Business grants

This page tells you about grants to new and existing businesses which your business idea may be eligible for.

Find a grant for you

Use the Business Link grant finder to find a grant or support scheme suited to your business.

Find a grant on the Business Link website

Funding support for the retail sector

Grants of up to £1500 are available to new and existing businesses for shop front improvements.

If the work does not involve shop front improvements, new and existing businesses in their first twelve months of trading, can apply for up to £1000 to help towards interior decoration/ shop fittings, equipment purchases, marketing and promotion.

These grants are awarded as a maximum 50% contribution and cannot be agreed retrospectively.

There is also a competition element for new businesses only.

Please note, this grant is only available to businesses in area east.

Contact us about the Retail Support Initiative grant

Rural Development Programme

The Rural Development Programme for England is a seven year programme which aims to support and promote sustainable farming, forestry, and food sectors, and also bring wider benefits for the rural economy, the environment and communities.

Find out more on the Defra website

Small Business Grants Scheme

This funding is available to small businesses (10 or less employees, annual turnover of less than £2.6m and are based in the LEVEL and MOORS AREA)

Activities Supported

  • Reducing carbon footprint, support recycling, reducing or reusing waste
  • New product testing - expanding into new markets, business further expansion and creation of new jobs or income
  • Feasibility studies or business/market research projects

Funding Available

  • Grants will be available between £1,000 and normally up to £5,000, support 50% of the project cost and total costs must not exceed £15,000

Further information available on the Levels and Moor pages

Somerset Young Entrepreneurs Fund

This pilot scheme is offering loans of up to £4,000 to young people (18 to 30 year olds) who have a good business idea but have been declined a loan from commercial lenders due to insufficient guarantees.

Somerset County Council, the Prince's Trust and the Wessex Reinvestment Trust developed the scheme.

Go to the Wessex Reinvestment Trust website