How to Get a Grant

A grant is when an amount of money is given to an individual or business to be used for a specific project or purpose. It normally only covers part of the cost or service with the balance paid for by the person receiving the grant.

There are many sources of grants for business development, often linked to specific business activities like exporting, training, specific industries and specific geographic areas in need of economic regeneration. Many grants are limited to small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) - typically one with fewer than 250 employees.

The government provides support through not only financial support but advice and training.

The following are key areas of government support...

  1. Grants for research and development, and innovation.
  2. Grants for training and skills development. You can read about funding for training on the Learning and Skills Council website.
  3. The New Deal
  4. The Princes Trust for young entrepreneurs. Anyone unemployed or employed in a part-time or low-paid job, aged 18-30 and with a business idea, can apply for funds to the Prince's Trust.
  5. Economic regeneration.

Competition for monetary grants can be fierce. They come with strict terms and conditions that must be followed or the grant repaid and they are normally for specific proposed projects and not those already started.

The amount of matching funds to be provided by the receiver of the grant will vary from grant to grant. Sometimes it could be half and other times considerably less. The matching funds can come from the business, a loan or from a new investor.

Grant Applications

When you have identified the right grant to apply for you will need to provide:

The application is normally judged according to the following criteria:

Local grants are processed more quickly but grants can take anything from a few weeks to a year to get a decision.

What not to do when applying for a grant

The following are common reasons why grant applications are rejected...

If your application is declined then it is important to get feedback to help you in structuring future grant applications.

How We Can Help You

We can assist you in drawing up an effective business plan and grant application.

Chartered Accountants in Richmond, Surrey, The Hughes Consultancy provides a wide range of business, tax, financial planning and business growth services. All of our clients benefit from competitive pricing, our expertise, and unlimited support. Contact us today to learn how we can support you.

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