Happy New Year! I’m not one for new year’s resolutions, to me January feels like the perfect time to be planning and thinking (aka hibernating) ready to get going in the new financial year (aka Spring).
I’ve included funded programmes of support for the first time in the round-up to acknowledge that often funding is given over to developing packages of support rather than just as grants. These can be focused on skills development rather than projects or assets so gives a broader variety of opportunities on offer.
Things are always moving so double check the start and closing dates and keep an eye out for my monthly updates. Good luck, and let me know how you get on!
Renée
Enterprise Nation’s Work Reimagined Webinar Series & Prize Draw
Sign up to Enterprise Nation and Dell’s webinar series and download ‘Getting AI-ready: The small business tech checklist’ to simplify set-up, security and updates.
By signing up, you’ll be automatically entered into a prize draw to win a tech bundle worth over £1,000 including a Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 Laptop, a Dell Pro 14 Portable Monitor and Dell Pro Ear Buds.
Closing date: 28 January 2026 (16:59:59)
Find out more: Dell Work Reimagined |Smarter devices. Safer data. Less admin.
Tandridge Business Support Grant
Tandridge District Council are offering local businesses the chance to apply for a Business Support Grant of up to £1,000. The grant can be used to buy new equipment, upgrade your shopfront, train your team or add energy-saving features.
Whether you’re a new or established business, you can apply for a one-off grant. To qualify for the grant, applicants must be:
- Aged 18 or over.
- Running a business based in the Tandridge district.
- A new or existing business looking to expand in the area.
- Able to complete the project by 31 March 2026.
Closing date: Saturday 31 January 2026 (or sooner if funds run out).
Find out more: Business Support Grant (apply by 31 January 2026)
Innovate UK – Women in Innovation Awards
Innovate UK is offering up to 60 Women in Innovation Awards to women entrepreneurs within SMEs across the UK. The aims of this competition are to support Women in Innovation Award winners:
- Whose innovation is aligned to one of the following three high growth sectors defined in the Government’s Industrial Strategy: Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Technologies and Life Sciences.
- Who have a late stage start-up with ambitions to grow a scalable business which will involve raising considerable investment in the next 12 to 24 months.
The winners will receive a £75,000 grant and bespoke business support.
Total projects costs will be 100% funded.
Closing date: 4 February 2026 (11:00)
Find out more: Competition overview – Women in Innovation Awards 2025/26 – Innovation Funding Service
EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition
The goal of the annual Pitch Competition is to showcase Europe’s very best seed and pre-seed startups. 15 of the most innovative early-stage teams from across the continent will join the EU-Startups Summit on May 7-8 in Malta. Each finalist will have three minutes to pitch their idea on the main stage in front of a large audience of investors, media, and start-up enthusiasts and VC judges. Eligibility criteria include:
- Already raised between 0 and €750K in venture capital
- Based in Europe (EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway)
- Pre-seed or seed stage and founded within the last three years
Closing date: 8 February 2026
Find out more: Ready to Pitch? Applications for the 2026 EU-Startups Summit Pitch Competition are now open! | EU-Startups
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 25th 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.
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.
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: 31st 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.
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