GRANTS
AND FUNDING
Midlands Engine
Providing access to appropriate sources of finance to enable businesses to reach their full growth potential. Midlands Engine provide commercially focused finance through Small Business Loans.
Revenue grants (£1,000-£10,000)
This can fund up to a maximum of 33% of the total price of goods or services. This type of grant will support specialist consultancy, projects, goods and services related to increasing sales, improving productivity & profitability and improving business processes.
Capital grants (£5,000-£50,000)
This can fund up to a maximum of 25% of the total price. Project ideas include investment in technology or processes that facilitate growth and create jobs, such as plant equipment, new machinery, and an extension to land or premises.
Digital Enhancement
Northamptonshire Community Foundation
Deliver a variety of funding for the local voluntary & community sector. Dedicated to funding community-based action which improves the lives of our county’s most disadvantaged people and communities including unemployment & social isolation.
Innovation Funding
Open to the best cutting-edge or disruptive ideas or concepts with a view to commercialisation. These can come from any area of technology, science or engineering, including arts, design, media or creative industries, and be applied to any part of the economy. They can fit into, or be outside of, any one or more of Innovate UK’s Challenge Areas.
First Enterprise
A loan provider to small & growing businesses. Focus is on business that cannot obtain funding through the traditional banking sector. Loans are provided from £3,000 to £150,000 over a maximum of 5 years, and asset security is not taken on any of the loans, all loans are backed by the British Business Bank.
FEAST Funding
The Food & Drink Forum has secured funding to offer a range of useful services to food and drink manufacturers over the next three years, including; grant funding, business mentoring, industry events, technical support and technical apprentices.
Ready 2 Grow Project
The Ready 2 Grow project can help your business achieve its potential, whether you’re an entrepreneur who’s starting out or an established company planning for growth. The project supports eligible SMEs to enhance their skills and apply for funding. Ready 2 Grow runs until March 2019
Innovate
Grants are available from £2,000 to £20,000 to support activities that lead to the development of new products, processes or services. This could be as simple as improving efficiencies and increasing production through fine tuning or developing a prototype bringing something new to the market.
Leader
Supporting businesses to create jobs & grow the rural economy. Projects must contribute to at least one priority: support business diversification, boost rural tourism, increase farm & forestry productivity, provide rural services & cultural & heritage activities.
ESIF
ESIF have a range of calls across the East Midlands to support development in a comprehensive way by investing in businesses, R & D, infrastructure, employment & training, agriculture, forestry & fisheries development, with the overall objective to improve the quality of life of EU citizens.
ICT Escalator
ICT Escalator delivers carefully designed specialist support to develop your digital capability so that you can make full use of the internet, build on existing business opportunities and create new innovative digital applications, platforms and services. The project helps with the costs for obtaining, validating & defending patents & other intangible assets.
Advanced Clinical Technology Innovation Support
If you are a SME working, or looking to work, in the medical/life science sector….then your business could benefit from our support just like Bedfordshire based Optima-life, a health technology company working with organisations to improve employee health and wellbeing, who received a grant via the ACTIS programme
RDPE
Rural Development Programme For England supports agriculture & forestry sectors increasing competition, improving quality of life & diversifying rural economies. Offering grants of up to 40% of a project’s total eligible costs. Minimum grant £35,000
Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised by National Lottery players to help people enjoy and protect the heritage they care about. Grants from £3,000 to over £5 million to provide positive outcomes for heritage, people and communities. Local, regional & national heritage applicable.
Green Business Fund
Provides an energy efficiency support service for SME’s. Grants available of 15% capital contribution (up to £5,000) towards the purchase of energy saving equipment. Other support is provided through energy assessments, training workshops, and equipment procurement support.
Invest to Grow
To support private sector businesses, predominantly in the form of loan funding, to grow & create jobs. Aims at priority growth sectors such as Transport Equipment Manufacturing, Life Sciences, Construction, Food & Drink Manufacturing, Logistics, Low Carbon and Creative Industries.
IMAGE
IMAGE is offering funding opportunities for SMEs to work with universities & tap into their leading expertise. The fund can help with Research and development, Bespoke training, Consultancy, Specialised events and workshops. Check out if it can help your business
Gigabit Voucher Scheme
Gigabit vouchers can be used by small businesses and the local communities surrounding them to contribute to the installation cost of a gigabit capable connection. Businesses can claim up to £3,000 against the cost of connection either individually or as part of a group project
Energy Entrepreneurs Fund
The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund (EEF) is a competitive funding scheme to support the development of technologies, products and processes in energy efficiency, power generation and storage. The fund is looking to support, through capital grants, the development and demonstration of innovation technologies and/or processes in the areas of energy efficiency, power generation, and heat and energy storage.