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Business grants

If you are an established business looking to grow, there may be grants available to help you develop your projects.

Find available grants

You can search for available grants using the following websites:

Enterprise Development Grant

We are proud to support local enterprises through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) from UK Government. This new scheme is available from 1 August 2023 for established sole traders, micro, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) located in the district of Ashfield or those from outside the district who are now looking to move into the area.

This scheme can provide a grant of up to £6000 or 75% of your eligible project costs providing your growth project will create new jobs. Applications will be accepted for commercial premises only; residential properties or home-based businesses are excluded. If you are interested, please contact our business support team to request further information or arrange an online appointment to discuss your business growth project in more detail.

Hucknall Shop Front Improvement Grant

As part of the allocation to Ashfield of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Ashfield District Council has created a Shop Front improvement scheme for eligible businesses and landlords with premises in Hucknall's town centre, which has now been extended to include: Annesley Road, Watnall Road, and Baker Street. This grant will improve commercial property frontages, including doorway, display window, frame, and signs.

Please note: to be eligible all premises must have a ground floor and street facing frontage and they can be occupied or unoccupied. This grant will pay towards 80% of eligible project costs, up to a maximum grant payment of £9600, excluding VAT. If you are interested and meet the initial eligibility criteria as shown above, please contact our business support team on the email below to discuss your proposals in more detail.

High Pavement House - Rent Relief Grant

This grant scheme is part of the allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) for Ashfield, and is available to Ashfield-based start-up or established, sole trader, micro, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who are looking to expand with larger offices, and for those who are new to the district.

  • We have 14 units available ranging from 11 square metres up to 42 square metres, so grants will vary from £250 to £960 depending on the unit taken
  • These grants will be applied directly by Ashfield Commercial Property team to off-set the first 3 months’ rent. This does not include any service charges for building running costs.

If you are interested, please speak with our commercial property team to arrange a viewing. Then, if you wish to apply for a unit, please contact our business support team to arrange an online appointment, and if you are eligible then we will provide you with a link to access the grant application form.

Ashfield Accelerator Project - Decarbonisation Grant 

This is being delivered by East Midlands Chamber and is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It forms part of our new Accelerator Programme, and offers support to local enterprises employing less then 49 employees (e.g. sole traders, micro or small sized enterprises). This is a match funded grant worth up to £3000 which can be used towards decarbonisation projects to help make your organisation greener. This grant is divided into 2 phases. Phase 1 will be an energy audit, and phase 2 will access funding that will support the installation of energy efficiency measures that have been identified in the audit. Applicants must have a commercial premises. Please know that residential or home based businesses can apply for this grant scheme.

This is available if you are a tenant, with the landlord's permission.

Enterprising Ashfield project - Growth Programme

The Enterprising Ashfield project is open to people living in or working within eligible postcodes in Kirkby in Ashfield or Sutton in Ashfield. Check your postcode here. The growth programme focuses on helping small or medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to review their business and develop an action plan that will take their business forward. Participants can also gain access to a range of development solutions to work through their growth plans, including a £1500 match funded grant to pay for specialist coaching.

SWEF Programme

If you are aged between 18 to 30 years old, from a low-income household or facing other challenges preventing you from developing your business, and you live and work Nottinghamshire then this programme may help you with grant funding up to £2000. You can be at pre-start, start up or established trading stages as long as you have not been trading for over 2-years. This grant can be used to pay towards:  

  • Equipment that will help a business bring in a second revenue stream.
  • Equipment that will help a business increase production where there is proven demand.
  • Materials/stock for a new product line
  • Prototypes
  • Website/booking system build.
  • Training
  • Product development

Made Smarter East Midlands

Made Smarter East Midlands provides support for manufacturing businesses on how to switch to advanced and automated technologies and develop manufacturing leadership skills. You can also access a £15,000 capital grant in addition to working with industrial digital technology experts to help with implementation plans.

Invest to Grow

The University of Derby's Invest to Grow programme provides loans and grants to support private sector businesses across the East Midlands, to innovate, grow, and create new jobs or safeguard existing jobs. Funding can cover 30% of agreed capital project costs, therefore an award of £15,000 would be for a minimum project cost of £50,000. The maximum award is £250,000. This is a Regional Growth Fund (RGF) grant with no closing date.

Innovate UK Business Growth

Attracting funding to support innovation is a key priority for fast-growing, innovative businesses that ultimately want to scale up. Innovate UK Business Growth can support you to develop your finance and funding strategy and review your application as a critical friend. This is a key part of the UK innovation agency’s investment to drive economic growth, and work with industry sector specialists that can support all types of businesses across our region.

Tech Nation

If you’re a tech entrepreneur, be it aspiring, scaling, or late stage, then Tech Nation may be able to help you through their specialised programmes. They offer peer-to-peer learning, access to world class scale-up coaches, and connections that will help solve your technology business challenges. You will also gain added exposure for your brand. They are very selective when choosing who they will accept into each programme run, however it’s completely free and they can even help you find tech investors.

Page last updated: 14 March 2024