If you are based in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland or Sunderland you could be eligible for business support funds. Here’s everything you need to know...
Business grants to help North East SMEs grow
If you run a small or medium-sized UK business in the North East, there are grants available right now that could pay for half of your next marketing project or website.
You can apply for grants covering up to 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.
Business grants currently available are:
- North of Tyne Business Support Fund (NotBSF): covering Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland
*We will update this list when more North East business grants are announced.
Who provides the business grants?
North of Tyne Business Support Fund and the Sunderland Business Support Fund are funded North East Mayoral Strategic Authority through its Integrated Settlement.
They administered by NBSL- one of the most experienced business support organisations in the North East.
The business grants are designed to help SMEs in the North East access expert external support to grow, improve and become more resilient. They are specifically aimed at funding work with specialists who can genuinely move your business forward – just like Stick!
If you’ve been umming and ahhing about investing in your marketing but the cost has put you off, these two business grants will remove that hurdle.
How much grant funding is available?
The amount of funding your business may have access to will depend on which business grant you are eligible for.
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 is that once your application is approved and your funding contract is signed, you can get started straight away. Funding decisions are typically turned around within a few weeks, so that rebrand you need might be just a few steps away!
Is your business eligible?
To access the business grants, your north east business needs to meet a few core criteria:
- You must be a trading SME (small or medium-sized enterprise).
- For the North of Tyne Business Support Fund, you must be based in the North of Tyne Combined Authority area. That’s Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland.
- For the Sunderland Business Support Fund, you must be based in the Sunderland City Council catchment area.
- 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 help your business grow or become more resilient... step forward marketing! Read more about what Stick can do for you.
What do the business grants cover?
One of the many reasons the grants are a fantastic opportunity for North East businesses are because they are so flexible.
You can use them for almost any form of external business support as long as it genuinely helps your business grow or improve.
In terms of marketing, this means 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
How to apply
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.
Why work with Stick?
We work with growing businesses in the North East and across the UK, providing the kind of creative, strategic marketing support that the grants are designed to fund.
We’re an experienced external supplier - which is exactly what the grant requires.
Ready to get started? Apply for North East business funding today!
Funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis - so it’s worth moving quickly if you think you qualify.
If you’re based in Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland or Sunderland, check your eligibility criteria on the NBSL website.
Then get in touch with us at Stick Marketing to see how we can help you make the most of this opportunity.
Contact Stick Marketing now to get started.