Access to Finance

This content was last checked and updated October 2022

Click on any of the logos to find out more about each access to finance opportunity.

Alternative Business Funding

Alternative Business Funding (ABF) powered by Funder Finder provides a free and easy way for SMEs to research and find finance for their business.

Better Business Finance

Better Business Finance provides impartial information and support to businesses and entrepreneurs looking to develop and grow; whether the business is seeking finance, or starting out or exporting abroad, BBF is here to help.

Big Issue Invest

"Big Issue Invest is the UK's first 'social merchant bank,' by social entrepreneurs, for social entrepreneurs.

CITB

Grants support employers who provide day to day training for their workforce.

Crowdcube

Crowdcube is the world's largest equity crowdfunding platform. We enable the next generation of businesses, who love pushing at the edges and want to challenge the status quo with big ideas and new thinking, to raise finance. For investors, we provide the opportunity to back businesses that they can believe in, those that have a purpose beyond the next customer or sale.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a different way to raise money for good ideas.

Innovate UK EDGE

Innovate UK EDGE enables ambitious, innovative SMEs to accelerate their growth and achieve scale.

Fin Impact

Finimpact makes it easy to find the best funding solution that’s ideally matched to your requirements.

Finding Finance

Responsible finance providers offer simple, affordable loans when the bank can’t help.

Funding Central

A search location for funds for a charity, voluntary organisation or social enterprise business.

Global Innovation Fund

The Global Innovation Fund is a non-profit innovation fund headquartered in London with an office in Washington D.C. that invests in the development, rigorous testing, and scaling of innovations targeted at improving the lives of the world’s poorest people.

Granttree

Support to obtain specific funding grants.

Heart of the South West Growth Hub

As the Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership's (LEP) main mechanism of engaging with businesses across the area. We are keen to promote local training, workshops or services which can assist local businesses.

Heritage Lottery Fund

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK.

Princes Countryside Fund

Provide more than £1m in grant and initiative funding every year to projects across the UK that help to provide a secure future for the countryside.

South West Business Finance

Go out to multiple lenders when finding a product, offering a much more flexible approach than a mainstream bank.

Start Up Loans

The Start Up Loans Company was established in September 2012, with a mission to help new and early stage UK businesses access affordable finance and mentoring support.

SWEF

Great fund for young entrepreneurs.

SWIG Finance

We aim to make finance accessible by providing small business loans to viable SMEs and startups in the South West region, which have the potential to grow and benefit the economy.

The Business Finance Guide

Part of the British Business Bank - a guide to many finance options.

The National Lottery Community Fund

Award money raised by National Lottery players to fund great ideas that help communities to thrive.

Tradeshow Access Programme

Each year the Department for International Trade (DIT) and TAP trade challenge partners agree which overseas trade shows they will provide grants for UK businesses to attend.

Unltd

UnLtd finds, funds and supports social entrepreneurs - enterprising people with solutions that change our society for the better.