If you run a small or medium-sized business in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland, there is money available right now that could pay for half of your next marketing project or website and most local businesses don’t know that it exists.
The North of Tyne Business Support Fund (NoTBSF) offers grants of up to £4,000 to eligible SMEs, covering 50% of the cost of external business support.
That includes marketing strategy, website design, branding, content and more - exactly the kind of work that we do at Stick Marketing every day.
Here’s everything you need to know about the business grant, whether you qualify and how to use it.
What is the North of Tyne Business Support Fund?
The North of Tyne Business Support Fund is part funded by the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, delivered through the North East Combined Authority and administered by NBSL- one of the most experienced business support organisations in the North East.
The fund is designed to help local SMEs access expert external support to grow, improve and become more resilient. Rather than handing out cash for general running costs, it’s specifically aimed at funding work with specialists who can genuinely move your business forward – like Stick Marketing.
In short: if you’ve been putting off investing in your marketing because of cost, this grant could remove that barrier entirely - covering half your spend with public funding.
How much is available?
The grant covers up to 50% of the cost of eligible projects that fall between £3,000 and £8,000 in total. That means:
A £3,000 project = up to £1,500 back as a grant
A £5,000 project = up to £2,500 back as a grant
An £8,000 project = up to £4,000 back as a grant
It’s worth noting that the grant is retrospective, meaning you’ll pay your supplier first, complete the project, and then claim the grant back once everything is finished. You’ll need to be able to cashflow the full project cost upfront.
The good news? Once your application is approved and your funding contract is signed, you can get started straight away, and NBSL typically turns around decisions within a few weeks. That new website you need may be done sooner than you think!
Are you eligible?
To access North East business grants through the NoTBSF, your business needs to meet a few core criteria:
You must be a trading SME (small or medium-sized enterprise).
You must be based in the North of Tyne Combined Authority area. That’s Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland.
The project must involve external expertise (like working with an agency or specialist such as Stick Marketing).
The work must be new activity , not something you’ve already started or committed to financially.
The project must also help your business grow or become more resilient. Marketing projects tick this box clearly. Whether that’s developing a new brand identity, building a better website, creating a content strategy or launching a digital marketing campaign.
What can the grant actually pay for?
One of the most useful aspects of the North of Tyne Business Support Fund is its flexibility. You can use it for almost any form of external business support as long as it genuinely helps your business grow or improve.
From a marketing perspective, eligible projects could include:
- Brand strategy and identity development
- Website design and development
- Digital marketing strategy
- Content marketing and copywriting
- Social media strategy and management
- Graphic design and creative campaigns
If you’ve been considering any of the above but held back due to budget, now is the time to revisit those plans.
How to apply: A simple process
NBSL has designed the application process to be as straightforward as possible. Here’s how it typically works:
- Check your eligibility on the NBSL website
- Submit your online grant application, including details about your business, the project and how it will help you grow
- Receive a decision - typically within a few weeks
- Sign your funding contract electronically
- We can begin work as soon as the contract is signed
- Once the project is complete and paid for, submit your claim evidence to NBSL - your grant is paid within 30 days
One important note: do not start any work or make any payments to a supplier before your funding contract is signed. Any costs incurred before that point will not be eligible for the grant.
How Stick Marketing can help you use this funding
At Stick Marketing, we work with growing businesses across the North East and beyond, providing the kind of creative, strategic marketing support that the NoTBSF is designed to fund. We’re an experienced external supplier - which is exactly what the grant requires.
Whether you need a brand refresh, a new website, a content strategy or a full creative marketing plan, we can work with you to scope a project that fits within the grant parameters and genuinely drives your business forward.
Grants like this don’t come around often. Funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis - so it’s worth moving quickly if you think you qualify.
Ready to get started?
If you’re based in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland and want to explore whether your business qualifies for North East business grants through the North of Tyne Business Support Fund, the first step is to check the eligibility criteria on the NBSL website.
Then get in touch with us at Stick Marketing. Book in a discovery call, drop us an email or give us a call. We’d love to talk through how we can help you make the most of this opportunity and put together a marketing project that works hard for your business.
Visit the North of Tyne Business Support Fund overview to find out more.
Contact Stick Marketing now to get started.