Search our comprehensive directory of support services and funding available to businesses in County Durham.
Showing 57 of 57 business support services.
Business Boost – This is a unique programme of business support and funding to budding entrepreneurs and SMEs. It provides flexible tailored one-to-one advice and guidance.
Durham University Careers & Enterprise centre has funding available for SMEs with a base in County Durham who are looking to establish internships and graduate opportunities.
The UK Crowdfunding Assocation represents this diverse and vibrant industry and gives our members a collective voice across government, media, regulators, and most importantly, to the general public. Our members provide the platforms necessary to bring investors and fundraisers together across many industries, providing choice in this ever expanding marketplace.
Northern Film + Media has joined forces with The Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund to launch a Going Places Fund financed by CTBF, held and distributed by NFM, and jointly administered between the two organisations. Open to applicants with at least two years of professional experience in any behind-the-camera role right through the film and television value chain, the Going Places Fund will offer quick turnaround awards of £150 to £1,500.
The Tradeshow Access Programme provides funding in the form of grants for eligible businesses to attend overseas trade shows.
The Transmit Growth Fund directly supports companies who are looking for some help in raising the finance they need to make advances in their business, and for whom finance from traditional lenders is not an option. This fund provides the affordable, ethical finance that entrepreneurs need and deserve to pursue their opportunities. So whether it’s a new contract, taking on staff, expanding premises or new products and services, our team will look pragmatically at your application to support you.
The Countryside Productivity Small Grants scheme Round 2 is now available for all farm types including livestock, horticulture and arable businesses, with a total of £15 million available.
The Bounce Back Loan scheme will help small and medium-sized businesses to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000. It launches on 04 May 2020. The government will guarantee 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months.
Teal is a simple and impartial service that helps entrepreneurs find the right finance. We work with a number of finance providers so that businesses can access growth finance, from £500 to £500,000. We also offer other services such as business planning support, financial forecasting, preparation of pitch decks and funding applications.
If you have a sustainable business idea, are aged 18 to 30, and live in the North East of England… the Sustainable Start-up Award could be for you! Discretionary grants of up to £1,000 are available and can be used to cover costs that enable the business to be more sustainable, for example, purchasing recycled materials or energy efficient tools.
Start-Up loans, of up to £25,000 per person, are designed to help you get your business up and running, Transmit approves hundreds of loans, for entrepreneurs like you, every year from hairdressers and plumbers to app developers and filmmakers. As part of this loan, successful applicants also receive free mentoring for 12 months.
Are you an early-stage company, less than two years old? British Business Bank, through its partner the Start Up Loan Company is funding loans of up to £25,000 to entrepreneurs
Sporting Capital is a new social investment fund that focuses on supporting the sustainable development of community sports organisations.
SEIF II supports ambitious social enterprises and charities with sustainable business models looking to grow and extend their social impact. The Fund offers repayable finance of between £250,000 and £3 million for growth, working capital and capital expenditure purposes. The £3m fund is the first of its kind, and offers investment in the form of simple, repayable loans of between £50k to £150k.
SME’s now have the same benefits as larger organisations to develop front line managers through funded accredited Management Diplomas aligned to front line management apprenticeships.
The £9 million North East Small Loan Fund is a specialist provider of SME finance to support a wide variety of growth plans. The Fund typically advances loans of £10,000 and £50,000 to support actively trading businesses throughout Durham, Northumberland, and Tyne & Wear.
SAM has set up two new funds. The first will help North East businesses that are now making PPE for the NHS or other frontline healthcare teams, with match funding grants of up to £10,000. The second will help companies that have diversified or adapted in order to stay in business and operational during and after COVID-19. Match funding grants of up to £10,000 are also available for these companies.
Crowdcube is a crowdfunding platform where a community of like-minded people pool their money and knowledge to back start-up, early and growth-stage businesses. In addition, the government-backed London Co-Investment Fund invests in seed-stage technology, digital and science businesses through Crowdcube.
The North East Social Investment Fund invests in social enterprises, with individual investments ranging from £100,000 to £1 million. Investments can be used for a wide range of purposes, including operational costs, working capital, asset purchases, or a combination of purposes.
Funded from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) the SME Innovation Programme is designed to help North East SMEs realise their innovative possibilities, by offering: Access to industry experts and suppliers which match your needs; Up to 40% Project Funding (project value between £5k-40k)
The North East Investment Fund exists to support projects that help maintain or improve an asset, often called infrastructure. A project could be a new construction, expansion, renovation, or replacement for an existing facility or facilities.
The North East Business Support Fund can offer grants that can be used for any external resource to help adapt or market their business differently and is aimed at businesses from Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and County Durham. Up to 40% ERDF funding for projects between £2,500 and £8,000 is available – providing up to £3,200 in grant.
Mercia Asset Management PLC manages the North East Venture Fund, supported by the Regional Development Fund (“NEVF”). NEVF is a £27.0million fund to support businesses across the North East region as part of the £120.0million North East Fund. NEVF invests in rounds up to £1.0million, with additional funding potentially coming from Mercia’s other funds, and is targeted at businesses at any stage of their development with a particular focus on innovative businesses and is available to SMEs across Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. The Fund is open for investments until 2022.
Business Durham provides an area-based approach to supporting businesses in the county. The county has been divided into three geographic areas – east, north and south/west, each of which has a nominated business development officer to support businesses in the area. The business development officers will help facilitate the development of the businesses and address any threats or opportunities.
We lend to organisations that are owned and democratically controlled by their members, who are usually either employees, customers or members of a community.
To achieve the growth of enterprise in communities, the Key Fund has £4.5million to invest. Are you buying premises? Looking to grow? Wanting to launch a great business idea?
Are you a local SME with a project to develop a new product or service, and looking for funding?
Our programme features 6 months’ mentoring and support, £25,000 investment and sees our cohort working alongside a range of startups from around the UK.
The Government will bring forward legislation to allow small and medium-sized businesses to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) paid for staff sickness absence due to coronavirus.
Businesses will be given an additional 3 months to file accounts with Companies House to help companies avoid penalties as they deal with the impact of COVID-19
The Government is providing additional funding for local authorities to support small businesses that already pay little or no business rates because of small business rate relief (SBRR), rural rate relief (RRR) and tapered relief.
The Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme supports the cost of installing full fibre broadband connections direct to businesses for the fastest and most reliable gigabit-capable broadband speeds available.
Funding Central provides access to information on grant funding opportunities from local, national and international funding sources as well as social investment from a range of providers.
RTC North offers grant funding to support innovation and new ideas for your business, rants can be used to help you overcome many challenges and barriers to business growth
Fleet RevolutionTM is a new programme that makes it easy for your business to save money by making the switch to electric vehicles (EVs). Free support is currently exclusively available to 40 small businesses in North East England.
The £20 million Finance Durham Fund, managed by Maven Capital Partners, has been set up by Business Durham, part of Durham County Council. The Fund can invest up to £700,000 to support the growth of businesses located in, or looking to relocate to the County, who are looking to develop new products, enter new markets and/or expand their current operations.
FinanceCamp makes it easier and speedier for businesses to get hold of the money they need to grow. It’s a programme of preparatory workshops that lead to a series of one-to-one meetings with investors. Whether you need a £1,000 start-up loan or a multi-million pound equity funding round, you’re on the right path to the right funder.
SyndicateRoom provides equity crowdfunding to companies that have already secured significant investment in their funding round (a minimum of 25% of the funding target).
The Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) is a guarantee scheme to facilitate lending to viable businesses that have been turned down for a loan or other form of debt finance due to inadequate security or lack of a proven track record.
The EEN in England, Northern Ireland and Wales transforms the future of ambitious businesses by supporting innovation and global growth. Companies looking to grow internationally receive advise on funding, new markets, potential partners and regulations, and access to investors and scale-up networks
This Development Capital Fund provides a range of funding packages up to £2 million, investing in established small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) looking for capital to help them unlock their growth potential.
DASA seeks groundbreaking ideas and funds industry and academia to develop their innovative ideas into exploitable products and services for defence and security customers and build an innovation network of government, private sector, academics and individuals for defence and security, including those who have never worked with us before.
HMRC is investing a further £16 million in its grant programme to fund employee training and IT improvements for customs intermediaries, traders and hauliers that make customs declarations. Businesses based in, or with a branch in, the UK can apply for one or both grants.
Are you a small or medium business planning a capital investment of at least £100,000? Are you looking to expand or establish new operations in County Durham that will lead to the creation of additional employment?
Community Led Local Development (CLLD) is a new way of supporting local development projects using structural funds from Europe. It aims to increase employment and skills and social enterprise and ensures that local people are involved in developing projects, using resources in the area to address local challenges. This will be available in County Durham until March 2022.
Charity Bank is an ethical bank that exists to lend to organisations with a social purpose. You can apply for loans from £50,000 to £3.25 million and more in partnership with other lenders.
Growth Capital Ventures provides equity and loans for start-ups and SMEs with high growth potential
A Start Up Loan is a government-backed personal loan available to individuals looking to start or grow a business in the UK, with a fixed interest rate of just 6% per annum and the ability to borrow between £500 and £25,000
UK Steel Enterprise can provide loans from £25,000 for working capital, equipment purchase, premises, relocations, management buy-outs (MBOs), management buy-ins (MBIs), start-ups and other funding requirements across many business sectors including manufacturing and services to businesses in Derwentside and Newton Aycliffe in the North East LEP Area.
Business Growth Fund (BGF) is an investment company that provides growth capital for ambitious entrepreneurs running growing UK companies. At its simplest, the growth capital we provide is long-term, patient equity funding that businesses use to execute their strategic plans.
Business Enterprise Fund is a not for profit social enterprise, set up to provide loans to SME businesses that will help them thrive and grow when other lenders can’t fully assist
Fast tracked funding to purchase IT equipment, SMEs in Co Durham, grant of up to £2000 (40% intervention) for capital equipment, software and consultancy
BiG provides equity finance and business support expertise to established owner-managers, or potential managers, who can demonstrate growth potential, coupled with good management skills or an established track record.
Barclays has announced a £14bn* lending fund as part of a series of initiatives to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to succeed and flourish through Brexit and beyond
We aim to fund exciting businesses that will still be here in 10 years’ time. Angels Den matches entrepreneurs with experienced angel investors who can provide the funding, expertise and connections to take a businesses to the next level.
Analysis for Innovators (A4I) gives UK businesses access to cutting-edge R&D, expertise and facilities to help solve analysis or measurement problems that can’t be cracked using standard technologies and techniques.
Rangewell helps business owners to identify which type of finance is most appropriate for individual business needs.
