Kent Community Foundation (SWEF) Grants

SWEF Business Grants for Young Entrepreneurs (Kent and Medway)

Kent Community Foundation (SWEF)

Kent Community Foundation, working with SWEF, offers small grants to help young people in Kent and Medway start or grow a business. If you are aged 18-30 and own most of your business, you can apply for help with essential costs. These include equipment, materials and stock, prototypes and product development, and website or booking system builds. Second-hand items are particularly welcome, and goods and services from within the UK are preferred. There are two grants. The start-up grant offers up to £500 for businesses that are pre-revenue, earn under £500 a month, or have traded for less than two years. The business grant offers up to £2,000 for businesses trading for less than two and a half years with monthly revenues over £500. Award sizes reflect your monthly profit and the business opportunity. A grant can go towards an item costing more than the award, as long as the item costs no more than £10,000. The scheme is open for applications now, with no fixed closing date. You must show financial need. This means you cannot get a bank loan or help from friends or family. You also need a business bank account and a reference from someone who knows you professionally. Ideas alone will not be considered; you need evidence of real steps taken to get your business going. One important point: you must spend the grant within one month of receiving it. The grant will not cover salaries, rent, utilities, debt, software or app development, new computers, phones or tablets, or ongoing subscriptions. Successful applicants join the SWEF community, attend at least one meetup and share feedback after 12 months. Official source: https://kentcf.org.uk/funding/swef-business-grants/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 28 October 2026.