{"id":6159,"date":"2018-06-30T09:03:06","date_gmt":"2018-06-30T08:03:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sageglobaldev.wpengine.com\/en-ie\/blog\/?p=6032"},"modified":"2026-01-09T15:19:35","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T15:19:35","slug":"business-support-funding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/business-support-funding\/","title":{"rendered":"6 ways to get the green light for business support and funding"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--generic\">\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-ie\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/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\t6 ways to get the green light for business support and funding\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\t\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<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2018-06-30T09:03:06+01:00\">30 June, 2018<\/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=\"6 ways to get the green light for business support and funding\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/business-support-funding\/\"\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<\/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-ie\/blog\/author\/keirthomasbryant\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Keir-350x350.jpg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Keir Thomas-Bryant\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Keir-350x350.jpg 350w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/Keir.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 40px) 100vw, 40px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Keir Thomas-Bryant<\/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\n\n<p>Applying for business support and funding is often thought to require some kind of secret language or password. In fact, it\u2019s more like knowing the right ingredients to a good recipe \u2013 using guesswork doesn\u2019t often work out and can produce the wrong result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help you along the way, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OlwenIBI\">Olwen Dawe<\/a> has some advice to share. She is the director of Irish Business Intelligence, which provides strategy, communications and funding consulting to government agencies, private companies, arts and cultural organisations,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, reveals six top tips to help you fill in applications correctly so you can get the business support and funding that you need for your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-business-support-and-funding\">Business support and funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Dealing with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups for many years as a mentor and adviser, I\u2019ve come across many disenchanted individuals who\u2019ve slaved over their business support or funding application (or not, as the case may be), only to be turned down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the poor souls who\u2019ve pored over their plans and forms, it\u2019s particularly disappointing. And quite often, it can be the simplest thing that caused the rejection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From my own standpoint, and having noted the various elements that can cause an application to be rejected, I have come up with a few pointers that will help in the process of compiling a submission for business support and funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-be-organised\">1. Be organised<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t think &#8220;I\u2019ll do that next week&#8221;. <mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">Give yourself time to prepare and fully examine every aspect of the information you\u2019re required to submit<\/mark>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read through the application details a few times to familiarise yourself with it and ensure understanding. You would be surprised by how many mistakes are made as a result of not reading an item or question correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-stay-focused-and-provide-clarity\">2. Stay focused and provide clarity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Make sure you don\u2019t go off the point; being passionate about what you\u2019re doing can sometimes derail the train in terms of sticking to what\u2019s being asked of you. Remember those old exam questions from way-back-when?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-provide-detail\">3. Provide detail<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">Where detailed projections, forecasts, exit plans or other materials are required, ensure you provide them<\/mark>. Don\u2019t consider they are not necessary. If you were asked for certain pieces of information, there will have been a reason for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-the-four-eyes-approach\">4. The \u2018four-eyes\u2019 approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It is well worth asking for a second pair of eyes (not literally, obviously) \u2013 an experienced colleague or friend preferably \u2013to objectively provide you with feedback on your application. Also, <mark class=\"highlight-and-share\">when you finish the business support or funding application \u2013 read it over again<\/mark>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-check-and-check-again\">5. Check and check again<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t assume that because you haven\u2019t been asked for something, it\u2019s not required \u2013 ensure you have a checklist of items\/documents required for submission with the application. Many rejected applications are down to just one document or form not being completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-don-t-be-afraid-to-ask\">6. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If in doubt, don\u2019t wait to find out. Ask if you\u2019re not sure and make sure you listen carefully to any feedback that can help you improve your next application.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"single-cta\">\n\t<div class=\"single-cta__positioner\">\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\">Subscribe to the Sage Advice newsletter<\/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>Join 1.5 million subscribers and get the best business admin strategies and tactics, as well as actionable advice to help your company thrive, in your inbox every month.<\/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-53abbdcc-410c-4c8c-bf97-ca5c6982eebd\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"single-cta__button button button--primary\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t>Subscribe now<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"999\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg\" class=\"single-cta__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2021\/04\/z.5E3A0481_All-Uses.jpg 999w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 33vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n<p>This is a guest blog by Olwen Dawe, the MD of Irish Business Intelligence which&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":280,"featured_media":5762,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[162,163],"tags":[107,108],"business_type":[5],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[232],"imagine_tag":[230],"coauthors":[393],"class_list":["post-6159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-growth-customers","category-money-matters","tag-business-finances","tag-business-support","business_type-small-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-ie","author_name":"Keir Thomas-Bryant","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2019\/01\/GettyImages-566357525_super.jpg","imagine_tags":{"230":"Small business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice Ireland","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6159","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/280"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6159"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6159\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/5762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6159"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=6159"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-ie\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=6159"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}