lot of time and stress in completing the application and greatly increase your chance of success.

Hull City Council and East Riding Council have launched new grant programmes in the last few months covering all of the areas mentioned above, and the Hull & Humber LEP has a large capital grant available.

Other regional and national grants are also available. Business grants can be a valuable source of funding for businesses of all sizes and can help accelerate growth. Grants can be used for most things a business needs, and as long as you are not a business in financial difficulty, you stand a very good chance of success.

If you have any further questions about business grants or require support with an application, please do not hesitate to contact me.

I have 18 years of experience in helping hundreds of businesses successfully apply for grants and offer clear and impartial advice.