Business Grants

Group of business people smiling holding a certificate

Information on grants and funding available below

The best place to start...
Visit the East Sussex County Council page to search for bespoke funding and grants for your business.
Start Now
Let's Do Business Finance
For start up loans and grants.
Learn More
Global Explorers grant (20k)
Under this scheme SMEs can receive funding for 70% of eligible costs up to £21,000* to explore global R&D and innovation opportunities to accelerate the development of their innovative ideas, products and services internationally for growth and scaling potential.

The overall objective is to increase global collaboration and accelerated SME growth and scaling through innovation and internationalisation.

For more information click HERE
The grant will pay 100% of eligible project costs up to a maximum of £15,000 (exclusive of VAT if the beneficiary business is VAT registered, irrecoverable VAT can be included in project costs)
Innovate UK RTO/Catapult Grant (15k)

Innovate are partnering with the Catapult Network to award grants to ambitious high growth SMEs. Under this scheme SMEs can receive up to £15,000* to spend on the services and support delivered by Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) and the Catapult Network including:

  • Exploration and testing of new product ideas
  • The provision of technical expertise and sector knowledge
  • Advice on regulatory and government processes along with access to networks of customers, services and funders.
  • Identification of opportunities for R&D, collaboration and partnership building
  • Sector specific expert advice e.g. support with market analysis, cost modelling, business‐case support, creation of industry‐relevant R&D project plans
  • Sector specific advice and support to commercialise their innovation, including improving efficiency, making their business operations more sustainable, or investigating market gaps

For more information click HERE

The grant will pay 100% of eligible project costs up to a maximum of £15,000 (exclusive of VAT if the beneficiary business is VAT registered, irrecoverable VAT can be included in project costs)
Wealden and Rother Rural Business Grants Programme is now live

The Rural Business Grants programme will deliver capital grants of between £2,500 and £50,000 to businesses located in rural areas of Wealden. The programme is open to small and medium sized businesses (SME’s) to apply for capital grants of up to 50% of the cost of capital projects. The aim of the programme is to support rural businesses to grow, increase their productivity and to make other improvements to their business, such as investing in Net Zero infrastructure. Capital grant projects could include farm diversification outside of agriculture, property adaptions, creation and expansion of rural leisure and tourism businesses, new equipment, machinery and commercial vehicles.

The scheme is funded through Wealden District Council’s Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), a 2 year capital programme which supports the aims of the government’s Levelling Up White Paper and Future Farming Programme, the funding aims to help productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. The scheme is not open to those businesses located in Bexhill, Polegate or Stone Cross. This requirement has been set by Defra.

The scheme is being delivered by East Sussex County Council on behalf of Wealden and Rother District Councils, for full details of project eligibility please view the Rural Business Grants Programme guidance and eligibility.