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Small business grants: what is open now, page 3

Page 3 of 4. Back to the guide and the grants closing soon.

All open grants (173)

Deadline

Cladding Safety Scheme

Homes England (England), Department for Levelling up, Housing & Communities (NI)

£250,000 - £20mEngland, Northern Ireland

The Cladding Safety Scheme pays to fix life safety fire risks linked to cladding on residential buildings over 11m in height. In London, it covers buildings of 11-18m. Homes England reviews applications to check they meet the legal criteria. It suits the person or organisation legally responsible for a building's external repairs, known as the Responsible Entity, or someone acting on their behalf. That includes private owners and social landlords such as registered providers and local authorities. The scheme supports applications where you cannot afford the work yourself or feel it is not your responsibility to pay for it. Funding goes towards eligible costs that would otherwise fall on residential or commercial leaseholders. The page does not give a minimum or maximum award. The scheme opened on 24 July 2023 and closes at 11:59pm on 31 March 2030. Your building must have unsafe cladding assessed as a high or medium action required threat to life. You also need a Fire Risk Assessment of the External Wall using the PAS9980 method, carried out by an assessor from the approved panel. Wholly residential buildings and mixed use residential and commercial buildings can apply. One practical caveat: please do not apply if you do not intend to use taxpayer funding to complete the work. Buildings where works started on site before 10 January 2022 are not covered. Leaseholders cannot apply unless they are the head leaseholder acting as the Responsible Entity. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/cladding-safety-scheme-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

Deadline

Business Support for Scotland

Scottish Government

Up to £10mScotland

Business Support for Scotland is a signposting service rather than a single pot of money. It points you to FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot, where you can see grants, loans, funding, advice and other support for businesses in Scotland, all in one place. The support comes from over 100 Scottish public sector organisations. It suits businesses of all sizes and sectors, from start-ups and sole traders to large enterprises. It also includes support for social enterprises. The options go beyond money. You will find funding, grants and loans, and also advice, consultancy, networking opportunities, training, webinars and more. You can browse everything that is available. You can also search for services and events and narrow the results to fit your needs. The listing opened on 23 September 2022 and is open now. The closing date shown is 30 September 2030. One practical point. The selection changes regularly as new services are launched and old ones are removed. It is worth looking again if you do not find a good fit first time. You can also sign up to the FindBusinessSupport newsletter for a round-up of the latest public sector business support in Scotland. The Find a grant page also offers a way to sign up for updates about this listing. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/business-support-for-scotland. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

Deadline

National Highways Lorry Parking Facilities Improvements Scheme

National Highways

Up to £20mEngland

This scheme helps lorry parking operators improve facilities for heavy goods vehicle drivers. It is run by National Highways and paid from its Customer and Communities Designated Fund, under the freight and roadside facilities theme. The wider scheme has up to £20 million available. You can ask for a grant to improve welfare facilities, driver and site security, or HGV parking amenities and capacity. Welfare ideas include driver lounges, toilets, showers, Wi-Fi, laundry and rest areas. Security ideas include lighting, CCTV, monitoring equipment and secure fencing. Parking ideas include more spaces, a better layout, resurfacing, white lining, electric charging and dedicated areas for noisy vehicles and trailers. National Highways will pay up to 50% of the capital cost of a project. You must provide match-funding of at least 50%. The funding ratio will be confirmed in each grant agreement. Grants can cover construction and refurbishment, security equipment and installation, engineering, architecture and design, and fixtures and fittings. The scheme suits operators of motorway service areas, independent truck stops, trunk road service areas and local authority truck stops. Sites must be on, or within 5 km of, the strategic road network in England, and your project must benefit professional drivers. Applications opened on 6 March 2023 and close on 31 March 2031. You must show that your project will be finished by that date. One thing to plan for: the grant does not cover staffing, normal running costs, general overheads or labour costs. It also cannot fund work you have already done or would do anyway. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/national-highways-lorry-parking-facilities-improvements-scheme-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

Deadline

Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF)

HS2 Ltd

£10,000 - £250,000England

HS2 Ltd runs two linked funds for places disrupted by building the HS2 railway between London and Crewe (Phase One and Phase 2a). They are the Community and Environment Fund (CEF) and the Business and Local Economy Fund (BLEF). Both are open now and close on 31 March 2035. CEF suits charities and community groups. It backs projects that improve quality of life and the local environment, such as better walking, cycling or horse-riding access, nature conservation, sports and recreation facilities, public open space, community facilities, or the re-use of historic buildings. CEF Local funds projects of up to £75,000. CEF Strategic funds larger projects across several communities, from £75,001 up to £250,000. BLEF suits organisations with formal objectives to support local business or tourism. It offers capital or revenue grants from £10,000 up to £250,000 for work that helps local economies, such as promotional campaigns, events that bring in footfall, tourism projects, public realm improvements and business support or training. The size of an award reflects the number of businesses your project supports and the benefits it delivers. Both funds must add benefit over and above the mitigation and compensation already committed. Your project needs to address disruption from HS2 construction. One practical point: decisions on grants of up to £75,000 take about 8 weeks. Larger grants have two stages and take about 16 weeks after each stage. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/community-and-environment-fund-cef-and-business-and-local-economy-fund-blef-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

SWEF Grant Programme for Young Entrepreneurs

Forever Notts (SWEF)

£200 - £2,000East Midlands

Grants for young people starting or growing a business, for equipment, training or services: Start-Up Grants up to £500 for pre-revenue businesses and Business Grants up to £2,000 for trading businesses. Not for salaries or living costs. Amount: £200 to £2,000. Rolling: monthly cut-off on the 7th of each month. Who can apply: People aged 18 to 30 living and working in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire, from a low-income household or facing barriers, with a business trading under two years and a business bank account. Aimed especially at those not in education, employment or training. How to apply: Read the criteria on the Forever Notts SWEF page and apply through the Fundseeker Portal before the 7th of the month. Official source: https://www.forevernotts.com/grant/swef-grant-programme/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 19 October 2026.

No deadline listed

National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations

Creative Scotland

Funding amount not listedScotland

The National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations is run by Creative Scotland. It is for organisations that want funding to carry out creative activity. The page describes this as a specific project or production, a programme of creative work, or a period of research and development. The fund sits within Creative Scotland's Open Funding route. Creative Scotland describes this as one of its key funding routes. It supports the wide range of activity started by organisations, artists, writers, producers and other creative practitioners in Scotland. There are separate strands for organisations and for individuals. Each strand has its own budget, and applications are considered at separate panels. This means organisations are not competing with individuals for the same pot of money. The page lists the fund as open. One practical point to note. This fund is for organisations only. If you are an individual artist, writer, producer or other creative practitioner based in Scotland, the page points you to the Open Fund for Individuals instead. Make sure you choose the right strand before you start, so your application goes to the right panel. It suits organisations with creative work to deliver in Scotland, whether that is a one-off project, a wider programme or time set aside for research and development. Official source: https://www.creativescotland.com/funding/funding-programmes/open-funding. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

BFI National Lottery Screen Heritage Fund: Project Funding

British Film Institute

£10,000 - £140,000England

The BFI National Lottery Screen Heritage Fund: Project Funding backs time-limited projects that open up screen heritage collections to more people. It is open all year, so you can apply at any time. It suits organisations that hold and care for screen archives or similar collections on a not-for-profit basis. Your project must meet at least two of the fund's aims. These include reaching more diverse audiences, working with local communities, building skills and improving staff retention, reducing the carbon footprint of collections care, sharing knowledge with other organisations, and collecting new moving image works so that today is not missing from the record. You can generally apply for between £10,000 and £140,000. If you are asking for an amount near the top of that range, you are expected to include a skills-related part in your project. Awards above £140,000 are rare. The page says higher amounts are only accepted for projects with exceptional cultural ambition, national profile and scale. Funding can cover project development and delivery, project staff costs, audience engagement, community co-curation, collections care linked to the fund's aims, limited digitisation and evaluation. It cannot pay for filmmaking projects, building work, costs incurred before an offer, or equipment above 8% of the amount you request. You can send an optional expression of interest first and get feedback on your eligibility. One firm caveat: applications submitted less than 16 weeks before your project starts are ineligible and will be declined. Plan your start date with plenty of lead time. Official source: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/bfi-national-lottery-screen-heritage-fund/applying-bfi-national-lottery-screen-heritage-project-funding. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Places grants

Historic England

£1,000 - £1mEngland

Places grants from Historic England pay for projects that repair, conserve and care for historic places. That includes buildings, structures, monuments, landscapes and areas. Historic England says its grants play an important role in helping people care for, enjoy and celebrate England's spectacular historic environment. If you are planning work to look after a historic place, this scheme is worth a close look. The scheme is open all year. It opened on 1 April 2026 and has no end date. The advert shows a closing date of 31 March 2027, but the funder says you do not need to apply before then. You can apply at any time during the year, so you can plan your project at your own pace. The page does not give award sizes, so there is no minimum or maximum amount to quote here. Historic England publishes its eligibility information and funding priorities on its own website. Reading these before you start will help you judge whether your project fits. Applications begin on the Find a grant service, where you select the option to start a new application. Historic England also explains how to apply on its grants pages. One practical point: because the advert still shows a closing date, it is easy to think time is short. It is not. Take the time to read the priorities and prepare a clear application. Official source: https://www.find-government-grants.service.gov.uk/grants/places-grants-1. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Gather

Growth Platform

Funding amount not listedEngland, North West England

Gather is a business scale-up programme run through Growth Platform, the Liverpool City Region Growth Company. It is aimed at digital, creative, tech and tech-enabled businesses based in the Liverpool City Region. The page lists Gather as a programme rather than as a funding pot. That means it is about helping your business grow, not about a cash award. The page does not give a grant amount for it. If you run a digital, creative or tech business in the region and you want to scale up, Gather is worth a closer look. It sits alongside other support on the Growth Platform programmes page, including leadership training, export support and help with finding finance. Some of those suit different types of business, so it helps to compare them. Growth Platform says its local business support teams can help you find tailored solutions and suitable support and funding. You can contact your local business support team if you are not sure where to start. One practical point. The listing on this page is brief and mainly describes who the programme is for. Talk to a local team early if you want to plan your growth timetable around it. Official source: https://growthplatform.org/programmes/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation Grants

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

From £30,000England

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation offers longer-term grants to organisations that want to change systems for the future. It looks for work with the potential for wider influence or spread, a collaborative approach, and a focus on lived experience, justice and equity. Grants can cover core or project costs, including staff salaries and overheads. The Foundation also provides unrestricted funding for charities. The minimum grant is £30,000 and there is no maximum. Most grants run for three to five years, though there is no minimum or maximum term. The Foundation supports constituted organisations, including charities and non-charities doing charitable work. It makes around 200 grants a year across its 13 funding priorities. You can apply at any time, because applications are accepted on a rolling basis with no deadlines unless the page says otherwise. The Foundation does not fund organisations with a turnover of less than £100,000 in their latest accounts. It also does not fund capital costs such as building work, renovations and equipment, grants to individuals, work without a direct benefit in the UK, or healthcare, among other exclusions. Competition is very high. In 2025, 5% of expressions of interest received through the website went on to be awarded a grant. Before you spend time on an application, read the funding priorities and take the eligibility quiz to see whether your work is a good fit. Extra accessibility support is available if you need it because of a disability. Official source: https://esmeefairbairn.org.uk/apply-for-a-grant/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

SWEF Business Grants (Cheshire and Warrington)

Cheshire Community Foundation (SWEF)

Up to £2,000North West England

Grants for young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30 for business costs such as equipment, materials, training, marketing and product development, plus a peer network. Funds must be spent within a month. Amount: Up to £500 start-up or £2,000 business grant. Rolling: ongoing. Who can apply: People aged 18 to 30 living in Cheshire, Warrington or Greater Manchester starting a new business. Pre-revenue businesses can get up to £500; £2,000 needs turnover of at least £500 a month. How to apply: Check the SWEF eligibility criteria, then apply through the link on the Cheshire Community Foundation SWEF page. Official source: https://cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/grants/swef/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 19 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Plant Standards and Grants

CITB

Funding amount not listedEngland

Plant standards and grants sit within the CITB Grants Scheme. The page says the new standards have introduced standardised plant training and testing requirements across the construction industry. The wider Grants Scheme covers funding for a range of day to day training. That includes short courses, qualifications and apprenticeships. Short course grants include plant tests. Qualification grants cover both short and long qualifications. Apprenticeship grants are for approved apprenticeships in England, Wales and Scotland. The scheme suits employers who send people on short courses, qualifications or apprenticeships as part of normal work. It is aimed at everyday training rather than one-off projects. Employers can reach grant information and services through CITB Online Services, the CITB portal. You can see your grant and levy information in one place there. To receive grant payments by BACS, you need to send CITB your bank details. The page does not give grant amounts or a closing date. It does point to a Grants Scheme Policy, which governs the scheme, and to a section explaining the grants and when you can apply them. One practical caveat: employers may be selected for verification. This lets CITB check that grant applications and payments follow the Grants Scheme rules. Official source: https://www.citb.co.uk/funding-support/grants. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

National Lottery Project Grants

Arts Council England

£1,000 - £100,000England

National Lottery Project Grants is Arts Council England's open access programme for arts, libraries and museums projects. It supports thousands of individual practitioners, community organisations and cultural organisations. You can apply for between £1,000 and £100,000. The fund is always open, so there is no closing date to work towards. The Arts Council is currently prioritising two types of project: Museum Unlocking Collections and Universal Library Offers. If your idea fits one of these, it is worth reading the guidance with that in mind. The Arts Council has a Guidance Library with everything you need to apply. You can also look at success rates for the fund on its National Investment Dashboard, which may help you judge your chances before you start. If you need support to apply, the Arts Council can provide guidance in different formats and pay for a support worker, among other help. If your project is funded, there is further information on accepting your grant and reporting on your activity. The Arts Council's customer services team can help by email, phone or LiveChat from Monday to Friday. Official source: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/ProjectGrants. Last checked by GrantMatch on 15 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Members Locality Budget

Hertfordshire County Council

Up to £5,000England, South East England

Every Hertfordshire county councillor has £5,000 a year to spend on local projects. This is the Members Locality Budget, run by Hertfordshire County Council. The money can back projects that promote the social, economic or environmental wellbeing of a councillor's local area. Grants can be given for almost anything, as long as it is legal and does not go against a county council policy. Past grants have gone to non-profit community events, crime prevention, health and education. You can ask for any amount, up to the £5,000 that each councillor holds. That means a single grant can be as much as £5,000. The key first step is to talk to your local county councillor. You need their agreement before you apply. You can search by postcode to find them. If your idea covers more than one division, you can approach all of the relevant councillors, but you only need to make one application for each project. Once you have spoken to your councillor, you apply online. Your councillor then recommends whether a grant should be awarded, and you hear the outcome by email. Grants can only be paid to an organisation. Individuals can ask for a grant, but the money must be paid through an organisation. One practical point to plan for: if you are awarded a grant, you will need to keep receipts and invoices that show how the money was spent, and produce a brief evaluation of your project. Official source: https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/about-the-council/how-the-council-works/locality-budgets/member-locality-budget.aspx. Last checked by GrantMatch on 15 October 2026.

No deadline listed

SWEF Enterprise Fund (Merseyside)

Community Foundation for Lancashire and Merseyside (SWEF)

£500 - £2,000North West England

The SWEF Enterprise Fund helps young people in Merseyside get a new business going. You can apply for a start-up grant of up to £500 or a business grant of up to £2,000, and you don't have to pay it back. You need to be 18 to 30, live in Merseyside, and be launching a business or running one that has traded for less than three years. It is aimed especially at people who are not in education, work or training, or who are on benefits. There is no deadline. You start with an expression of interest form, then SWEF may invite you to a short online call before deciding. Official source: https://cfmerseyside.org.uk/grants/swef-enterprise-fund. Last checked by GrantMatch on 21 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs / Forestry Commission – Defra Trees Programme

£1,500 - £30,500England

The Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG) pays for the planning work that comes before you plant a new woodland in England. It does not pay for the trees themselves. Instead, it helps you produce a woodland creation design plan that meets the UK Forestry Standard, which you can then use to apply for planting money through the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO). The grant works in two stages. Stage 1 pays £1,500 for a desk-based look at the constraints and opportunities on your site. If the site looks suitable, you are offered Stage 2, which pays £150 per hectare (minus the £1,500 already paid) towards a site appraisal map, a design concept plan and a draft design plan. The total is capped at £30,500 per project. Supplementary payments are available if you need extra surveys, such as a peat depth or archaeology survey. Since 11 December 2024, consultation and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) screening happen at Stage 2. Your final proposal is published on the Forestry Commission's public consultation register for 21 days, and a County Archaeologist is consulted. The upside is that you will not normally need to repeat consultation or EIA screening when you go on to apply for EWCO. Who it suits: farmers and landowners planning a larger planting scheme of at least 5 hectares who want professional help to get the design right before committing. You can apply all year round. The Forestry Commission aims to respond within 20 working days, and you must have a signed agreement before you start work. GOV.UK does not state a closing date for the scheme. Always check the latest forms on GOV.UK, as they are updated regularly. Official source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/woodland-creation-planning-grant. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.

No deadline listed

England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs / Forestry Commission – Defra Trees Programme

Funding amount not listedEngland

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is the Forestry Commission's main grant for planting new woodland in England. It pays towards the cost of creating the woodland and then helps you look after it while the young trees establish. According to GOV.UK, you can get up to £10,200 per hectare for the planting and related capital works, such as standard cost items and infrastructure for woodland management or public access. On top of that, there is an annual maintenance payment of £400 per hectare for 15 years. If your woodland's location and design deliver wider public benefits, such as nature recovery, water quality or access for local people, you can apply for additional contributions of up to £12,700 per hectare. A low sensitivity land payment of £1,100 per hectare is available if your proposal sits entirely within a low sensitivity area for woodland creation. All planting and management must follow the UK Forestry Standard. The minimum area is 1 hectare, which can be made up of several blocks of at least 0.1 hectares each. Woodland must normally be at least 20 metres wide, or 10 metres for riparian buffers and shelterbelts. Timing matters. You can apply at any time, but applications take 3 to 5 months to process. To have a good chance of an agreement in time for the next planting season, GOV.UK says your complete application should be in by 31 May. If you apply after October, an offer for the coming season is unlikely. Who it suits: farmers and landowners who want to plant at least a hectare of new woodland, including shelterbelts and riverside buffers. If you are planning 5 hectares or more, consider the Woodland Creation Planning Grant first, which pays for the design work. GOV.UK does not state a closing date for EWCO. Official source: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/england-woodland-creation-offer. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Flexible Growth Fund

Growth Platform

Funding amount not listedEngland, North West England

The Flexible Growth Fund is a £20 million fund from Growth Platform. It is designed to enable new economic growth by removing barriers to investment for ambitious businesses. The fund suits businesses in Liverpool City Region that are undertaking an expansion project which will create or secure jobs. If you are planning to grow and your plans would support local employment, this is one to look at. The page lists the fund as a funding programme alongside other support in the region. It gives the size of the overall fund, but it does not state how much each business can receive. It also does not give a closing date or say whether applications are open at the moment. One practical point to bear in mind: the page only gives a short description of the fund. It does not set out further eligibility rules, so you should expect your expansion project to need a clear link to creating or securing jobs in the region. Growth Platform also runs a local business support team that can help you find suitable support and funding. The page invites you to contact your local business support team if you do not know where to start. Official source: https://growthplatform.org/programmes/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.

No deadline listed

SWEF Enterprise Grants (Greater Lincolnshire)

Lincolnshire Community Foundation (SWEF)

Up to £2,000East Midlands

Start-up grants up to £500 for pre-revenue businesses and up to £2,000 for businesses trading under two years, for equipment, materials, stock, websites, product development and training. Amount: Up to £500 start-up or £2,000 established business. Rolling applications. Who can apply: People aged 18 to 30 in Greater Lincolnshire starting or growing a business. Pre-revenue or under six months trading is capped at £500. How to apply: Download the fund guidelines and application from the Lincolnshire Community Foundation fund page and submit before the closing date with your governing document and accounts or recent bank statements. LCF encourages a call first on 01529 305825. Official source: https://lincolnshirecf.co.uk/grants/swef/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 19 October 2026.

No deadline listed

Royal Countryside Fund: free farm resilience programmes

The Royal Countryside Fund

Funding amount not listedEngland

This is free support rather than a cash grant. The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF), a charity, runs free programmes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help family farms become more financially and environmentally resilient. Its flagship Farm Resilience Programme, running since 2016, offers free training that takes in the whole farm and the whole family. It helps you get a clearer picture of your finances and operations, then find practical changes where they will make the most difference. The RCF calls this a 'business-first' approach. Alongside it, the RCF lists several themed offers. Routes to Regen helps farmers move towards regenerative practices. Savings in Soil looks at cutting input costs and improving soil health. Working with Water covers low-cost changes for water management, drought and flooding. There is also support on biodiversity. The programmes are delivered locally and bring farmers together in groups to share ideas and advice, which many farmers value as much as the training itself. The RCF's page does not list a closing date, eligibility rules or a single application route, because programmes run locally at different times. The best next step is to check which programmes are running near you on the RCF website and register your interest. Who it suits: family farm businesses anywhere in the UK that want help with finances, planning or nature-friendly changes, especially if margins are tight or you are thinking about the next generation. Official source: https://www.royalcountrysidefund.org.uk/how-we-help/on-your-farm/. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.

No deadline listed

BFI UK Focus Fund

British Film Institute

Funding amount not listedEngland

The BFI National Lottery UK Focus Fund pays for UK-focused activity at international industry events. It aims to raise the international profile of UK screen talent and content. It also helps UK screen professionals meet their counterparts abroad. The fund backs activity at established international festivals, markets, co-production forums and other industry events or platforms. These must have international reach and be dedicated to screen content. Your activity should build awareness of, and demand for, UK content, talent, expertise and co-production opportunities among international partners and buyers. It should also encourage cultural exchange that leads to more collaboration. The event itself must focus on at least one type of screen content. This can be feature films (fiction, documentary or animation) for theatrical or online release. It can be documentary or animation programmes for broadcast television, video-on-demand or other online release. It can also be narrative-led interactive or immersive media for commercial distribution on digital platforms. Applications are open all year round, so there is no closing date. The page does not state award amounts. One practical point to plan around: you must apply at least 12 weeks before your proposed UK Focus activity starts. Read the funding guidelines in full first, as the online application link sits within them. If you are successful, you will need to credit BFI National Lottery funding and thank National Lottery players. Official source: https://www.bfi.org.uk/get-funding-support/funding-support-international-activity/uk-focus-fund. Last checked by GrantMatch on 16 October 2026.