1. Business Growth Fund (North East Combined Authority)
- Grant: £20,000 – £200,000
- Covers up to 30% of investment costs
- For projects creating new jobs and business expansion
- Minimum project size about £67k investment.
Typical uses:
- new machinery
- factory expansion
- premises upgrades
Visit the Business Growth Fund here.
2. Northumberland Small Business Service Grant
- Grant: £10,000 – £300,000
- For capital investment and expansion
- Available to SMEs in rural Northumberland.
Common projects:
- production equipment
- tourism facilities
- business expansion
Visit the Northumberland Small Business Service Grant here.
3. Durham Business Growth Programme
- Grant: £10,000 – £200,000
- Supports business productivity and growth in County Durham.
Funding can be used for:
- new technology
- innovation
- expansion projects
Visit the Durham Business Growth Programme here.
4. Sunderland Business Support Fund
- Grant: ~35–40% of project cost
- Projects typically £3k–£8k+
- For consultancy, marketing, HR support, digital upgrades
Visit the Sunderland Business Support Fund here.
5. Enterprising Sunderland Innovation Grants
- Grant: Up to £25,000
- Covers up to 40% of project costs
- Supports innovation and new products/services
Visit the Enterprising Sunderland Innovation Grants here.
6. Business Renewable Energy Efficiency Scheme (BREEZ)
- Grant: Up to 50% of costs
- For energy-saving equipment or building upgrades.
Examples:
- solar panels
- efficient machinery
- building insulation
Visit the Business Renewable Energy Efficiency Scheme here.
7. Rural England Prosperity Fund (local council grants)
- Grants typically £5,000 – £50,000
- For rural businesses investing in equipment or premises.
Often used for:
- tourism businesses
- food production
- rural workshops
Visit the Rural England Prosperity Fund here.
8. UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Business Grants
- Usually £2,000 – £10,000+
- Delivered through local councils across the North East
- Supports:
- digital upgrades
- equipment
- marketing
- growth projects.
The programme runs until the end of March 2026. Visit the UK Shared Prosperity Fund here.
9. SWEF Business Grant (young entrepreneurs)
- £500 – £2,000 grants
- For entrepreneurs aged 18–30 in County Durham or Tees Valley
Visit the SWEF Business Grant here.
10. North East Commercial Property Investment Fund
- Multi-million-pound property development funding
- Supports SMEs developing commercial property projects in the region
Visit the North East Commercial Property Investment Fund here.
Reality check about UK business grants
Many people misunderstand how they work:
Most grants:
- are match funded (you pay 50–70%)
- require job creation or productivity improvement
- usually require you to be trading already.
This is why most grants are used for:
- equipment
- new production capacity
- premises upgrades.
