Funding and Grants
Discover a range of funding and grants available for businesses in Chesterfield and North Derbyshire. This page will keep you up to date with the latest grant and incentive schemes.
Start & Sustain Business Startup Support Service
Start & Sustain is a £1.4 million, fully funded business support programme designed to help people start, sustain and grow a business across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Funded by East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) and delivered by East Midlands Chamber, the two-year programme supports:
- Individuals thinking about starting a business.
- Businesses, sole traders and self-employed individuals trading for less than two years.
- Entrepreneurs from all backgrounds and sectors.
Support includes guidance on business planning, finance and funding, marketing, digital skills, sales, leadership and more. It is delivered through experienced Business Advisers, business surgeries, webinars and in-person workshops.
The programme also aims to make business support more accessible through a mix of online and in-person support, including targeted outreach for people facing barriers and those in rural or underserved communities.
For more information and where to complete the registration form visit the EMCCA Growth Hub website.
Derbyshire Business Support Start-Up Scheme
Residents in Derbyshire can access dedicated 1-2-1 support to help develop and grow their business ideas.
The Derbyshire Business Start-Up Support Scheme provides free, tailored support for new and early-stage businesses across the county.
The programme offers expert guidance from experienced local business advisers, including support with business planning, financial planning, marketing strategy and access to wider sources of support.
Support includes help to develop a business plan and cash flow forecast, alongside guidance from a dedicated adviser throughout the process.
Midlands Engine Investment Fund II
The British Business Bank has launched its £400 million Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, unlocking additional funding to help smaller businesses in Derbyshire prosper and thrive.
The fund will drive sustainable economic growth by supporting new and growing businesses across the whole of the Midlands. It does this through investment strategies to meet the needs of these firms. The fund offers a range of finance options, including loans from £25,000 to £2 million. It also provides equity investments of up to £5 million to help small and medium-sized businesses start up, scale up, or stay ahead.
The new fund will help hundreds more businesses to achieve their potential. It will also increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance by providing options to firms that might otherwise be unable to secure investment.
Funding is designed to help smaller businesses with activities including expansion, product or service innovation, new processes, skills development, and capital equipment.
Find out more about the scheme by visiting British Business Bank.
Invest to grow – University of Derby
The Invest to Grow programme provides grants and loans of between £15,000 and £250,000 to support private-sector businesses across the East Midlands to innovate, grow and create jobs.
Successful applicants now fund the programme by repaying through their loan repayments.
For your project to qualify for Invest to Grow funding, you will need to demonstrate that it meets the following criteria:
- It will create new jobs or safeguard existing positions in your company
- It will increase the scope or scale of your company’s activity
- It will improve the company’s performance
- It has not commenced and will not be achievable in the timescales proposed without Invest to Grow support
Find out more information on the project by visiting the University of Derby.
British Business Bank
British Business Bank
The British Business Bank may well be able to equip you with further ideas around possible funding choices and their impact on the enterprise. The organisation can also provide start-up businesses with funding to help bring your idea to life.
For further ideas, more information can be found by visiting British Business Bank.
Business Finance Support Finder
The Business Finance Support Finder is an HM Government tool to help you access information about funding options in your area.
You may also find the Growth Hub website useful for identifying additional potential routes to finance for your enterprise.
Apprenticeship Funding Opportunities
Employers who are looking to take on an apprentice can benefit from funding towards apprenticeship training. See the current apprenticeship funding opportunities available.
Your accountant or financial advisor may also be able to advise you of funding and grants available to your business. If you are looking for support, you can view our list of financial service businesses here.
