Show Me The Money: Grants & Funding

Revised: March 2023

Hi people, 

A lot in this months issue & some great events for International Women’s Day on Match 8th. I love attending these, so much energy. On the subject of energy, I had the honour of presenting at Theo Paphitis’s #SBS Small Business Sunday event last month. Amazing! What an inspiring audience of Soonicorns! Read on for details of how you can win an invite for the next one.

Sole traders paid the most UK tax since records began last year. Self-employed paid £22bn income tax in January alone. If you’re a sole trader or self-employed, please chat to an accountant about the benefits of becoming a limited company, or what you can claim. May save you some money!

A fifth of all new companies last year were founded by women. However, only 2p in every £1 of seed funding went to all-female founding teams in 2022. 85p in the £1 went to all male founding teams. Still work needed to support these female entrepreneurs. Could be worse, in Scotland, women cannot even rely on friends & family to help them fund their startup.

I will be doing some rare Show Me The Money events for Niyo Enterprises and Uxplore Coventry (March) & BCU STEAMhouse (June TBC). Sharing tips & tricks I’ve learnt, which have helped entrepreneurs and businesses like yours access over £4m in grant funding and programme support! Free Money! Developing hibretOne has meant I’m unable to do as many of these, so please sign up. All events are free to attend!

Plus! We're trying a new Email Marketing app. Please let me know what you think.

Stay amazing, stay courageous

Drew

Drew Currie

Founder, hibretOne CIC

Top Tips for New Subscribers:

• If a grant or programme is not shown in your region, many funds here are for the W Midlands where I am based. Google search using the keywords within the grant. Programme may be in your area, running under a different name.

LATEST: 

Nudge LIVE: Becoming the Leader YOU want to be

To help you get curious about your impact as a leader. Hosted by Sally Dhillon, Founder of Nudge Forward. Sally is an advocate for developing leadership capabilities for founders and start up entrepreneurs. 

I cannot speak highly enough about the work Sally does. I’ve been having leadership support from Sally for hibretOne for over a year now. In numerous meetings I hear myself saying what would Sally suggest I do! She also supports the Black Pounds Project.

Date: Wednesday 23rd March 2023 12noon

Cost: Free 

Spaces are limited.

www.eventbrite.com/e/nudge-live-becoming-the-leader-you-want-to-be-tickets-570577291037

International Women's Day 2023

Run by the FSB. This years theme is Embrace Equity. Imagine a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination? A gender equal world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive? Join their webinar and collectively celebrate all women's achievements, specifically in the world of business.

Date: Wednesday 8 March, 10.30am - 12pm

Location: Online

Cost: Free

https://www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar/international-women-s-day-2023-embrace-equity.html

Capital Pilot Boost Fund 

Although this is not a grant I wanted to mention this Private investment vehicle, for when their Boost 2 is launched. Last year Boost were one of the UK’s most active funders. Investing £50k a time, all sector agnostic. 

37.8% of their investments went to majority-female or all-female-founded companies. Compared to the industry where last year only 2p in every £1 went to all female teams (Beauhurst 2023). Investment is determined by a bias-free Investability Rating Assessment. 

www.capitalpilot.com/

One fifth of all new companies founded by women

All-women teams established over 150,000 new businesses last year, with young women aged 16-to-25-years-old the most active entrepreneurs.

One fifth of all new companies founded last year were set up by all-women founders, with the biggest jump coming from young women aged 16-25-years-old. Women established 151,603 companies in 2022, up by 6,332 on the previous year. Representing 20% of all incorporations, compared with 16.7& in 2018.

Female entrepreneurs aged under 25 were the largest group, setting up 17,489 businesses last year, compared with only 785 in 2018.

smallbusiness.co.uk/one-fifth-of-all-new-companies-are-founded-by-women-2564778/

Women: Innovation, Technology, Strength

In honour of International Women's Day, Aston University will run an annual Innovation Women Conference.

35% of STEM students in higher education and only 23% of STEM workforce in the UK are women. One in three UK entrepreneurs is female, and only 6% of UK women run their own businesses. This event aims to support improving these statistics.

Date 08 March 2023, 9.30am - 2.30pm.

Location: Birmingham

Cost: Free

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-innovation-technology-strength-tickets-476352782997

Show Me The Money

Find out all about the latest business grants at the CWLEP free Sprint Programme.

Talk to me Drew Currie, the 'Martin Lewis of grant funding'. A whole day of downloading as much as I know about grants and funding into your mind.

SMTM is part of a 2 day programme with 6 exciting workshops to help your business grow & it’s all fully-funded by ERDF & Midlands Engine. Lunch is even provided on both days.

On a separate note if you’re a business looking for Tech space, the uXPLORE hub is amazing!

Location: uXPLORE Digital Hub, Coventry

Date: 22 & 23 March 2023

Cost: Free

Eligibility:

• Businesses in Coventry & Warwickshire & Black Country regions.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/small-business-sprint-programme-tickets-547668680767

Women 65% more likely to lose jobs in ongoing tech layoffs

US Tech layoffs are impacting women at a disproportionately higher rate than men, representing a possible setback for the industry’s efforts to improve its gender diversity, according to research by talent intelligence platform Eightfold AI.

In Europe women make up just over a third of the European tech workforce, but they represent 41.6% of layoffs since October 2022, according to an analysis by Layoffs.fyi, which tracks tech industry cuts.

www.geekwire.com/2023/research-finds-women-are-65-more-likely-than-men-to-lose-jobs-in-ongoing-wave-of-tech-layoffs/

Midlands Women in Tech Awards International Women's Day Celebration

A series of roundtable events across the year designed to share knowledge and experience to develop the female tech talent in the Midlands.

Free Event includes Light Buffet

Date: 07 March, 6pm – 8pm

Venue: STEAMHouse, Birmingham City University

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mwit-international-womens-day-celebration-tickets-515162915147?

Woman Who Inspires Online Network 

If you’re looking for a nationwide woman’s network to join post-international Women’s Day, this is an excellent one! Monthly online networking event with a different inspirational speaker. The theme in May is Purpose, Passion & Vision.

Date: 2 May @ 9:30 am - 10:30 am BST

Virtual Event

Cost: Free

www.womanwho.co.uk/event/woman-who-inspires-online-network-purpose-passion-vision/

Birmingham Black Business Show 2023 x Department for Business & Trade Two-part Webinar Series

FREE advice from the UK Department for Business and Trade on export growth. Register to attend the free webinar 'How to Become Export Ready'. Featuring case studies of founders that have grown their businesses significantly through exporting. 

The first is with a lady called Sandra Murphy of Equidiet taking place next week and then the week after with my good friend Byron Dixon of Micro-Fresh.

Part #1: How to become export ready

Thursday 9th March 2023

Part #2: How to increase export growth

Wednesday 15th March 2023 

All welcome

www.birminghamblackbusinessshow.co.uk/department-for-business-trade-webinars/

ISCF SSPP collecting flexible plastic packaging waste at home

UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £250,000 to develop innovative ideas that help with the collection of flexible packaging waste from households.

Eligibility

• Competition open to single applicants.
• a UK registered business
• a charity

Deadline: 12 April 2023

www.ukri.org/opportunity/iscf-sspp-collecting-flexible-plastic-packaging-waste-at-home/

Elevating Founders London 2023 

Pitch-off competition part of the London Tech Week 2023, taking place from the 12th - 14th June at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in the heart of Westminster.

Apply to pitch and demo your early-stage business products and solutions. A live pitch-off in front of industry leaders and investors. 

You’ll get:

• Free exhibition pod at London Tech Week's Innovation Hub to display your product and solutions.
• 1-2-1 personalised feedback and mentoring from expert judges.
• PR and Marketing opportunities with London Tech Week

Cost: Free to enter

elevatingfounders.tech/

Local Giving

Simple 20-minute application process for a £500 grant and an outcome within six weeks, the Magic Little Grants fund reduces the work required for grass-roots organisations to access the funding. Funded by the Peoples Postcode Lottery. 2,650 charitable organisations received grants in 2022. Funding can be used to launch new projects or, support existing ones.

Eligibility:

• Organisations in first year of operation
• Have an annual income under £250,000.
• Be located within England, Scotland, or Wales,

Applications open until: 31st October 2023

localgiving.org/magic-little-grants/

Government Funded Support

This was new to me, but it looks like a lot of the support directs you to your Growth Hub (LEP). But there are some other forms of free support by phone or email.

• help with tax
• help with exporting
• advice on writing a business plan

Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) provide confidential advice and help with employment law.

www.gov.uk/business-support-helpline

EmpowHerment Evening - Funding your Business (SOLD OUT)

Featuring Show Me The Money!

Find out about the latest business grants and business support, delivered by me Drew Currie, the 'Martin Lewis of grant funding'.

Eligibility:

• Black female founders

Date: 09 March 2023 6:30pm – 8:00pm 

Location: Online

www.niyo.co/

ICURe Engage Programme

Open to research teams in all UK universities and public sector research enterprises. Programme offers 2-day training bootcamp from Impact experts, Mentoring, peer group support, introduction to Ideation, design thinking and Value Proposition Canvas.

Also access follow-on support and training & a further £35,000 of ICURe funding.

Eligibility:

• UK universities teams and research enterprises

Deadline: 10th March 2023

warwickinnovationdistrict.com/2023/03/01/icure-engage-programme/

Chester Bluecoat Charity

Grants provide vital funding for projects that aim to tackle the root causes of poverty and inequality throughout Chester and the surrounding area. 2 types of grants available: £500 & at least £2,000 to schemes that aim to make a lasting difference in the community over several years.

thechesterbluecoatcharity.co.uk/grant-giving/

BBC Creative U

A 12-week masterclass in advertising hosted and taught by BBC Creative to improve the diversity of talent entering the advertising industry. The programme will take place every Tuesday from 4-6pm.

Eligibility:

• Ethnic minority candidates
• Aged 18+.

If you think this is you, complete the 3 assessment tasks on the website.

Deadline: 15 March 2023

careerssearch.bbc.co.uk/jobs/job/BBC-Creative-U-Creative-Masterclass/64301

Return To Tech 18 weeks bootcamp

Delivered by Coding Black Females. This programme is for Black women who previously worked in the tech industry and would like to return after a career break

Successful applicants will be paid a training salary of £30,000 during the bootcamp and receive a conditional offer of employment at BAE Systems Digital Intelligence. 

Once you have successfully completed the bootcamp, you'll move onto your new role as a Senior/ Principle Engineer.

Eligibility:

• Black women
• Worked as a Software Engineer for at least 3 years

Deadline: 14th March 2023

codingblackfemales.com/academy/returntotech/baesystems

Grants up to £5,000 for Projects that Teach Digital Skills to Young People

Organisations in Scotland, such as schools, colleges, businesses, government agencies, and charities, can apply for grants of up to £5,000 for extracurricular projects aimed at teaching digital skills to underrepresented young people, including girls and minority groups. 

The goal is to inspire the next generation of digital experts and increase diversity in the sector. Grants provided by the Digital Xtra Fund.

Eligibility:

• Scotland

Deadline: 6th April 2023.

www.digitalxtrafund.scot/apply/

Funding for Environmental & Community Projects

Grants up to £1,000 are available to registered voluntary and community groups and other not-for-profit organisations working in the Welsh Water area, for projects that benefit local communities. 

Funding through the Welsh Water Community Fund which supports local projects that protect and enhance the environment, and help improve the health and wellbeing of communities. 

Deadline: Applications will close when all funding allocated.

Eligibility:

• Wales

corporate.dwrcymru.com/en/community/community-projects/community-fund

Funding to Encourage Disadvantaged Communities to Get Active

Grants up to £15,000 available to charities, voluntary and community groups, local authorities, clubs, schools, and other not-for-profit organisations delivering sports and physical activities to improve the health and wellbeing of disadvantaged communities in England. Schools are eligible to apply if their sports facilities are open for use by the wider community. 

Funding is made available through Sport England’s Small Grants Programme which aims to encourage inactive and less active people, regardless of age, background, or level of ability, to become more active. 

Sport England is also particularly keen to support projects seeking to reduce their impact on the environment through the goods and services they use to deliver the activity. 

Eligibility:

• England

Deadline: 30th June 2023.

www.sportengland.org/funds-and-campaigns/our-funds/small-grants-programme#whoandwhatwellfund-19454

Show Me The Money – Lunch & Learn

Find out about the latest business grants and business support. Delivered by me, Drew Currie, the 'Martin Lewis of grant funding'.

Date: June TBC

Location: In-person Birmingham City University STEAMhouse.

steamhouse.org.uk/startup-and-grow/

Flexible Finance Offered To BAME-Led Organisations 

Create Equity has partnered with Social Investment Business to help deliver a £4m fund for BAME-led social enterprises based in England.

Aiming to make the Recovery Loan Fund more accessible, up to 100% grant match funding is available via a Flexible Finance initiative on loans between £50k and £1.5m. Set up to be more flexible than commercial loans:

Eligibility:

• Black & Ethnic Minority-led, at least 51% of the board or management team
• Have a turnover of at least £200k
• Be a social enterprise or charity 
• Be based in England
• Operating for a minimum of two years
• Not previously received repayable finance of more than £25k, excluding Bounce Back Loans 

Email:  info@createequityuk.com and use the subject line: FLEXIBLE FINANCE.

World's first independent drinks accelerator

Dedicated to helping founders build, scale and sell the drinks brands

www.distillventures.com/pre-accelerator

#SBS Small Business Sunday

Theo Paphitis’ #SBS is one of the leading small business networks in the UK with over 3,750 active members. Checkout the website for how you can enter the competition to become a member. 

Theo reviews and chooses his favourite lucky six who are re-tweeted or re-posted. Mr P has over 500k followers on Twitter, and over 40k followers on Instagram, providing a massive boost to the chosen lucky businesses! 

A picture of you and Theo on your website when you win looks super cool as well!

www.theopaphitissbs.com/

#SBS Small Business Scale-Up Award

Theo Paphitis’ #SBS has teamed up with the Business Leader’s Scale-Up Awards. Companies that are #SBS winners can enter this category and enter other categories at the awards.

Benefits of winning; receiving over 100k brand impressions, national publicity, inclusion in finalist’s brochure, feature in Business Leader Magazine.

Entry Deadline: 26th April 2023

www.scaleup-awards.co.uk/categories/the-sbs-small-business-award/

Sole traders pay most tax since records began

Self-employed paid £21.9bn in income tax in January, the biggest-ever figure since records began in 1999 and one-third higher since last year. The amount of tax paid by sole traders and other self-employed, hit a record high in January with them paying nearly £22bn in income tax. The highest monthly figure since records began in 1999 and one third higher than self-assessed income tax receipts received a year ago.

The £21.9bn total is nearly 10% of the total income tax received by the Treasury for the last 12 months (Blick Rothenberg).

My take is if you’re a sole trader or self-employed, think about chatting to an accountant about additional benefits you can claim as a sole trader, or becoming a limited company. No need to help the Treasury any more than you need to!

smallbusiness.co.uk/sole-traders-pay-most-tax-since-records-began-2564763/

Birmingham Black Business Show

Exhibits, deep-dive workshops, interactive panels, and seminars, delivered by industry pioneers, this event will enable personal, professional and corporate development.

Attendees will gain cutting-edge insight and advice in entrepreneurship, leadership, soft skills and cultural development from some of the UK’s leading Black business owners.

Date: Saturday 17th June 2023

Location: Birmingham NEC

www.birminghamblackbusinessshow.co.uk/

The Stephen Lloyd Awards

Supporting early stage projects that have real potential to achieve practical, sustainable social change. Funding of £25,000 will be made available to support Award winners in developing their initiatives. 

At the shortlist stage the Awards will make up to ten awards of up to £2,500.

Deadline: 31 March 2023.

www.stephenlloydawards.org/

Cambridge Social Innovation Prize

Cambridge Centre for Social Innovation and Trinity Hall,, have partnered to celebrate and support extraordinary social innovators creating social impact through business across the UK. Prize includes a £10,000 cash award for personal and professional development.

Eligibility:

• Proven track record (5 to 10 years) of social impact.

Deadline: 06 April 2023

www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/faculty-research/centres/social-innovation/cambridge-social-innovation-prize/

Pathways to Entrepreneurship

Pathways to Enterprising Futures at Aston University will be delivering a series of free business workshops for people that are considering becoming self-employed or starting a business.

This is a partnership with CREME at Aston University, Citizen’s Advice and Punch Records working to deliver pathways and support enterprise skills for communities for underserved communities.

Eligibility:

• GBSLEP based
• Unemployed
• 18+
• Right to live & work in UK

rb.gy/1owlqs

CREME Engaged Scholarship Seminar Series 

Centre for Research in Ethnic Minority Entrepreneurship (CREME) announces the launch of the CREME Research Seminars. 

The first seminar is Facing the future through entrepreneurship theory: A prospective inquiry framework. Delivered by Professor Pablo Muñoz of Durham University and will focus on the prospective inquiry framework

Date: Tuesday, 14th March  

Location: Aston University, Birmingham

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/creme-engaged-scholarship-seminar-series-tickets-523654493687

Barclays Eagle Labs Funding Readiness Programme 

In partnership with Capital Enterprise programmes, designed for UK-based founders ranging from early-stage businesses to established scale-ups who are considering investment or funding to develop and grow their business.

Location: Online

Deadline: 24 March 2023

labs.uk.barclays/what-we-offer/our-programmes/eagle-labs-funding-readiness-programme/

Development finance for small and medium housebuilders

Housebuilders in England can apply for funding via the Levelling Up Home Building Fund. Homes England will provide development loans to small and medium housebuilders who struggle to access traditional development finance. 

Loans from £250,000 are available for builders to build or refurbish five or more homes on a site in England.

www.gov.uk/government/news/development-finance-available-for-small-and-medium-housebuilders-through-the-levelling-up-home-builders-fund

Metallic Fund 

A not-for-profit organisation offering grants, workshops, and mentorships to a wide variety of creatives in the community. Fund primarily focuses on supporting the Creative Black Community, aiming to elevate Black talent and ideas, to address inequality in the creative industries. Grants from £2,500 to £20,000 per year.

Eligibility:

• Individuals based in the UK.
• Applications from LGBTQ+ communities encouraged.
• Deadline: 08 March 2023

metallicfund.com/

Department of Business and Trade (Formerly DIT)

The new Department for Business and Trade (DBT) brings international and national business and trade together into a single department. The DBT are on a mission to reach £1 trillion in exports. So if you’re interested in export, get in contact with them.

Events and trade missions international calendar. Filter by month or by specific item/place name.

www.events.great.gov.uk/ehome/index.php?eventid=200183029&

Department of Business and Trade (DBT) Export Academy

Sign up to the online and in-person events to help you get export ready and prepare you to export to new markets. Once you sign up, an Export Academy International Trade Advisor will contact you to provide support. 

www.events.great.gov.uk/website/6264/

Google Market Finder

A free online offering from Google which tells businesses where their potential customers are around the world.

marketfinder.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en_gb

Partnership to streamline small business finance

Funding Circle have formed a partnership to make it simpler for small businesses to secure funding. The partnership will enable small businesses using Sage Accounting software to apply for loans ranging from £10,000 to £500,000.

www.sage.com/en-gb/news/press-releases/2023/02/funding-circle-and-sage-partner-to-streamline-financing-for-small-businesses/

Farming Equipment and Technology Fund: round 2

Defra has announced that another round of the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund is due to open. The fund provides farmers with grants of between £1,000 and £25,000 to buy new equipment that will enhance environmental sustainability, increase productivity, and improve animal health and welfare.

Deadline: 19 April 2023

www.fwi.co.uk/business/payments-schemes/new-round-of-farming-equipment-and-technology-fund-opens-soon

Food Waste Reduction Scheme in Ireland

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is seeking proposals from organisations and economic operators aimed at reducing food waste generated by primary producers and food businesses. Maximum amount of funding €180,000.

Eligibility:

• Situated in rural areas outside the administrative boundaries of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford, Ireland,
• Up and running, or have taken steps to be operational in 2023,
• Can demonstrate their proposal is sufficiently advanced

Deadline: 23 Mar 2023

www.gov.ie/en/service/201f4e-food-waste-reduction-scheme/

Review into business support for women in Scotland

The Scottish Government will consider proposals to support more women into entrepreneurship, following the publication of a wide-ranging independent review. The review made 31 recommendations which include providing start-up training and support in a range of pop-up locations, clarifying existing access pathways into entrepreneurship and improving access to start-up and growth finance.

I skimmed through this report and thought it was interesting Scottish women also struggled to access Friends & Family money.

www.gov.scot/news/supporting-women-in-entrepreneurship/

MSDUK Innovation Challenge 2023

Opportunity for ethnic minority entrepreneurs from the UK to showcase their unique, innovative, and ground-breaking products and services to our network of global corporates and supplier diversity advocates. This year’s competition is split into 4 categories: Digital Transformations, Social Impact, Sustainable Development and Innovation Pioneers.

The overall winner will receive £20,000 Cash Prize, Digital Out-of-Home Advertising Campaign, in collaboration with JCDecaux, 1-2-1 corporate mentoring from Accenture.

Other Benefits:

• All finalists will receive 1-year free membership to MSDUK
• Free Pitch Training Workshop to enhance your pitching skills
• Pitch at MSDUK’s Business and Innovation Show 2023 in London
• Connect and network with founders, like-minded entrepreneurs and global corporations

innovationchallenge.msduk.org.uk

Female Founder Office Hours

A new PwC initiative offers female founders the opportunity to meet virtually with our experienced team, and to benefit from their guidance, feedback and support in every aspect of fundraising. 

Eligibility:

• Female founder,
• Based in the UK 
• With at least a minimum viable product

www.pwc.co.uk/private-business-private-clients/insights/female-founder-office-hours.html

Be The Business Spark Sessions

Work on important business challenges alongside peers and inspiring experts

3 x 75-minute weekly online sessions.

Eligibility:

• Trading more than 1 year
• 3 employees

www.bethebusiness.com/programmes/spark-sessions/

Black Business Incubator

A partnership with Mentor Black Business and Morgan Stanley, at Somerset House aims to help early-stage creative Black entrepreneurs. 

Location: Hybrid in-person & online events.

Eligibility:

• Identify as Black or Mixed-race, based in the UK
• Launched a product or service in the UK less than 3 years old
• Operate within the creative sector: this includes fashion, film, media, design, photography, gaming, marketing and advertising.

Applications open Spring 2023.

Follow link to express your interest

https://www.somersethouse.org.uk/bbi

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Events

Free events across the East Midlands in the coming weeks. One of the events is a Business Bootcamp.

Date: 27 March 2023.

Location: Coombe Abbey Hotel, Coventry.

Cost: Free.

www.fsb.org.uk/event-calendar/business-bootcamp-and-networking-2023.html

Projects that Help the Homeless

Apply for capital grants up to £5,000 to help homeless people return to the community and enable them to rebuild their lives. Previously funded projects include the Booth Centre, an advice and activity centre for homeless people in Manchester, which received a grant of £1,500 to transform the centre with new lighting, a new water heater and new decoration.

Eligibility:

• UK charity or not for profit
• Annual turnover under £1million.
• Unrestricted reserves of under six months.  

Deadline:15 March 2023.

www.help-the-homeless.org.uk/applying-for-funding/

Funding for Sport & Physical Activities for Disadvantaged Young People 

Grants up to £10k for charities, community groups, local authorities, clubs, and other not-for-profit organisations delivering sports and physical activities to improve the health and wellbeing of black, Asian and minority ethnic children and young people in England. 

Funding made available by BME Youth through the Together Fund, a Sport England initiative which helps people who are most in need of support to get and remain active particularly those from culturally diverse communities, disabled people, lower socioeconomic groups and people with long term health conditions.

Deadline: 31st March 2023 or until all funds have been allocated.

www.bmeyouth.org.uk/funding/

Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs (DBACE)

Made For Good - DBACE has helped creatives bring their ideas to life. £100,000 worth of business support. £60,000 prize fund. 5 winners. Winning DBACE will give you up to £20,000 investment to start or grow your enterprise & membership to MeWe360’s Incubator programme, including 12-months of business support with MeWe360 and Deutsche Bank’s high calibre industry & business mentors.

Eligibility:

• 18+
• Have a strong idea or existing business in, or in support of, the creative industries
• Want to create positive social impact through your enterprise

Deadline: 31 March 2023

dbace.org/

Innovate UK - Germany Bilateral: Collaborative R&D

UK organisations, working with at least one German SME, can apply for upto £400,000 of a £4 million fund. For collaborative research projects resulting in innovative solutions.

Eligibility:

• UK SME
• Collaborating with at least one German SME

Deadline: 07 June 2023

www.ukri.org/opportunity/uk-germany-bilateral-collaborative-research-and-development/

Lambeth Business Fund

Programmes in partnership with Foundervine. Apply for a grant of up to £1,000 to support your innovative business ideas and projects.

Eligibility:

• Lambeth-based resident
• Have finished one Lambeth course
• Aged 19+

Other entrepreneurial skills programmes available such as Lambeth Adult Learning & Lambeth Money Matters.

www.foundervine.com/lambeth

Fund to decarbonise freight and boost innovation

Government has launched a new fund to help small and medium-sized businesses develop greener and more efficient freight solutions. The freight innovation fund (FIF) will provide funding to up to 36 small and medium-sized enterprises that will work with industry-leading companies to develop innovations which will make freight more efficient, resilient and green.

www.gov.uk/government/news/7-million-tech-fund-to-decarbonise-freight-and-boost-innovation

The Gillian Stevenson Trust

A Charitable Trust awarding grants between £100 and £5,000, to fund up to 100% of project costs. If you are only applying for part of the total cost, the details of the source(s) of the additional funding must be included in the application.

Eligibility:

• Must be registered as a charity.,

www.gillianstevensontrustuk.org/

Government Funded ECO+ energy efficient scheme

To make homes more energy efficient and reduce energy bills by helping to insulate homes. The ECO+ scheme is designed to be complementary to the current ECO scheme. ECO+ is an obligation for larger energy suppliers across Great Britain to give their customers grants for insulation to reduce home heating costs. It has £1 billion in funding.

This scheme will help a wider group of people to insulate their homes than previous versions of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme.

Starts: April 2023 to March 2026. 

energysavingtrust.org.uk/what-is-the-uk-governments-eco-scheme/

Women CEOs Lead More Than 10% of Fortune 500 Companies For the First Time

2023 is already setting out to be record year for women in leadership roles. For the first time since the Fortune 500 list began 68 years ago, more than 10% of CEOs leading Fortune 500 Companies were women.

footwearnews.com/2023/business/power-players/women-ceos-lead-fortune-500-companies-1203390856/

Fully funded degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths)

If you’re a parent hit by the cost of living and you’re concerned about the cost of sending your child to university, consider this opportunity funded by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. Funding for their degree, from a choice of over 20 courses at Birmingham City University (BCU). Called the Millennium Point Charitable Trust Scholarship 2023.

Eligibility:

• Live in the West Midlands.
• 18+ and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2023.
• Not studying or already have an undergraduate or above qualification.

Deadline: March 17, 2023.

www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/trust/scholarship/

Organisation of the Women Tech EU Scheme

Support deep tech innovation as a basis for a modern, knowledge-driven, resource-efficient and competitive economy;

• Promote female leadership in the deep tech industry to build fairer, more inclusive, and more prosperous innovation ecosystems in the European Union (EU);
• Ensure a smooth continuation of the established Women TechEU scheme consistent with previous processes, outcomes, and branding;
• Foster cooperation and networking between women entrepreneurs in the deep tech field.
• Upto 2 years support & financial support of EUR 75,000. Funding is from Horizon Europe. 

EU grants are notoriously difficult to apply for. DO NOT attempt to apply yourself, use a Grant Writing consultant. I spent weeks working on one & gave up because it was so hard. If you persevere the rewards are good. Some Horizon calls have over 30% success rates.

Deadline: 23 March 2023

eismea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/european-innovation-ecosystems/

SouthBank Centre - ReFrame & The Residency Programmes

The Residency is part of Reframe, an initiative empowering the next generation of Black creatives in the UK. Reframe is supported by Apple and produced by the Southbank Centre with Factory International in Manchester and STEAMhouse and Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) in Birmingham.

Reframe - provides technical tools and resources for aspiring young artists and creatives in the UK to develop their own voices and position themselves for long-lasting careers in their chosen fields.

The Residency - an artist-led programme equipping emerging Black and Black mixed heritage creatives with the skills to develop creative careers in photography, film-making and music.

Courses take place in London, Manchester and Birmingham

Successful applicants will receive financial support for their time on the programme, including food and travel costs.

Eligibility:

• Black or Black mixed heritage creative aged 18 – 30
• Live in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester or London

Dates: April – May 2023

www.southbankcentre.co.uk/creative-learning/emerging-artists-creatives/reframe

Innovation Loans Future Economy competition: round 8

Businesses can apply for loans for innovative projects with strong commercial potential to significantly improve the UK economy.

Eligibility:

• Open to single small and medium sized enterprise applicants registered in the UK.
• Deadline: 08 March 2023 

www.ukri.org/opportunity/innovation-loans-future-economy-competition-round-8/

Climate Innovation Platform Business Support Opportunities

Looking for business support, incubation space, joining a network of cleantech innovators and/or funding. Supported by HSBC UK, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Climate Innovation Platform - Cohort Three (June - December 2023)

Tailored support to drive the commercialisation of innovative energy products and services. Delivered by the University of Birmingham in partnership with the Energy Systems Catapult.

Grant funding available to support your business development, phase 1 up to £5k, phase 2 up to £20.5k.

Deadline: 31 March 2023

Find out more at the virtually or in-person Open Days.

https://lnkd.in/dmYVWVK6

https://lnkd.in/ddGFGNni

Eligibility:

• Applicants to the Climate Innovation Fund and Climate Innovation Platform - Springboard programme must be an SME.
• Based in the Greater Birmingham Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership (GBSLEP), includes Bromsgrove, Redditch and Wyre Forest Districts.

Location: Tyseley Energy Park, within Birmingham's Green Energy and Innovation Quarter.

www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/energy/climate-innovation-platform.aspx

Celebrating the Legacy of Women in Innovation on International Women's Day

Programme launched in 2016 by Innovate UK with the overall aim to increase gender equality in business-led innovation.

Date: 08 March 2023 | 9:30am – 1:00pm

Location: Virtual or in-person Manchester Hall, Manchester

Cost: Free

iuk.ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/

Funding to improve productivity, sustainability, resilience 

To move agriculture sector towards net zero. Project should address a significant industry challenge or opportunity in at least 1 of the 4 industry subsectors:

• livestock
• plants
• novel food production systems
• bioeconomy and agroforestry

Deadline: 08 March 2023

www.ukri.org/news/new-funding-for-farmer-led-research-starter-innovation-projects/

Senior mental health lead training

Schools or colleges can apply for a grant of £1,200 and access DfE quality assured training, to help develop a novel approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Eligibilty:

• State-funded schools and colleges 
• Able to begin training within the 2022 - 2023 financial year, up to 31 March 2023.

www.gov.uk/guidance/senior-mental-health-lead-training

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