SWEF Business Grant (County Durham, Tees Valley and North East)
Funding
£500 – £2,000
Deadline
Check with the funder
Location
County Durham; Tees Valley; Tyne and Wear; Northumberland; Gateshead; Sunderland
Applications
Rolling applications
Overview
SWEF gives young North East entrepreneurs £500 to £2,000 for a business investment they can't afford. Young people not in education, employment or training are encouraged to apply. Grants do not need to be paid back. There is no fixed deadline, so you can apply at any time while funds last. Official source: https://pointnorth.org.uk/grants/swef-business-grant/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 22 October 2026.
Requirements to check
Who can apply:
Key requirements:
- £500 to £2,000.
- County Durham, Tees Valley, Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
- Aged 18 to 30.
- Trading under two years.
- Rolling, no deadline.
Young people aged 18 to 30 from low-income households or facing barriers, running a business under two years old in the North East.
This summary may not include every exclusion. Check the full eligibility rules, including who and what the funder will not support.
Young entrepreneurs in the North East.
Sectors
Regions
Full details from Point North (SWEF)
Grants of £500 to £2,000 from the SWEF Business Grant, run by Point North, for young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30 living in County Durham, Tees Valley, Tyneside, Wearside or Northumberland who are from a low-income household or face other barriers. Start-Up Grants of up to £500 suit businesses that are pre-revenue or turn over less than £500 a month, and Business Grants of up to £2,000 suit businesses turning over more. Applicants must be the majority shareholder of a sole trader, limited company or CIC limited by shares that has traded for under two years. Equipment to meet proven demand, stock for a new product line, prototypes, websites, training and product development can all be funded; salaries, rent, debt, app development and new computers or phones cannot. There is no fixed deadline, so you can apply at any time while funds last.
Read the guidelines and apply through Point North's online portal. Decisions take about eight weeks.
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Create free accountLast updated: 22 October 2026