{"id":1544,"date":"2026-08-04T16:32:50","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T15:32:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/government-grants-for-small-businesses\/"},"modified":"2026-08-04T16:56:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T15:56:42","slug":"government-grants-for-small-businesses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/government-grants-for-small-businesses\/","title":{"rendered":"Government grants for small businesses\u00a0to help your UK venture"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/growth-customers\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Growth &amp; Customers<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGovernment grants for small businesses to help your UK venture\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tGovernment grants are a valid financing option for start-ups or businesses entering a growth phase. The best part is that they don\u2019t require repayment, provided applicants successfully meet eligibility, spending, and reporting requirements. \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \">Published <time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-04T16:32:50+01:00\">4 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Government grants for small businesses\u00a0to help your UK venture\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/government-grants-for-small-businesses\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/sjazar\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/11\/SJ-Azar-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"sj-azar-profile-picture\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/11\/SJ-Azar-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/11\/SJ-Azar.jpg 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">SJ Azar<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When&nbsp;you\u2019re&nbsp;starting a business, investing in&nbsp;growth,&nbsp;or launching a specific project, securing affordable financing can be a major&nbsp;stumbling block.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Small business grants can reduce that pressure by providing funding that usually does not need to be repaid. However, schemes are often competitive and may&nbsp;come&nbsp;with strict eligibility,&nbsp;spending,&nbsp;and reporting requirements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To improve your odds of successfully securing the funding you need, start by understanding\u00a0the types of grants available, who can apply, where to find\u00a0funding,\u00a0and how to prepare a stronger application.<\/p>\n\n\n<section id=\"key-takeaways\" class=\"wp-block-sage-key-takeaways\"><div class=\"sage-key-takeaways__inner\"><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-h-3-font-size\">Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Government grants<\/strong> for small businesses usually do not need to be repaid, but they\u00a0come\u00a0with eligibility,\u00a0spending,\u00a0and reporting conditions.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Funding is available<\/strong> for start-ups, growth, innovation, training, energy efficiency,\u00a0exports,\u00a0and sector-specific projects.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Eligibility may depend<\/strong> on your location, business size, sector, turnover, project\u00a0purpose,\u00a0and ability to provide matched funding.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Strong applications <\/strong>clearly explain the project, include supporting financial\u00a0evidence,\u00a0and show the measurable outcomes the funding will deliver.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Grants are not always the best option<\/strong>, so compare them with loans and other\u00a0finance\u00a0based on cost,\u00a0flexibility,\u00a0and cash-flow impact.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s what we cover:<\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#what\" data-level=\"2\">What are small business grants?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#the\" data-level=\"2\">The benefits of government grants for small businesses<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#who\" data-level=\"2\">Which ventures are eligible for small business grants?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#are\" data-level=\"2\">What are the&nbsp;different types&nbsp;of small business grants?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-how-to-apply-for-grants-and-loans\" data-level=\"2\">How to apply for grants and loans<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#business\" data-level=\"2\">Other ways to finance a small business<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-is-a-business-grant-right-for-you\" data-level=\"2\">Is a business grant right for you?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-frequently-asked-questions\" data-level=\"2\">Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t>Download your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"what\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are small business grants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A small business grant is non-repayable funding awarded to eligible businesses for approved projects, activities, growth&nbsp;costs,&nbsp;or specified expenses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike a loan, a grant usually&nbsp;doesn\u2019t&nbsp;need to be repaid unless it was obtained&nbsp;fraudulently&nbsp;or its conditions were breached.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A range of schemes is available to support small and medium-sized enterprises through the start-up and growth stages.&nbsp;Grants are typically designed to encourage certain business activities, support government&nbsp;priorities,&nbsp;or address&nbsp;recognised&nbsp;funding gaps. Eligibility and&nbsp;permitted&nbsp;uses may depend on:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your business type,\u00a0size,\u00a0or sector.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Where your business is based, sometimes down to the county,\u00a0city,\u00a0or town.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The activity or project you plan to fund.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether you agree to meet conditions such as recruiting local employees.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether you can contribute some of the project\u2019s cost yourself.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For instance, a&nbsp;grant might be offered specifically to help a business improve its broadband connection or to expand by hiring employees from the local area.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The government funds many UK business grant schemes, while local authorities and other agencies administer them and&nbsp;establish&nbsp;their conditions. Universities, industry&nbsp;bodies,&nbsp;and other institutions may also offer their own funding&nbsp;programmes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grants are&nbsp;generally provided&nbsp;in one of two ways:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Direct funding:<\/strong>\u00a0the grant covers the approved amount, subject to the scheme\u2019s limits and conditions.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Matched funding:<\/strong>\u00a0your business contributes a proportion of the project cost and must\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0that the remaining finance is available.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"the\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The benefits of government grants for small businesses<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Government grants can help small businesses fund growth, reduce financial&nbsp;risk,&nbsp;and pursue projects that may otherwise be difficult to afford.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike a loan, grant funding does not usually need to be repaid, which means it can support investment without adding monthly repayments or increasing business debt. It also allows owners to&nbsp;retain&nbsp;full control of their company, unlike equity investment, which may require giving an investor a share of the business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other potential benefits include:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Improved cash flow:<\/strong>\u00a0grant funding can reduce the amount of working capital a business must commit to a project.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lower investment risk:<\/strong>\u00a0a\u00a0grant can make it easier to test a new product, enter a\u00a0market,\u00a0or adopt\u00a0new technology\u00a0without carrying the full cost.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Faster business development:<\/strong>\u00a0funding may allow a business to recruit, train staff, buy equipment,\u00a0or complete improvements sooner than planned.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Greater credibility:<\/strong>\u00a0receiving competitive funding can\u00a0demonstrate\u00a0that an external\u00a0organisation\u00a0has reviewed the project and considers it\u00a0viable.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Access to\u00a0additional\u00a0support:<\/strong>\u00a0some\u00a0programmes\u00a0include mentoring, specialist advice, research\u00a0partnerships,\u00a0or networking alongside the financial award.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Potential to unlock further finance:<\/strong>\u00a0a\u00a0grant can make a project more attractive to lenders or investors by reducing the amount of external funding still\u00a0required.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grants can be particularly valuable for projects that offer long-term benefits but may not generate an immediate financial return, such as research and development, staff&nbsp;training,&nbsp;or energy-efficiency improvements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, businesses should still assess whether a grant is right for the project. The time&nbsp;required&nbsp;to apply, any matched-funding contribution,&nbsp;and the conditions attached to the award should be weighed against the value of the support.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"who\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Which ventures are eligible for small business grants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eligibility depends on the individual grant;&nbsp;funding is&nbsp;generally available&nbsp;to UK businesses that meet&nbsp;a specific&nbsp;grant\u2019s&nbsp;location, size,&nbsp;sector,&nbsp;and project requirements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grant providers may assess factors such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Where your business is based\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How many people you employ\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Your annual turnover\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How long your business has been trading\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The sector or industry you\u00a0operate\u00a0in\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether you are a start-up, growing business,\u00a0or established company\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your proposed project must also align with the purpose of the grant. For example, a scheme designed to improve energy efficiency may only fund equipment or building improvements that produce measurable energy savings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some grants require matched funding, meaning your business must contribute part of the&nbsp;project&nbsp;cost and&nbsp;demonstrate&nbsp;that the remaining finance is available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You may also need to show that your business&nbsp;will:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use the money only for approved expenses.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Complete the project within the required\u00a0timeframe.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Track how the funding is spent.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Report on agreed outcomes, such as jobs created, emissions reduced,\u00a0or productivity improved.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retain invoices and other evidence for auditing purposes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Meeting the basic eligibility criteria&nbsp;doesn\u2019t&nbsp;guarantee funding. Many grants are competitive, so your application will also need to explain why the project deserves support and how it will deliver clear, achievable results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t>Download your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"are\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">What are the\u00a0different types\u00a0of small business grants?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Types of small business grants include ones focused on start-up businesses, growing existing ventures, backing innovation, supporting hiring and training employees, improving energy efficiency, and funding business in certain sectors or ones&nbsp;looking to begin or expand export operations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some small business grants are nationally applicable, while others are only available in certain local authorities or regions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here are a few of the main grant types available from the UK government and other official bodies:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-start-up-and-business-growth-grants\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Start-up and business growth grants<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Start-up and business growth grants help businesses cover the costs of launching,&nbsp;expanding,&nbsp;or improving their operations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the scheme, funding may be available for:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Buying equipment,\u00a0machinery,\u00a0or technology.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improving commercial premises.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developing new products or services.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Increasing productivity.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Entering new markets.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating jobs.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paying for professional advice or consultancy.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some grants are limited to new businesses, while others are designed for established companies with clear growth plans. You may need to provide a business plan, financial&nbsp;forecasts,&nbsp;and evidence showing how the funding will contribute to measurable results.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-innovation-funding-grants\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Innovation funding grants<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Innovation grants support businesses carrying out research, developing&nbsp;new technologies,&nbsp;or bringing new products and services to market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They are commonly available to businesses working in science, engineering, manufacturing, digital&nbsp;technology,&nbsp;and other research-led sectors. Funding may cover activities such as feasibility studies, product development, testing,&nbsp;prototyping,&nbsp;and collaboration with universities or research&nbsp;organisations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Innovation grants are usually competitive. Applicants may need to explain what makes their project innovative,&nbsp;demonstrate&nbsp;its commercial&nbsp;potential,&nbsp;and provide a detailed plan for completing the work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some businesses may also be eligible for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/r-and-d-tax-credits-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">research and development tax relief<\/a>&nbsp;alongside grant funding, although the rules governing how the two forms of support interact should be checked carefully.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-employment-training-and-apprenticeship-grants\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Employment,\u00a0training,\u00a0and apprenticeship grants<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Employment,&nbsp;training,&nbsp;and apprenticeship grants help businesses recruit new employees, develop workforce&nbsp;skills,&nbsp;and improve workplace practices.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funding may contribute towards:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Apprenticeship training.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Staff development and professional qualifications.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recruiting people from\u00a0particular age\u00a0groups or employment backgrounds.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating new roles.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improving workforce productivity.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introducing new management or workplace practices.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eligibility may depend on the location and size of the business, the employee being recruited or trained, and the type of qualification or&nbsp;programme&nbsp;involved.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Businesses should also check whether the funding covers the full cost or requires them to pay a proportion themselves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<a\n\t\tclass=\"button button--primary gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t\trole=\"button\"\n\t\tdata-button-location=\"content_area\"\n\t\thref=\"#gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t>Download your free small business toolkit: a guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template so you can manage your business effectively<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"small\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Green and energy-efficiency grants<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Green and energy-efficiency grants help businesses reduce their environmental impact and lower operating costs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They may support projects such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Installing solar panels or other renewable-energy systems.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improving insulation,\u00a0heating,\u00a0or lighting.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Purchasing energy-efficient equipment.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reducing waste or water consumption.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introducing low-emission vehicles.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Measuring and reducing carbon emissions.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some schemes provide funding for&nbsp;an initial&nbsp;energy audit before contributing towards the cost of recommended improvements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applicants may need to show the expected energy savings, environmental\u00a0benefits,\u00a0and\u00a0financial impact\u00a0of the proposed project. Matched funding is common, particularly for larger equipment or premises improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-sector-specific-and-export-grants\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Sector-specific and export grants<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sector-specific grants provide targeted support to businesses&nbsp;operating&nbsp;in industries that are important to local or national economic priorities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funding may be available for sectors such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Agriculture and rural enterprise\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creative industries\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manufacturing\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Health\u00a0care and life sciences\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tourism\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Construction\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Digital technology\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Food and drink\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These grants may support specialist equipment, accreditation, research, training, product&nbsp;development,&nbsp;or improvements needed to meet industry standards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Export grants and related support are designed to help businesses enter overseas markets or expand their international sales.&nbsp;Funding may contribute towards market research, trade events, export advice, overseas&nbsp;promotion,&nbsp;or adapting products for new markets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Eligibility often depends on the\u00a0business\u2019s\u00a0sector, location, export\u00a0potential,\u00a0and proposed use of the funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-how-to-apply-for-grants-and-loans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How to apply for grants and loans\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Applying for a business grant or loan usually involves proving that your business is eligible, financially&nbsp;viable,&nbsp;and capable of using the funding as proposed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The exact process varies between providers, but you may need to&nbsp;submit:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/how-to-write-a-business-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">business plan<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recent accounts or financial statements.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cash flow,\u00a0revenue,\u00a0and profit forecasts.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An explanation of how the funding will be used.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quotes or cost estimates for planned expenditure.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Evidence that any required matched funding is available.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Details of the outcomes the project is expected to achieve.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the funding is conditional on a specific activity, you will also need to explain how you plan to meet that requirement. For example, a grant linked to local job creation may require a recruitment plan showing the roles you intend to create, when you will hire,&nbsp;and how you will find suitable candidates.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Loan applications&nbsp;will also&nbsp;place&nbsp;an&nbsp;emphasis on affordability and repayment. Providers may review your credit history, current debts, trading&nbsp;performance,&nbsp;and projected cash flow to&nbsp;determine&nbsp;whether your business can meet the repayments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both grant and loan applications can take time, so start early and gather the required evidence before the deadline. Follow the provider\u2019s instructions closely, answer every&nbsp;question,&nbsp;and supply documents in the requested format.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-how-to-strengthen-your-grant-application\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>How to strengthen your grant application<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your application should clearly explain the problem or opportunity the project will address, how the funding will be used,&nbsp;how this meets the eligibility criteria of the grant and the funder\u2019s objectives,&nbsp;and what results it is expected to deliver.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before you begin&nbsp;your application, read the guidance carefully and check:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Which businesses and activities are eligible.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which costs the grant will and will not cover.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Whether matched funding is\u00a0required.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Which documents must\u00a0accompany\u00a0the application.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How applications will be assessed.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The submission deadline and project\u00a0timeframe.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Support your case with evidence such as market research, customer demand, financial&nbsp;forecasts,&nbsp;or information about the challenges facing your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Include a clear,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/small-business-budget\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">itemised budget<\/a>&nbsp;that connects each expense to the proposed project. If matched funding is&nbsp;required, explain where your contribution will come from and provide evidence that it is available.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Funders may also expect measurable outcomes, such as:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Jobs created or safeguarded.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employees trained.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Products developed.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Energy use or emissions reduced.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Productivity increased.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New customers or markets reached.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Revenue or export sales generated.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep your answers clear and specific, avoid unnecessary&nbsp;jargon,&nbsp;and make sure every part of the application addresses the assessment criteria. Allow time for someone else to review it before&nbsp;submission, and&nbsp;retain a copy of the completed application and supporting documents.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-what-happens-after-you-receive-a-business-grant\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong><strong>What happens after you receive a business grant?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you receive a grant, your business must use the money for the approved purpose and&nbsp;comply with&nbsp;any reporting,&nbsp;spending,&nbsp;and project-delivery conditions.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Depending on the scheme, you may need to:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep grant funding separate from other business expenditure.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Retain invoices,\u00a0receipts,\u00a0and proof of payment.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Submit progress reports at agreed stages.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide evidence that project targets have been met.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Record outputs such as jobs created, training completed,\u00a0or energy saved.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Notify the provider about delays or significant project changes.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allow the provider to audit how the money was spent.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some grants are paid in instalments or reimbursed after eligible costs have been incurred, so your business may need enough cash flow to pay expenses before claiming them back.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If the funding is used for unapproved costs or the grant conditions are not met, the provider may withhold future payments or require some or&nbsp;all of&nbsp;the money to be repaid. Review the grant agreement carefully and&nbsp;establish&nbsp;a process for tracking expenditure,&nbsp;deadlines,&nbsp;and outcomes from the beginning of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-where-to-find-small-business-grants-in-england-scotland-and-wales\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Where to find small business grants in England,\u00a0Scotland,\u00a0and Wales<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Small business grants are available&nbsp;all over the UK&nbsp;through national funding bodies, local councils, regional support&nbsp;organisations, industry&nbsp;bodies,&nbsp;and research partnerships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because funding&nbsp;programmes&nbsp;frequently&nbsp;open, close,&nbsp;or change their eligibility criteria,&nbsp;it\u2019s&nbsp;worth checking several sources rather than relying on a single&nbsp;grants&nbsp;database.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Where to look<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>What you can find<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Example resource<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Innovate UK<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Funding competitions for businesses developing innovative products, services,&nbsp;technologies,&nbsp;or processes.&nbsp;The available support varies by competition, and applicants must usually&nbsp;demonstrate&nbsp;the project\u2019s innovation,&nbsp;feasibility,&nbsp;and commercial potential.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukri.org\/opportunity\/?filter_council%5B%5D=822\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Innovate UK funding opportunities<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Local authorities<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Councils may offer grants for start-ups, business growth, premises improvements, job creation, training, digital&nbsp;development,&nbsp;and energy efficiency. Availability&nbsp;generally depends&nbsp;on where your business is&nbsp;located.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/find-local-council\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find your local council<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Regional business-support&nbsp;organisations<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Regional and national&nbsp;business-support&nbsp;services can direct companies towards grants, loans,&nbsp;advice,&nbsp;and other funding&nbsp;programmes&nbsp;available in their area.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/findbusinesssupport.gov.scot\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find Business Support Scotland<\/a>&nbsp;and the<a href=\"https:\/\/businesswales.gov.wales\/businessfinance\/finance-locator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;Business Wales Finance Locator<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Trade and industry bodies<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Professional and sector&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;may provide funding for training, qualifications, apprenticeships,&nbsp;equipment,&nbsp;or projects that address specific industry needs.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citb.co.uk\/funding-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CITB grants and funding<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Universities and research partners<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Universities,&nbsp;colleges,&nbsp;and research&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;may help businesses access collaborative innovation funding. Knowledge Transfer Partnerships, for example, connect businesses with academic&nbsp;expertise&nbsp;and skilled graduates.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ukri.org\/councils\/innovate-uk\/guidance-for-applicants\/guidance-for-specific-funds\/knowledge-transfer-partnership-guidance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Knowledge Transfer Partnerships<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Local Growth Hubs<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Growth Hubs in England help businesses find local advice,&nbsp;finance,&nbsp;and support&nbsp;programmes. Equivalent services are provided through national and regional&nbsp;business-support&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;in Scotland and Wales.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk\/growth-hub\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">West of England Growth Hub<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>Live funding calls and application deadlines<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Central grant databases allow businesses to&nbsp;search&nbsp;current opportunities, review eligibility&nbsp;requirements,&nbsp;and check opening and closing dates before applying.&nbsp;<\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Find a&nbsp;grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also use the government\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/business-finance-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;business finance support finder<\/a>&nbsp;to filter schemes by support type, business stage, industry, employee&nbsp;numbers,&nbsp;and region. Check local and sector-specific sources as&nbsp;well, because&nbsp;some opportunities may only be promoted through the&nbsp;organisation&nbsp;administering the funding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Grants are not the only form of low-cost government support. Depending on your business structure and activities, you may be able to reduce your tax bill through&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/collections\/allowances-expenses-and-reliefs-when-you-run-a-business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">business allowances and tax reliefs<\/a>. Businesses undertaking qualifying science or technology projects should also check whether they can claim<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/collections\/research-and-development-rd-tax-relief\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;research and development tax relief<\/a>. If you receive grant funding for the same project, confirm how it affects the costs included in any tax-relief claim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-small-business-grants-in-scotland\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Small business grants in Scotland<\/strong><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The following schemes&nbsp;offer&nbsp;funding to businesses in different Scottish regions and sectors. Availability and eligibility criteria can change, so&nbsp;check&nbsp;with&nbsp;the provider before applying.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Grant or funding scheme<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Who can apply<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Funding available<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>What it supports<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottish-enterprise.com\/how-we-can-help\/funding-and-grants\/business-grants-and-funding-calls\/smart-scotland-grant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SMART: Scotland Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Small and medium-sized businesses, university&nbsp;spin-outs,&nbsp;and individuals undertaking eligible research and development projects&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a3100,000, covering 70% of eligible costs for small businesses and 60% for medium-sized businesses&nbsp;<\/td><td>Feasibility studies for commercially&nbsp;viable&nbsp;products, processes,&nbsp;or services that generate intellectual property owned by the applicant&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottish-enterprise.com\/how-we-can-help\/business-processes-and-people\/people-and-the-workplace\/workplace-innovation-support\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Workplace Innovation Support<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible Scottish businesses introducing new workplace practices&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a35,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>Projects that improve workplace culture, employee&nbsp;motivation,&nbsp;and working practices&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ibioic.com\/funding-calls-database\/facilities-access-fund\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">IBioIC Facilities Access Fund<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Industrial partners leading eligible biotechnology research and development projects&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a310,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>Access to specialist facilities for projects involving areas such as biomanufacturing, food and drink, waste management, textiles,&nbsp;and&nbsp;agritech&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ruralpayments.org\/topics\/all-schemes\/forestry-grant-scheme\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Forestry Grant Scheme<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Businesses and land managers of any size undertaking eligible forestry projects&nbsp;<\/td><td>Varies according to the activity and scheme&nbsp;option&nbsp;<\/td><td>Creating new woodland and sustainably managing existing woodland&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/findbusinesssupport.gov.scot\/service\/funding\/grants-for-fife-businesses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Fife Workforce Upskilling Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Businesses based in Fife&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a32,000, potentially covering the full eligible training cost&nbsp;<\/td><td>Staff training designed to improve productivity,&nbsp;skills,&nbsp;and profitability&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.orkney.gov.uk\/our-services\/enterprise-and-economic-growth\/business-development\/business-start-up-support\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Orkney Islands New Business Start-Up Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Orkney-based start-ups employing fewer than 50 people and aiming to become sustainable full-time businesses&nbsp;<\/td><td>Between \u00a3500 and \u00a31,500&nbsp;<\/td><td>Start-up costs, particularly in priority sectors such as tourism, food and drink, renewable energy, local&nbsp;services,&nbsp;and social enterprise&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk\/business\/grant-and-loan\/business-start-up-grant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">West Dunbartonshire Business Start-Up Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>New businesses in West Dunbartonshire that can provide a business plan and proof of trading&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a3500&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible costs involved in&nbsp;establishing&nbsp;and beginning to trade as a new business&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-small-business-grants-in-wales\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><strong>Small business grants in Wales<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welsh businesses can access a mixture of national,&nbsp;regional,&nbsp;and local-authority schemes. Some&nbsp;programmes&nbsp;are limited to specific counties,&nbsp;sectors,&nbsp;or project types.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Grant or funding scheme<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Who can apply<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>Funding available<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><td><strong>What it supports<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/workingwales.gov.wales\/how-we-can-help\/react-plus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ReAct Plus<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Businesses recruiting eligible people who have recently been made redundant or are returning to employment&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a33,000 in quarterly payments during the first 12 months, plus up to \u00a31,000 for job-related training&nbsp;<\/td><td>Wage and training costs associated with recruiting eligible employees.&nbsp;Additional&nbsp;support may be available for recruiting young or disabled people.&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conwy.gov.uk\/en\/Business\/Regeneration\/European-and-External-Funding\/Conwy-Business-Support-Grant-2025-to-2026.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Conwy Business Support Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible businesses in Conwy planning projects that support job creation and increased turnover&nbsp;<\/td><td>Between \u00a3200 and \u00a31,500, covering up to 50% of eligible project costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Equipment, IT hardware, marketing materials, specialist&nbsp;training,&nbsp;and professional fees&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru\/en-gb\/businesses\/finance-funding-and-grants\/business-grants\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gwynedd Business Grants<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Small and medium-sized businesses in Gwynedd seeking&nbsp;recognised&nbsp;quality accreditations&nbsp;<\/td><td>Cost of an eligible consultant&nbsp;<\/td><td>Consultancy support to help businesses prepare for ISO accreditation, although certification fees are not covered&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cardiff.ac.uk\/work-with-us\/develop-your-workforce\/knowledge-transfer-partnerships\/funding-and-costs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cardiff Knowledge Transfer Partnerships<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>SMEs, larger&nbsp;organisations,&nbsp;and eligible third-sector&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;collaborating with Cardiff University&nbsp;<\/td><td>Typically&nbsp;a 67% contribution for SMEs and 50% for larger&nbsp;organisations, with guidance&nbsp;indicating&nbsp;annual business contributions of approximately \u00a325,000 and \u00a335,000 respectively&nbsp;<\/td><td>Partnerships connecting&nbsp;organisations&nbsp;with academic&nbsp;expertise&nbsp;and a qualified graduate to deliver a strategic innovation project&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/financelocator.businesswales.gov.wales\/businesswales\/Scheme\/View\/Carmarthenshire-Business-Renewable-Energy-Fund-GRUKBP3!S48349?search=a7931ff649324179ac981381c51155cf&amp;cip=10&amp;bcr=MTI0MQ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carmarthenshire Business Renewable Energy Fund<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>New and existing businesses based in, or planning to&nbsp;locate&nbsp;in, Carmarthenshire&nbsp;<\/td><td>Between \u00a31,000 and \u00a310,000, covering up to 50% of eligible costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Renewable-energy systems such as commercial solar panels and small-scale wind turbines&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales\/home\/business\/funding\/carmarthenshire-rural-enterprise-fund-cref\/#.YrBMP3bMK5d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Carmarthenshire Rural Enterprise Fund<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible rural businesses in Carmarthenshire undertaking development projects&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a3100,000, subject to limits based on jobs created and the proportion of eligible project costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Premises and development projects that create or safeguard employment in rural areas&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rctcbc.gov.uk\/EN\/Business\/BusinessandThirdSectorGrants\/Businessandthirdsectorgrants.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rhondda Cynon Taf Business Grants<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible SMEs and start-ups in Rhondda Cynon Taf&nbsp;<\/td><td>Between \u00a31,500 and \u00a310,000 for commercial premises, or \u00a3500 to \u00a31,500 for home-based businesses, covering up to 50% of costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Projects that help businesses&nbsp;establish&nbsp;themselves, expand,&nbsp;and support local economic growth&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.swansea.gov.uk\/businessfunding?lang=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Swansea Financial Support for Business<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible small and medium-sized businesses in Swansea&nbsp;<\/td><td>Between \u00a3500 and \u00a31,500&nbsp;<\/td><td>Website development, digital marketing,&nbsp;training,&nbsp;and other activities that improve a business\u2019s online presence&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/conwybusinesscentre.com\/7206\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Conwy Barriers to Start-Up Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Unemployed or economically inactive people aged 25 or older&nbsp;who want to become self-employed&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a32,000&nbsp;<\/td><td>Business start-up costs, alongside one-to-one advice, confidence-building&nbsp;webinars,&nbsp;and other start-up support&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk\/en\/business\/blaenau-gwent-business-hub\/business-support-growth\/business-finance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Blaenau Gwent Business Finance<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Eligible start-ups in Blaenau Gwent&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a31,000, covering up to 80% of eligible costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Equipment, IT, marketing, professional&nbsp;advice,&nbsp;and costs associated with&nbsp;establishing&nbsp;a business location&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.caerphilly.gov.uk\/Business\/Business-grants-and-funding\/Caerphilly-business-start-up-grant\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Caerphilly Business Start-Up Grant<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>Individuals&nbsp;establishing&nbsp;eligible new businesses in Caerphilly&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a3500, covering up to 50% of eligible costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Equipment, IT, website development, marketing, building work,&nbsp;and other approved start-up expenses&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/businessinneathporttalbot.com\/support-and-funding\/start-ups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Neath Port Talbot Start-Up Support<\/a>&nbsp;<\/td><td>People aged 18 or older&nbsp;who want to start,&nbsp;develop,&nbsp;or grow a business in Neath Port Talbot&nbsp;<\/td><td>Up to \u00a31,000, covering up to 50% of eligible costs&nbsp;<\/td><td>Start-up and growth expenses, supplemented by workshops, courses, premises&nbsp;guidance,&nbsp;and ongoing business support&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"business\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Other ways to finance a small business<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If your business can afford to repay funding, a loan or other finance option may be more suitable than waiting for a grant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These alternatives usually cover a wider range of purposes and are therefore easier to access. They also may allow greater flexibility over how the money is used. However, you will need to consider interest, fees, repayment terms,&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/cash-flow-management-tips-businesses\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">impact on cash flow<\/a>&nbsp;before committing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The right\u00a0option\u00a0will depend on how much funding you need, what you plan to use it for, and whether your business can comfortably meet the repayments.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-business-loans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Business loans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Like grants, loans are offered via a variety of institutions.&nbsp;It\u2019s&nbsp;a mistake to think that banks are the only route for loans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Often, the deals from non-bank institutions are&nbsp;a&nbsp;better value than standard bank loans and are underwritten by the institutions to remove any barriers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This makes them available to businesses that may not have a good credit standing (perhaps because&nbsp;they\u2019re&nbsp;new, for example).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the other hand, when it comes to getting a loan from a bank, as well as considering the traditional high-street offerings,&nbsp;take a look&nbsp;at challenger banks,&nbsp;too,&nbsp;as they might&nbsp;provide&nbsp;good options that meet your needs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In either case, you can easily keep any necessary business records to help support your application with&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/accounting-software\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accounting software<\/a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;your&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/size\/small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">small business<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-start-up-loans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Start-Up Loans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-start-up-loans\">\u00a0This government-funded initiative provides loans, mentoring,&nbsp;and support for start-ups or&nbsp;very small,&nbsp;early-stage&nbsp;businesses with potentially&nbsp;viable&nbsp;propositions&nbsp;that&nbsp;are unable to attract investment from high-street banks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be eligible for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.startuploans.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start-Up Loans<\/a>,&nbsp;there\u2019s&nbsp;a series of criteria you need to meet, including:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You\u2019re\u00a0based in the UK.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You\u2019re\u00a0over the age of 18.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You&#8217;re\u00a0starting a new business or have been trading for less than two years.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can afford to repay the loan that you receive.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The scheme provides free&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/how-to-write-a-business-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">business planning<\/a>&nbsp;to ensure applicants are in the best possible position to receive funding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" id=\"h-start-up-loans\">Every loan application is considered according to the needs of\u00a0the\u00a0business,\u00a0and you can borrow up to \u00a325,000.\u00a0The final loan size will be\u00a0determined\u00a0by your business plan.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"h-uk-export-finance-ukef\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">UK Export Finance (UKEF)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/organisations\/uk-export-finance\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">UK Export Finance<\/a>&nbsp;says its mission is&nbsp;to&nbsp;\u201censure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance\u201d,&nbsp;and as such,&nbsp;it aims to help UK exporters in two main ways.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first is via its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/direct-lending-scheme\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Direct Lending Facility<\/a>, which gives loans to overseas buyers of up to \u00a3200&nbsp;million&nbsp;when they&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;capital goods or services from UK exporters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The interest rate is&nbsp;competitive,&nbsp;and the loan period can be several years to make it easier to repay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second way UK Export Finance helps is similar.&nbsp;Its&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/buyer-credit-facility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buyer Credit Facility<\/a>&nbsp;provides a guarantee to banks making loans to overseas buyers, again so they can&nbsp;purchase&nbsp;capital goods or services from a UK business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This can be for a loan or a line of credit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You might direct an overseas purchaser to the Direct Lending Facility to get orders for your business.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With both schemes, your business gets the loan cash up front, as if this were a cash contract in exchange for the goods and\/or services.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The borrower then repays the loan. In other words,&nbsp;the money&nbsp;never actually passes through their hands.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">UK Export Finance can also help UK exporters to raise tender and contract bonds and access working capital finance via the following:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/bond-support-scheme-overview-and-how-to-apply\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bond Support Scheme<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/export-development-guarantee\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Export Development Guarantee<\/a>\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/export-working-capital-scheme-overview-and-how-to-apply\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Export Working Capital Schemes<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To be eligible for export insurance, your business must be based in the&nbsp;UK&nbsp;and the buyer must be overseas.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For those who export goods,&nbsp;services,&nbsp;or intangibles, UK Export Finance is definitely worth investigating.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-is-a-business-grant-right-for-you\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Is a business grant right for you?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A business grant may be worthwhile if it supports a planned&nbsp;project&nbsp;and your business can meet the eligibility,&nbsp;funding,&nbsp;and reporting requirements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Compare the potential award with the time and conditions involved. Start by shortlisting schemes that match your location,&nbsp;sector,&nbsp;and goals. If no suitable grant is available, consider other finance options based on their cost,&nbsp;flexibility,&nbsp;and effect on cash flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-frequently-asked-questions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858829179\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I apply for more than one small business grant at the same time?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. You can apply for multiple grants if you meet each scheme&#8217;s eligibility criteria. However, some providers\u00a0won&#8217;t\u00a0fund the same project costs if\u00a0they&#8217;re\u00a0already covered by another grant, so always check the terms before applying.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858851115\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Do I have to pay tax on a business grant?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">It depends on the type of grant and how\u00a0it&#8217;s\u00a0used. Many business grants count as taxable income, although some capital grants may be treated differently. If\u00a0you&#8217;re\u00a0unsure, seek advice from an accountant or HMRC.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858866063\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can sole traders apply for small business grants?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Many grant schemes are open to sole traders, although eligibility varies between providers. Some grants are only available to businesses\u00a0operating\u00a0in certain sectors, locations, or stages of growth.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858879662\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I apply for a grant before I start trading?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Some grants are specifically designed for start-ups and businesses that\u00a0haven&#8217;t\u00a0started trading yet. Others require you to be actively trading, so check the eligibility requirements before applying.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858891284\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I combine a business grant with a business loan?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes. Many businesses use grants alongside loans or other finance to cover a project&#8217;s full cost. If the grant requires matched funding, a loan may be one way to provide your contribution, provided the scheme allows it.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858902573\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">What happens if my grant application is rejected?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">If your application is unsuccessful, you may receive feedback explaining why it\u00a0wasn&#8217;t\u00a0selected. Use this information to improve future\u00a0applications, and\u00a0continue looking for other funding opportunities that better match your business and project.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1785858913500\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I reapply after my application is rejected?\u00a0<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Often, yes. Some grant programmes allow businesses to apply again during future funding rounds, particularly if the application has been strengthened or the project has changed. Always check the provider&#8217;s rules before reapplying.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Editor\u2019s note: This article was first published in July 2017 and has been updated for relevance.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta gated-content\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner on-scroll-highlight__target\">\n\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__wrapper has-dark-background-color\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"single-cta__title h3\">Small business toolkit<\/h2>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"single-cta__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get your free guide, business plan template and cash flow forecast template to help you manage your business and achieve your goals.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"#gate-adbf67e7-f26f-4f58-a954-9e67147b2f85\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button 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srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1073797282-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/alternative-finance\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlternative finance\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-continuity\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness continuity\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/finance\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfinance\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/government-funding\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGovernment funding\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/grow-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHow to grow your business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-20317 post type-post status-publish format-audio has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers tag-ai tag-grow-business tag-start-business tag-sound-advice-podcast tag-startup-stories post_format-post-format-audio business_type-small-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Sound-Advice_Blog_S3_Ep22-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Sound-Advice_Blog_S3_Ep22-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Sound-Advice_Blog_S3_Ep22-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2024\/12\/Sound-Advice_Blog_S3_Ep22-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" 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class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-10T14:27:37+01:00\">10 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">41 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/sound-advice-using-ai-for-your-business-heather-murray\/?scroll=1\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tHow AI is changing business, even for non-techie owners\u00a0\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tAI is helping business owners automate tasks, improve decisions, increase productivity, manage risks, and grow. Find out from AI expert Heather Murray how you can benefit from this technology without advanced technical skills or specialised teams. \t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-1054 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-alternative-finance tag-start-business business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/9-funding-options-for-start-ups\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/CycleCentre_GL_060813-268-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/CycleCentre_GL_060813-268-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/CycleCentre_GL_060813-268-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/08\/CycleCentre_GL_060813-268.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-07T15:46:43+01:00\">7 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tFunding options for start-ups: 10 ways to fund your business\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-4230 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-cash-flow tag-grow-business tag-make-receive-payments business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/get-paid-faster\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-554994217_super-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"Working remotely\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-554994217_super-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-554994217_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2018\/02\/GettyImages-554994217_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-07T15:05:09+01:00\">7 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">11 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to get paid faster: Practical tips for small businesses\u00a0\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-9999 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-people-leadership tag-grow-business tag-recruit tag-hr-process business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/find-hire-right-employee-business\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/08\/MicrosoftTeams-image-4-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/08\/MicrosoftTeams-image-4-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/08\/MicrosoftTeams-image-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2021\/08\/MicrosoftTeams-image-4-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-05T16:05:53+01:00\">5 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">14 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tHow to find employees\u00a0for your business\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-4707 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers tag-grow-business business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/business-growth-challenges\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/09\/GettyImages-554995563_super-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"One of your business growth challenges could be dealing with a growing workforce\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/09\/GettyImages-554995563_super-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/09\/GettyImages-554995563_super-768x585.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/09\/GettyImages-554995563_super-1064x810.jpg 1064w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-08-05T16:03:21+01:00\">5 August, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tObstacles to business growth\u00a0and\u00a0how to overcome them\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Government grants are a valid financing option for start-ups or businesses entering a growth phase. The best part is that they don\u2019t require repayment, provided applicants successfully meet eligibility, spending, and reporting requirements. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1760,"featured_media":7877,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"Government Grants for Small Businesses","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"The UK government has pledged to support small businesses financially with a range of grants and loans. Find out what grants are available.","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"Government Grants for Small Businesses","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"The UK government has pledged to support small businesses financially with a range of grants and loans. Find out what grants are available.","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_page_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_schema_article_type":"","_sage_video":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"[]","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"[\"\"]","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"8","post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"_pwl_sage_podcast_buzzsprout_src":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8,6],"tags":[18,191,164,17,15],"business_type":[4],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[73,74,75],"imagine_tag":[98,109],"coauthors":[389],"class_list":["post-1544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","category-money-matters","tag-alternative-finance","tag-business-continuity","tag-finance","tag-government-funding","tag-grow-business","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"SJ Azar","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2020\/07\/Thinscale_28825.jpg","imagine_tags":{"98":"Business continuity","109":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1760"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1544"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31688,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1544\/revisions\/31688"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/7877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=1544"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=1544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}