There are a lot of funding options: from grants to loans and it can be difficult to navigate through the T&Cs of many to work out what you’re really going to get, and the overall value that gives!
If you’d like some guidance on all the options then let us know: we won’t push you towards one in particular but can explain how each will work based on your plans.
The North East Business Support Fund (NBSL) is one option which there’s a lot of buzz around: it’s a grant towards business improvement projects for small or medium sized business based in the North East of England.
The grant can be used for a wide range of projects where external expertise is helping the business to grow – from marketing to financial or process improvement.
Subject to available funding:
- County Durham businesses can access up to 40% funding for projects costing between £2,500 and £8,000 (maximum grant of £3,200)
- Northumberland and Tyne and Wear businesses can access up to 35% funding for projects costing between £3,000 and £8,000 (maximum grant of £2,800)
What type of projects can the NBSL be claimed for?
- Business growth planning
- Web design / development
- Marketing planning
- Strategy Development
- Change Management
- Business Expansion Planning
- Product development / diversification
- Developing Quality Management Systems
- Process improvement systems
- Financial restructuring
- Accessing new markets
- Succession planning
- HR Strategy planning and development
- Design costs for marketing
- Video production
- Development of Animations
The application takes around 15 minutes, you can apply here (based on your location).
Blu Sky Business Builder
The Blu Sky Business Builder fits into the criteria under business growth planning! It’s a series of workshops that will help you re-focus: bringing your long-term plan and financials together.
We give you the framework and coach you through each session, delving into the essential areas of your business that make up your plan. You’ll solve issues like:
- You expected to see your bank balance looking nice and healthy, in-line with your peers and maybe even seeing your time input drop a little. But the reality isn’t quite the same. Your flat lining. You don’t know your next steps.
- You plan to exit in 5 years, but realistically that’s creeping further away! You need to increase the business value, but how? Where do you focus?
Through-out you’ll build a solid plan LINKED to your 3 way forecast always showing your cash position and financial health.
We’re running a free webinar to give you some tips, and tools to address all of this: a taster to the Business Builder. Register here, or if it’s run you can view it on our YouTube channel.
