Renée’s round-up of grants and funding - February

Lots of new support has been added this month and I’m pleased to announce details of 2 funded programmes that we manage:

The Made Smarter South East team have funding for another year to deliver their programme of support to manufacturers and makers across Surrey and the SE.

We’ve also just launched the Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme for any SME based on a high street across Surrey. This is being delivered by Smarter Society and The Retail Group throughout Spring 2026.

I’m also working on writing some guidelines for applying for grants. The first tip I have to share is to check the small print! What are the eligibility criteria for the grant or programme you’re thinking about applying for? Do you and your project meet those criteria? If you’re not sure reach out and ask … it’s good to clarify and good to build relationships.

Things are always moving with funded support programmes so keep an eye out for my monthly updates. Good luck, and let me know how you get on!

Renée

Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme

This High Street Programme will support hundreds of small and medium businesses in Surrey’s town and villages throughout Spring 2026. It covers all corners of Surrey with dedicated sessions in 22 locations across all 11 district and boroughs in Surrey.

It offers free, practical and locally tailored support across Surrey high streets including:

Tailored support
In-person business engagement
Free practical workshops
Business toolkits and resources

Last Workshop: 8 April 2026
Find out more: Surrey High Street Growth and Innovation Programme

Made Smarter South East

Made Smarter South East is a government-funded programme created to drive growth amongst the South East’s manufacturing SMEs and makers. The Made Smarter team will provide advice and support to manufacturers and makers to:

help them switch to advanced and automated technologies
identify the right technologies and tools
and use them to make everyday improvements to your business.

Support elements include:

Match-funding of up to £20,000 (50% is available)
Expert advice, guidance and support
Bespoke digital roadmap for your business
Leadership training
Workforce training
Fully-funded student internship (up to 300 hours).

The programme is open to SME manufacturers and makers based in the South East. In order to be eligible businesses must have fewer than 250 employees and not be part of a wider group, or be funded by Private Equity, with a turnover below £44 million, and not have received state aid of more than £315,000 over the last three years.

Closing date: 31 March 2027
Find out more: Made Smarter South East: funding & support for manufacturers

Stelios Awards for Young Entrepreneurs 2026

The creator and owner of the easy family of brands is offering cash prizes totalling £300,000 to three young entrepreneurs in the UK for the third year. Applicant entrepreneurs must be a director of the company and own shares of more than 50% overall. The Awards are open to owners of start ups aged 34 or under, born in 1992 or later.

Businesses must have been registered at UK Companies House in the last five years, registered in 2021 or later, with accounts showing revenues of at least £500,000 per annum for the latest financial year.

Closing date: 5pm GMT 23 February 2026
Find out more: Young Entrepreneurs UK – Stelios.foundation

Small Business Britain x Adobe Express Marketing School

A free 6-week online programme starting Tuesday 25^th February. Discover how Adobe Express helps you and your business stand out by making impactful social media assets, flyers, logos etc.

What the Programme Includes:

Six interactive weekly workshops recorded and available on a private Small Business Britain website available exclusively to course participants led by Adobe experts.
Real-life examples demonstrated on a business from our community.
Fun and quick weekly homework challenges to practice skills, with feedback and community support.
Access to a private LinkedIn group for peer-to-peer advice and expert guidance.
Opportunities to win Adobe Express Premium memberships and exclusive prizes.

Closing date: 25 February 2026
Find out more: Small Business Britain | Champion. Inspire. Accelerate.

Amazon Innovation Accelerator

A free programme for UK SMEs, including access to a share of the £100,000 Innovation Grant and a visit to an Amazon fulfilment centre. Designed to help businesses adopt technology with confidence, work smarter and grow faster.

The Amazon Innovation Accelerator programme is run by Be the Business, with delivery support from Growth Studio, and funded by Amazon. Programme participants have the opportunity to:

Submit their innovation proposal at the end of the sprint for a chance to win a share of £100,000, helping bring their vision to life.
Spend a day at an Amazon fulfilment centre, exploring cutting-edge robotics and automation and taking part in workshops.
Take part in a six-week innovation sprint.
Join a network of SMEs selected for their innovation potential.

Closing date: Dartford Cohort starts 6 March – other cohorts around the country are starting later Find out more: Small Business Britain | Champion. Inspire. Accelerate.

Fast Forward 15 Programme

Running successfully since 2014, the Fast Forward 15 Programme has enabled female event professionals to achieve life changing results in both their careers and personal growth. Countless women have realised their potential with promotions, leadership roles and significant progress in their career. It is funded with a small contribution required for course materials.

FF15 runs for 12 months during which, 15 mentees and mentors work together to set and achieve objectives and goals. The programme includes two education days, monthly 1-to-1 mentoring, and concludes with a graduation ceremony to celebrate the cohorts achievements. FF15 has also helped to support a number of entrepreneurial start-ups with female founders.

Closing date: Early March 2026
Find out more: Home – Fast Forward 15

eBay Circular Fashion Fund

The eBay Circular Fashion Fund supports startups and small businesses developing solutions that promote a circular approach to fashion. It focuses on work that extends product life, keeps materials in use and reduces waste across the sector.

The programme recognises organisations contributing to changes in how fashion products are designed, used and managed at end of life. Its purpose is to support the development of solutions aligned with circular economy principles within the fashion industry.

Grant funding and non-financial support are available to shortlisted applicants. Eight finalists will each receive a grant of $50,000, alongside access to mentoring and workshops covering product development, marketing and industry partnerships.

Applicants will be shortlisted to 12 businesses incorporated in the USA, Canada or Australia and 12 incorporated in Europe, the UK or Switzerland. All finalists will be invited to pitch online to a global judging panel. One business will be selected as the Global Winner and may receive a $300,000 investment from eBay Ventures.

UK applicants must have trading for between six months and six years and be registered with Companies House, while charities and social enterprises may apply if appropriately registered.

Closing date: 8 March 2026
Find out more: eBay x Circular Fashion Fund | eBay.com

Armourers & Brasiers Venture Prize

The Armourers & Brasiers Materials Science Venture Prize is offering equity investment of £25,000 to UK-based start-ups working in Materials Science technology.

The award is structured as an equity investment rather than a research grant and is intended to support the commercialisation of a product or technology. Applications are open to all UK-based materials scientists who have a start-up technology. Applicants may be associated with a university department or a private business. The award is aimed at early-stage ventures seeking to commercialise innovative research.

The investment can be used at a very early point in the commercialisation process. Eligible uses include forming a company, developing a prototype to demonstrate proof of concept, undertaking market research or completing other essential start-up activities. The prize may also be used alongside other sources of finance. In addition to the investment, winners gain access to a committee of mentors with experience in seedcorn investment and research commercialisation, as well as professional public relations support.

Closing date: 15 March 2026
Find out more: Venture Prize | Armourers’ Hall

Eureka Eurostars

Eurostars is a funding instrument that supports innovative SMEs and project partners by funding international collaborative R&D and innovation projects. By participating, organisations can access public funding for international collaborative R&D projects in all fields. To have a successful Eurostars application you must:

Define your project idea.
Collaborate internationally, sharing expertise.
Develop products, processes or services that can be easily commercialised.

Your project consortium must have an innovative SME in the leading role, but it can also include other types of organisations like large companies, universities, research organisations and more. To apply, you must meet 7 international eligibility criteria:

The project consortium is led by an innovative SME from a Eurostars country.
The project consortium is composed of at least two entities that are independent of one another.
The project consortium is composed of entities from at least two Eurostars countries with at least one organisation coming from an EU or Horizon Europe Associated Country
The budget of the SMEs from the Eurostars countries (excluding any subcontracting) is 50% or more of the total project cost.
No single participant or country is responsible for more than 70% of the budget of the project.
The project duration is 36 months or less.

Start date: 19 March 2026 @ 14:00 CET
Find out more: Eurostars call for projects – March 2026 – Eureka Network

Tech Nation Next Wave

The Tech Nation Next Wave Competition is a national pitch programme that showcases early-stage UK tech startups, providing them with national exposure, curated access to investors, and the chance to compete for a share of £2 million in investment, while fostering connections that support growth and cross-regional collaboration across the UK tech ecosystem.

The programme has a total investment of £2 million worth of investment available. Six companies will receive investment opportunities of £335,000 each. The competition is open to early-stage, UK-based tech startups, typically at pre-seed or seed stage, with strong growth ambitions. Eligible businesses are SEIS-eligible, operate a tech-led (often SaaS) business model, and are led by founders seeking investment and national scale. It is primarily aimed at B2B companies, although B2B2C businesses may also be eligible where revenue is primarily generated through B2B channels.

Start date: 22 March 2026
Find out more: NextWave | Tech Nation

The Small & Mighty Enterprise Programme

This 6 week programme for sole traders and micro businesses, concludes with a plan to support the next year of business growth. It will be delivered entirely online.

What does the course include?

Inclusion in an exclusive, supportive community to ask and answer questions, access experts and teachers, share experiences and network with other small businesses.

Live weekly sessions recorded and available on a private Small Business Britain website available exclusively to course participants.

Weekly worksheets to embed learning outcomes accessible on the private website hub, developed by each week’s expert trainers.

Development of an Action Plan: a twelve-month plan to grow and flourish with support of expert mentors.

1 hour of 1-2-1 and group mentoring over the six weeks from expert mentors around the UK.

Start date: 26 March 2026
Find out more: Small Business Britain | Champion. Inspire. Accelerate.

IOSH Certificate in Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing

How good are you at spotting signs of stress in your team?

Build a healthier, happier and more resilient workforce with free accredited training for your business, fully funded by the Department for Work & Pensions.

Study online, in a virtual classroom, or at 12 regional centres to gain your IOSH Certificate in Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing. There are 5,000 free course places available until 31 March 2026 for qualifying SMES.

Closing date: 31 March 2026

Find out more: ttps://lets-crack-on.com

2026 Diamond Education Grant

The Diamond Education Grant offers financial support to women seeking to enter or return to the workforce or transition into growing industries by gaining new skills.

The grant prioritises women facing significant financial need or barriers to employment, with an average award of around £1,000. Funding can be used for course fees or essential materials, such as books or equipment, but not for living expenses. Applications are open to women who are permanent residents in eligible Federation countries, which includes the UK. Preference will be given to applicants aged 30 and over.

Grants are available for courses taking place during the academic year from September 2026 to July 2027. The funding is intended for one year only, with vocational courses receiving priority.

Closing date: 15 April 2026
Find out more: Diamond Education Grant | SIGBI

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK Programme

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses UK programme is designed to provide high-quality, practical education and business support to leaders of high-growth small businesses and social enterprises across the country.

Participants in the fully funded programme identify and execute the steps necessary to enable them to scale their ventures, create employment and expand to new markets. Each participant develops a business growth plan throughout the course to implement back in their businesses. Eligibility criteria:

Business operating for at least three years
Have between 5 and 50 employees
Business should have turnover of at least 250,000 GBP in the previous financial year
Applicant should not have any recent management education
Applicant should be the primary owner or main decision-maker of the business

Closing date: April 2026
Find out more: UK | Goldman Sachs

Business Boost Grants – Elmbridge

The business boost grants can help your business with:

Grant support up to £2,000 to help businesses improve their shop fronts or signage

Grant support up to £2,000 to help bring a shop that has been empty for at least 3 months back into commercial use
up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment, street-scene improvements or sustainability.

All applications need at least 50% match funding and 2 quotes for each element.
Town and village centre independents can also apply for support to help sell online with the digital high street boost and small and medium sized business can get help to invest in energy efficiency projects with the green business boost.

Closing date: Applications can be made at any time.

Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme

Eligible adult social care employers in England can claim staff training costs from the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS). The LDSS is available for non-regulated care staff, including deputy and Care Quality Commission-registered managers and agency staff, within the adult social care workforce. Staff taking the training must be in qualifying roles.

Eligible ASC employers can claim funding for certain training courses and qualifications on behalf of eligible care staff. This funding is for eligible courses and qualifications that have been both paid for in financial year 2025 to 2026, as well as those paid for in financial year 2024 to 2025.

Closing date: When the fund is exhausted.
Find out more: Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme – GOV.UK

Business Support Grants – Reigate & Banstead

Business Support Grants of up to £1,000 for residents and businesses with fewer than 5 employees based in Reigate and Banstead.

Grants can be used to help fund things like marketing, new equipment or training. Please note the grant is NOT available for the development of prototypes or for IT equipment such as laptops, unless you are a brand new start up and do not possess any IT hardware.

Closing date: applications can be made at any time.
Find out more: Business Support Grants | Business Support Grants | Reigate and Banstead

Help to Grow: Management Course

The Help to Grow: Management Course runs over 12 weeks and includes online and face-to-face sessions, 1-to-1 mentoring and peer networking.

Whether you need to identify more efficient ways of working, target new markets, or create a plan to take your business and team to the next level, the Help to Grow: Management Course will provide the knowledge and support you need. With just one session a week, it is designed to fit around existing work and personal commitments. You will finish the course ready to lead on the delivery of increased profitability, innovation and growth.

To join the Help to Grow: Management Course you should:

Work for a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise based in the United Kingdom
Employ between 5 and 249 employees
Be a member of the senior leadership team and have direct reports.

The 12-week course provides more than 50 hours of learning and 1-2-1 mentoring. The full course is worth £7,500 but it is 90% government funded so small businesses pay just £750 per person. This is paid directly to the business school once registration is completed.

Our local Business Schools are Kingston University, Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Southampton, University of Brighton and Brunel University of London.

Closing date: Courses start at different times but applications can be made at any time.
Find out more: About the Help to Grow: Management Course | Small Business Charter

Greener Homes Alliance Development Loans

Homes England and Octopus Real Estate have launched the second phase of the Greener Homes Alliance. The scheme provides discounted development finance to small and medium-sized (SME) housebuilders. The initiative supports the construction of energy-efficient homes across England.

A total of £150 million is available. Loans range from £2 million to £20 million. Interest rate reductions of up to 2% are available for developers who meet environmental and social criteria. Eligible applicants include SME housebuilders and developers operating in England.

Closing date: Applications can be made at any time

Find out more: Greener Homes Alliance | Octopus Capital

Co-operative Enterprise Loans

Co-operative and Community Finance offers loans of between £10,000 and £85,000 for new or existing co-operatives across the UK. Loans are to assist with the expansion, setup, or development of a co-operative enterprise.  

Loans will only be made to economically viable enterprises that are democratically owned and controlled organisations registered in the UK.

Closing date: Applications can be made at any time

Find out more: Co-op Loan Fund – Unique lending: to co-ops, from co-ops

Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) Grants

The FiPL programme provides grants to farmers and land managers in the Surrey Hills for one-off projects to make improvements to the natural environment, climate change mitigation, cultural heritage and public access on their land.

Closing date: March 2026

Find out more: Surrey Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes FiPL

The Workplace Charging Scheme

The Workplace Charging Scheme provides support for organisations towards the cost of installing up to 40 electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at their sites.

The scheme covers up to 75% of the total costs of the purchase and installation of EV chargepoints (including VAT). This is capped at a maximum of:

£350 per socket
40 sockets across all sites per applicant. For example, if you install at 40 sites, you will have 1 socket per site

All chargepoints must be installed by an OZEV authorised installer.

Closing Date: 31^st March 2026

Find out more: Before you start

The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot

The Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot is a £50 million capital grant programme supporting large-scale research and development projects within the UK life sciences sector. The fund aims to strengthen health resilience, drive innovation and deliver economic benefits through significant investments in research capacity, facilities and technologies.

Projects should demonstrate how they will enhance the UK’s ability to respond to health emergencies and long-term healthcare challenges, for example by expanding or creating R&D capacity, improving manufacturing processes, accelerating clinical research or deploying new technologies.

Closing date: 31 March 2028 (23:59)

Find out more: Life Sciences Transformational R&D Investment Fund Pilot – GOV.UK

Further business support in Surrey

If you can’t see something in this month’s round-up that suits your business’s specific needs, check out our Support Directory, or contact our team of experts via our Business Support Form.