|
This list shows the list of grants available nationally. In addition you must look at the regional sections for Wales, Northern Ireland and England where there are specific and unique grants targeted to local areas.
the prince’s trust test marketing grants
£250. Applicants have to be aged 18-30 unemployed or working less than 16 hours per week and living in England or Northern Ireland. Other discretionary grants up to £1,500 available for those with no more than five GCSEs and no other funding.
Loans also available including a low interest loan of up to £4,000 for a sole trader, or up to £5,000 for a partnership, advice from a business mentor.
www.princes-trust.org.uk
0800 842842
crisis changing lives programme
Maximum £2,000 for those working with support worker and earning less than £15,000 (£18,000 in London).
www.crisis.org.uk
0870 011 3335
co-operative research projects
Up to £35,000. Discretionary awards of 50% of total costs for those who lack adequate research facilities. Must work with at least two partners from member or associated EU states.
www.betatechnology.co.uk
01302 322 633
engineers global research awards
Up to £35,000. To assist engineers carrying out research and development projects in centres of excellence overseas. UK based engineers may apply.
www.raeng.org.uk
020 7227 0500
international travel grants
Up to 50% of approved costs for engineering researchers in the UK to make study visits overseas – e.g. attend conferences or summer schools or field visits. www.raeng.org.uk
crafts council development award
Up to £2,500. Assistance for those at the start of their creative career. Maintenance grants up to £2,500 and equipment grants up to 50% of costs up to £5,000.
www.craftscouncil.org.uk
020 7278 7700
new entrepreneur scholarships (NES)
Max £1500 for equipment, rent and office supplies. For those who have a business idea but have not started trading.
www.nfea.com
01234 831623
starter for six grants
Up to £10,000. Business skills training and support for budding entrepreneurs in Scotland. The training, support and grant programme is for those with an innovative business idea in science, technology and the arts.
Starter for Six is a new enterprise support programme run by NESTA and supported by Six Cities Design Festival and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Nesta will support up to 20 entrepreneurs per year from each of our Starter for 6 regions by turning promising ideas into commercial successes. Participants receive training and support, chance to bid for an early-stage investment grant of up to £10,000, business coaching and £250 on completion of the four days initial training to cover expenses.
small business loan scheme from the royal british legion loans
Loans up to £5,000 to help new business start up for ex-Service people who are eligible for Ordinary Membership of the Royal British Legion and are starting a business in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. Upper age limit 60 and it must be a new business. Royal British Legion
payroll giving grants
The Payroll Giving Grants programme rewards small and medium sized organisations that set up Payroll Giving with a grant of up to £500. As an incentive to get involved the first £10 of each employee’s monthly donations will be matched, pound-for-pound, for a period of six months
Payroll Giving enables employees to give to any UK charity straight from their gross salary (before tax is deducted), giving immediate tax relief on those donations. This means that £10 donated each month costs only £7.80 for employees paying standard rate tax (£6 for higher rate taxpayers) and will be worth as much as £20 to the charity (courtesy of the Government matching scheme for the first six months of donations).
It aims to boosting your social responsibility profile, enhance community involvement programmes and improve staff recruitment and retention.
selective finance for investment
Minimum £10,000. Investment projects that will increase productivity, skills and employment. Available to SMEs in assisted areas. (See DTI for assisted areas). 10%-15% of project costs (minimum £10,000 grant).
Financial assistance is available to businesses located in Assisted Areas for investment projects leading to improvement in productivity, skills and employment. The majority of support will be focused on high-quality, innovative, knowledge-based projects that provide skilled jobs. This includes:
• establish a new business;
• expand/modernize/rationalise an existing business;
• set up research and development facilities and enable businesses to take the next step from development to production.
Projects must meet the following criteria:
• Be located in an Assisted Area
• The grant must be necessary to enable the project to go ahead.
• The project must involve expenditure on fixed assets (property, plant and machinery).
• The project must create new jobs or safeguard existing employment. The more the project increases skills the better.
MEDIA plus
50% of eligible costs. Support for audiovisual works from the European Commission Suitable for organizations that produce and distribute audiovisual works or run audiovisual training programmes. Money available for distribution and development of European audiovisual works and to boost production companies. The types of works included are fiction, creative documentaries, animated films and multimedia. Also finance for media training to support vocational training programmes to instruct audiovisual-industry professionals in business management, scriptwriting techniques, new technologies, etc.
ETF start-up facility contribution
Funding to venture capital funds and business incubators in the EU.
Funding given of 25% of funds. The aim of this scheme is to support the establishment and financing of SMEs in their start-up phase. Invests in relevant specialized venture capital funds and supports the establishment and development of business incubators.
The scheme will contribute to the funds raised by the venture capital fund or the business incubator in question. Grant support to help develop technologically innovative products. Individuals, small or medium-sized businesses apply for £20,000 to £100,000 depending on the project.
Individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can apply for a grant towards the costs of research and development of technologically innovative products and processes. The types of projects which can be funded are:
• Micro Projects are simple, low-cost development projects lasting no longer than 12 months. The result of the project should be a simple prototype of a new or innovative product or process. A grant of up to £20,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
• Research Projects will involve planned research or investigation lasting between 6 and 18 months. The result of the project could be new scientific or technical knowledge that may be useful in developing a new product or process. A grant of up to £75,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
• Development Projects involve the shaping of industrial research into a pre-production prototype of a technologically innovative product or industrial process. A grant of up to £200,000 is available for businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
• Exceptional Projects involve technology developments of higher costs. These projects are likely to generate much wider economic benefits and must be strategically important for a technology or industrial sector. A grant of up to £500,000 is available to SMEs with a qualifying project. The European Commission
business challenges link fund
G
rants of between £50,000 and £1,000,000, on a match-funding basis.
Grant support for developing business links in overseas countries from Department for International Development (DFID)
Businesses registered in one of the Fund’s countries of operation (UK, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa and Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent in the Caribbean). Objectives of developing commercially sustainable business links in developing countries, which will bring benefits to the poor of that country.
The Fund encourages and supports the formation of business partnerships in developing countries. These partnerships must bring enhanced competitiveness and generate clear benefits for the poor.
Grants will be given to cover costs associated with the development and implementation of the partnership - for example, fees for transfer and use of related skills, costs of linkage establishment, costs of travel and accommodation, costs of licensing, royalties, franchising, training course fees and secondment costs, brochures and related promotion costs, costs for quality and standards improvements, relevant legal fees, costs of certification and patenting, fees for external TA, costs of strengthening of communications and I.T., fees for setting up web-pages, costs of implementation of employment codes and improved labour conditions, etc.
Partnerships could include the following: management contracts, marketing agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, large-small firm procurement, outsourcing, agreements between private sector enterprises and civil society organisations linked to "alternative trade" solutions, agreements between intermediaries and government to form advocacy groups, forums and councils, agreements between service providers to introduce external business and human resource development skills.
More info: Department for International Development (DFID)
enterprise grant
15 % of costs to a maximum of £75,000 for small businesses. Grant to help with the cost of capital investment for SMEs.
The scheme aims to help small and medium sized businesses in Enterprise Grant Areas to make capital investments in their business that would not otherwise go ahead. Projects can involve expanding, modernizing or restructuring an existing business or setting up a new business. Only projects that offer good prospects for a sustainable business development and maximize the economic benefits for regions will be eligible for a grant.
The amount of Enterprise Grant depends on the needs of the project. Small businesses can receive grant up to 15% gross of fixed capital costs up to a maximum grant of £75,000. Medium-sized businesses can receive up to 7.5% gross of fixed capital costs (but may receive up to 15% gross in the Assisted Areas) up to a maximum grant of £75,000. In eligible areas outside of Assisted Areas, the maximum grant is limited to £37,500.
Businesses may apply for more than one Enterprise Grant up to a combined grant maximum total of £75,000.
investigating innovative ideas
75% of project costs maximum grant will be £12,000. This scheme aims to help businesses or individuals who wish to develop an innovative product, process or service, but are not sure whether they are ready to take it forward successfully.
Potential applicants will identify what they need to do to succeed, by undertaking a diagnostic analysis with a chosen mentor/consultant prior to submitting an application. This analysis will highlight weaknesses or barriers to successful implementation of the innovative idea and will form the basis of the application for grant. The outcome will be an action plan for successful implementation of the innovative idea.
The grant will be 75% of the project mentor/consultancy costs on the condition that the business spends at least twice as many days working on the project as the mentor/consultant. The maximum grant will be £12,000 but only the largest and most complex projects will be approved at this level. Most grants will be between £2,500 and £7,000.
NESTA fellowship awards
From £3,000 to £75,000 to support for excellence in sciences, arts and technology in the UK.
NESTA´s Fellowship programme supports exceptionally talented and innovative people, and enables them to pursue a programme of personal creative development. Awardees come from all branches of the sciences, arts and technology. Many work where different disciplines meet and where some of the most exciting developments are happening. All are linked by a desire to explore new ideas, take a fresh perspective or develop innovative ways of working.
Support might include training, personal development, travel and an alternative to other income. Can last up to five years which gives time to research and test out new ideas, and time to reflect.
Fellowship awards are made available to people who have established a record of achievement at the highest level in their field and are now looking to extend their work in a new direction. Consideration is given to the person and their proposal for their excellence, promise, creativity, originality, usefulness and commitment.
More info: NESTA
rural enterprise scheme (RES)
Defra Support for projects which help rural economies and communities.
Farmers, Rural Businesses, Rural Community Groups can apply for grants are available, ranging from 15% to 100% of project costs. The primary aim is to help farmers adapt to changing markets and develop new business opportunities. Eligible projects include setting up of farm relief and farm management services, marketing of agricultural products; basic services for the rural economy and population; renovation, diversification, development of infrastructure, tourist and craft activities, protection of the environment in connection with agriculture, forestry and landscape conservation, and also improvement of animal welfare.
More info: Defra
HGCA enterprise awards
Up to £50,000 from Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA).
The HGCA Enterprise Awards support businesses with ideas for developing cereal or oilseed based food and drink products. The scheme is supported by Food from Britain and the Meat and Livestock Commission.
Businesses of all sizes using cereals (wheat, barley, oats, and rye) or oilseeds at any stage of production can apply and eligible products range across many sectors.
The money can be used to finance most aspects of developing new products and markets from the planning and research stages right through to public launches and promotional campaigns.
ARTS grants
Artists and businesses can apply for Match funding of between £500 and £50,000 to promote the arts in individual businesses. The idea is to help business try something new with the arts.
The aim is to promote the arts into individual businesses and to increase business investment in the arts and help foster sustainable and multi-faceted partnerships between business and the arts. Businesses and arts organisations that want to get involved can apply for a grant to help with the costs of the project. Arts & Business
culture 2000
Cultural organizations can claim up to 60% of costs for projects that will promote mutual knowledge of the culture and history of the peoples of Europe, recognize culture as an economic factor and improve access to culture amongst other things.
More info: The European Commission
new cinema fund
Funding between 15% and 50% to support the costs of making new and innovative feature films for limited company film makers. Aims to encourage innovation, new talent and "cutting edge" filmmaking. Strong commitment to supporting work from the regions and from black, Asian and other ethnic minorities.
More info: UK Film Council
construction CITB grant scheme
The CITB Grant Scheme allows companies to claim grant to pay for training and development. Funds are gathered through the CITB Levy and a number of other initiatives within the industry. Two types of grant are available: Qualifying the workforce grants and developing the workforce grants.
Grants are made available for apprenticeships, upskilling, construction Plant Competence Scheme work Experience, technical grants, chartered Institute of Building Modules; Health & Safety, Investors in People, on site Assessment & Training CITB Construction Skills
leonardo support
For vocational training projects - 50% and 100% of eligible expenditure.
This programme aims to develop the skills of people (especially young people), in vocational training; to improve the quality of vocational training; to promote the contribution of vocational training systems to the innovation process and to improve competitiveness and entrepreneurship.
The types of projects that will be supported will be those that promote:
mobility (enabling beneficiaries to undergo training or take part in a traineeship abroad);
pilot projects designed to promote innovation and quality; language skills;
and the development of reference material.
grants for agricultural related training
Up to 75% of training costs available to farmers, growers, and training providers.
the carbon trust
Between £20k and £250k to innovative projects that demonstrate a potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
R&D and Capital Grants between £20k and 250k
From: Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). To support for recycling businesses.
track access grant
Amount depends on value of environmental benefits and financial needs.
Support with revenue costs of moving goods by rail or inland waterway instead of by road. Available to companies wishing to move freight by rail or inland waterway.
More info: Strategic Rail Authority
freight facilities grant
Support with the capital costs of moving goods by rail or inland waterway instead of by road.
Any company wishing to move freight by rail or inland waterway can apply and the amount of grant offered will depend on the value of the environmental benefits and the need for grant as demonstrated in the financial case. FFG will help offset the capital costs of providing rail freight handling facilities. It is also available to help companies re-invest in existing rail freight facilities.
More info: Strategic Rail Authority.
solar grants
To help with the costs of installing solar electricity equipment. Can apply for 40% - 65% of installation costs. Available to domestic householders, SMEs, Not-for Profit organisations.
More info: Energy Saving Trust
powershift
Grants to help individuals and businesses with purchase of, and the conversion to clean fuel vehicles. Grants range from 40% to 75% of the additional cost of the clean vehicle compared to the equivalent conventional fuel vehicle.
The programme, through government grants and assistance, aims to create the conditions for clean fuel vehicles to be practically and economically viable. All applicants seeking grant funding for clean fuel vehicles must choose vehicles that appear on the PowerShift Register. Grants are available to help with the purchase of approved vehicles running on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas and electricity (including hybrids).
outward missions programme
Travel grants up to £1,000 per representative for travel to promote the export of goods and services
Outward Missions provide practical and financial help for UK businesses travelling as part of a group to markets outside Western Europe, to promote UK goods and services. It includes travel grants, UK Trade & Investment assistance help from a UK Trade & Investment accredited organizer in arranging a travel package, security and support of travelling in a group.
From: UK Trade & Investment
UK trade & investment
Up to £20,000 per research projects (with limitations) for support for marketing research into exports. The scheme is open to UK companies with less than, 500 employees, wishing to research specific overseas markets for their own products or services.
UK companies with less than, 500 employees can apply.
This scheme is managed by the Association of British Chambers of Commerce on behalf of TradePartners UK. It is designed to encourage the conduct and use of marketing research as an integral part of export strategy.
There are three main categories of marketing research for which help is available:
• In-house: Support is available for overseas marketing research studies conducted by a member of staff. This does not apply to projects in the European Union. The scheme pays for 50% of the cost of essential travel and interpreters fees, plus a daily allowance for one researcher and a contribution towards administration costs.
• Consultancy: Support for overseas projects conducted by a professional marketing research consultant. 50% of the total project cost can be claimed.
• Published Market Research: Support for the purchase of published, commercially available reports. This can also accommodate customized desk research projects conducted by professional marketing research consultants. The scheme provides for 30% of the cost of purchasing a report or commissioning a customized desk research project.
The maximum amount of support available to an eligible company for ad-hoc research is £60,000 of which, no more than £40,000 is available in any one year. The maximum support available for any one project is £20,000; the minimum is £100.
More info: Association of British Chambers of Commerce
export market research scheme
Subsidized international press release service from UK Trade & Investment Available to existing or potential British exporters. £100 for the first targeted country, and £50 for each subsequent country
This is an international press release support scheme, designed to help exporters get coverage in the overseas trade press for new and innovative British products, processes and services. This will helps businesses generate business, find agents or distributors, and assess whether a market is worth further investment or investigation.
The service provides:
• A professionally written press release and photo caption;
• Translation into the language(s) of the country of choice;
• Multiple copies of a photograph illustrating the product or service, from an original supplied;
• Despatch of the press release and picture to a British diplomatic post in the market(s) of choice;
• Distribution to appropriate sections of the printed media by specialists at the post;
• Publication of information from the press releases depends on foreign editors judging a story to be newsworthy.
The service is offered at a subsidized rate of £100 for the first targeted country and £50 for each subsequent one.
Products or services must be British, or have added value above any imported element of at least 60%, and be new (i.e. not previously publicized) to the market(s) selected.
project grants
Three year-project grant awards approx £150k to £300k for clinical science research. Individuals working on research projects in Universities.
This scheme provides funding for high-quality projects, in the basic and clinical sciences, that are relevant to human and animal health. Applications should be from the following categories:
• hypothesis-driven research projects;
• development of technologies, drugs, vaccines or biological resources;
• modest applications to carry out pilot studies.
Support can be requested for up to three years.
Research expenses can include salaries for research assistants and/or technicians, materials and consumables, the purchase and maintenance of animals, the purchase and maintenance of equipment and collaborative travel. The Wellcome Trust
Collaborative Research & Development. Grant support for between 25% and 75% of R&D costs for technologically innovative products and processes. Any business can apply.
Collaborative R&D aims to get industry engaging with the research community, exploring ideas that are at an early stage of development, with a view to eventual commercialization. Collaborative R&D will do this by encouraging partnerships between businesses. Projects that develop technologically innovative products and processes may be supported. Supported projects should:
• Exploit basic research with the manufacturing and/or service sectors;
• Have potential economic, social or environmental benefits.
research and development tax credit
Tax relief for expenditure on research & development for SMEs Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credits for SMEs were introduced in 2000 to encourage small firms to invest in research and development. Under this scheme a company can increase the amount that it deducts for qualifying R&D spending by calculating its profits for tax purposes at 150%.
A company that is not in profit can surrender its qualifying R&D losses (including the R&D tax relief) to the Exchequer in exchange for a cash payment, worth 24% of the spending on R&D. This is called the payable R&D tax credit. The Inland Revenue makes the payment.
R&D tax relief and the payable R&D tax credit can also be claimed by a company even though it has not started to trade for tax purposes.
grant for research and development
Grant support to help develop technologically innovative products for individuals and SMEs - £20,000 to £100,000 depending on the project.
The types of projects which can be funded are:
• Micro Projects are simple, low-cost development projects lasting no longer than 12 months. The result of the project should be a simple prototype of a new or innovative product or process. A grant of up to £20,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 10 employees.
• Research Projects will involve planned research or investigation lasting between 6 and 18 months. The result of the project could be new scientific or technical knowledge that may be useful in developing a new product or process. A grant of up to £75,000 is available to businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
• Development Projects involve the shaping of industrial research into a pre-production prototype of a technologically innovative product or industrial process. A grant of up to £200,000 is available for businesses with fewer than 250 employees.
• Exceptional Projects involve technology developments of higher costs. These projects are likely to generate much wider economic benefits and must be strategically important for a technology or industrial sector. A grant of up to £500,000 is available to SMEs with a qualifying project.
science engineering technology grants
50% of project costs for business research in the sports and leisure industry.
The Sports SET Network aims to improve the competitiveness of the UK sports product sector through collaboration research, technology transfer and networking.
Grants are available for UK companies to fund research and development projects with a UK research institution. Up to 50% of the total project cost can be funded, with the remaining amount provided by the company as cash, materials or in kind contribution of manpower.
Grants can be used to:
• Develop new products with expert knowledge and resources;
• Take an existing product and improve it;
• Analyze a product to further understanding;
• Investigate new materials or apply new technologies.
More info: Sports SET Network
econtent promoting digital information across europe
50% of project costs. Organisations involved in digital content activities. i.e. Content creators and owners in private and public sectors; Packagers and designers; Language and customization players; Publishers and distributors; Net services companies; Rights trading actors; Capital market players; Experts and market enablers.
The eContent programme supports the production, use and distribution of European digital content and promotes linguistic and cultural diversity on the global networks.
The types of project that can be supported are:
Demonstration projects in which European partners work together towards a common result to showcase the programme objectives. This can be either a concrete information product/service or an improvement in the information infrastructure that will help develop the European cross-border content market.
The Commission contribution will normally be up to 50% of the project costs and will not exceed € 2.5 million. The average total project value is expected to be in excess of € 2 million.
Feasibility projects are small scale projects lasting six to nine months designed to provide a framework for early experimentation and appraisal of new ideas. These projects are expected to result in a concrete project ready for implementation with a defined partnership and revenue model at the end of the feasibility phase. They are expected to ease the participation of small size businesses. Feasibility projects are not supposed to lead to the presentation of demonstration projects at later time.
The Commission contribution will normally be up to 50% of the project costs and will not exceed € 200,000.
Accompanying measures will address issues such as the exchange of best practice, network building, awareness and dissemination activities, industry-led web portals, project clustering, etc.
The Commission contribution may range from 50% to 100% of the total cost depending on the nature of action and will not exceed € 1 million.
The programme aims to support projects that are:
• high risk - high reward;
• cross-sector and trans-national;
• user orientated;
• capable of tackling barriers that prevent, at European level, the establishment and functioning of the single market in the areas they address;
• projects using existing state-of-the-art technical solutions, and will be geared towards business and socio-economic, as opposed to purely technological, innovation.
More info: The European Commission
NESTA fellowship awards
Between £3,000 and £75,000. Support for excellence in sciences, arts and technology with grants from £3,000 to £75,000. Nesta’s programme supports exceptionally talented and innovative people, and enables them to pursue a programme of personal creative development. Awardees come from all branches of the sciences, arts and technology. Many work where different disciplines meet and where some of the most exciting developments are happening. All are linked by a desire to explore new ideas, take a fresh perspective or develop innovative ways of working.
Awards range from £3,000 to £75,000 and can last up to five years. Support might include training, personal development, travel and an alternative to other income. The main resource that we can secure for our awardees is time - time to research and test out new ideas, and time to reflect.
Fellowship awards are made available to people who have established a record of achievement at the highest level in their field and are now looking to extend their work in a new direction. Consideration is given to the person and their proposal for their excellence, promise, creativity, originality, usefulness and commitment.
More info: NESTA
european information society technologies (IST)
Prizes of up to 200,000 Euros for new information technology products.
Available to businesses universities or other enterprises in the European Union. The European Information Society Technologies Prize rewards novel products with a high information technology content and evident marketing potential. It has been running annually since 1995 with significant British success. There are three grand prizes of 200,000 euros each and a grand prize trophy, and 20 winner prizes of 5,000 euros each and a winner certificate. All winners will receive extensive media promotion in Europe and exposure to Venture Capitalists. The award is recognised for its excellence, objectivity and relevance to business.
The European Information Society Technologies Prize is organised by the European Council of Applied Sciences and Engineering (Euro-CASE) with the sponsorship and support of the Information Society Technologies Programmes of the European Commission.
More info: The Royal Academy of Engineering |
