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Business Link provides advice and guidance on all aspects of raising and managing business finances, including grants and government support.
Business Link is a government agency that provides impartial advice and information services to businesses.
Grants are typically linked to specific areas of business activity, such as exporting, new product development or training, or a specific industry sector. Some grants are linked to specific geographical areas, which are being assisted in their regeneration.
Grants are not a right, are subject to strict terms and conditions and eligibility criteria, and may have to be matched by the recipient with their own funds.
Department of Trade and Industry 's Business Support Solutions website provides details of over £400 million of grants, loans and subsidised consultancy that are available from the Department each year.
These include support for innovation, research and development and knowledge transfer, as well as solutions for smaller businesses, such as the Small Firms Loan Guarantee.
This guarantees loans from banks and other financial institutions for small firms that have viable business proposals but who have tried and failed to get a conventional loan because of lack of security.
Derby Loans is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). That is an independent, not-for-profit business that exists to bring together public and private funding to provide affordable loans to reduce social and financial exclusion.
If you don’t have a track record in what you want to do and are finding it hard to raise the money to start up a small business or become self-employed, talk to us about your business plans.
Derby Loans will do its best to help start-up and existing businesses flourish but it will not offer a loan if a business proposal just doesn’t stand up.
Derby Loans works with entrepreneurs to develop innovative ways of providing the finance required to establish new businesses.
East Midlands Rural Business Desk ('Ruralbiz') provides a single gateway through which rural and agricultural businesses can access information about business support, grant aid, training and legislation.
Ruralbiz is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and maintained by the East Midlands Rural Business Support Team. It provides access to assistance for businesses in rural areas in the East Midlands region.
Although there is a wide range of assistance and support in the form of grant aid and business support through various local, regional and national agencies accessing this can be a daunting prospect.
It aims to provide a simple gateway, together with practical advice on everything from seed-borne diseases to starting a farmhouse Bed and Breakfast.
Grantnet is a free to use funding search site. The site contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of grants, loans and other initiatives operating in the UK.
It currently holds details of over 4,000 sources, including grants provided by the European Commission, UK Government, local government, corporate sponsors and charitable trusts.
The aim of Grantnet is to enable organisations such as small to medium sized enterprises, as well as community groups and social enterprises to undertake a search for funding that may apply to specific projects.
Businesses may also consider Private Equity investment. ‘Private equity’ refers to the equity financing of unquoted companies at stages in their life from start-up to expansion together with management buy-outs and buy-ins of established companies that have real growth potential that can be enhanced with private equity support.
‘Venture capital’ is a subset of private equity, covering early stages of funding from seed to expansion capital. Equity capital is, by nature, medium to long term and targeted at companies with growth potential, which can ultimately be realised through trade sales or flotation on the public markets. A number of organisations exist to help bring investors and projects together, including:
Growth Investment Network East Midlands , supported by the East Midlands Development Agency, is an exciting new venture set up to stimulate business growth through private equity investment in the region.
It is a not-for-profit “sign-posting” organisation, designed to help organisations that already exist in the region to match investors with worthwhile projects, particularly in the range £50,000 to £2 million.
Growth Investment Network East Midlands is largely web-driven and offers investors and investees a central source of information and advice through its website. It also holds educational networking events around the East Midlands.
Connect Midlands is a not-for-profit network built for entrepreneurs and investors. Its prime purpose is to act as a facilitator and networking vehicle, uniting emerging technology businesses with the resources they need to succeed. Its focus is on improving early stage companies’ understanding of, and access to, equity based finance of up to £3.5m. With a comprehensive programme of practical events across the Midlands, they are the regional network for new and growing science, engineering and technology businesses.
Connect Midlands offers:
Conferences and events where new and expanding companies can showcase their ideas and discuss their needs with the investment community and resource providers
A dedicated small and medium-sized enterprise “investment readiness” programme, 'InvoRed'
Workshops and seminars designed to develop and maximise individuals’ key business skills
A thriving network of entrepreneurs, investors, business service providers, and the region’s key decision makers.
British Venture Capital Association represents over 170 UK-based private equity and venture capital firms - the vast majority of all such firms in the UK.
The association is the public face of the industry providing services to its members, investors and entrepreneurs as well as the Government and media.
Contact details
South Derbyshire District Council
Economic Regeneration Service
Civic Offices
Civic Way
Swadlincote
Derbyshire
DE11 0AH
Tel: 01283 595755
Fax: 01283 595760
Online: contact form
email: economic.regeneration@south-derbys.gov.uk
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