Enterprising Communities – ARFOR Programme Support Fund

Sectors: Commercial, social, cooperative and community enterprises

Amount: Between £5,000 and  £75,000 

Details: Businesses based in, or looking to relocate to, the ARFOR region – that’s the Welsh language ‘strongholds’ of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire – can apply for grants of between £5,000 and £75,000. This is to cover 70% of costs related to projects that strengthen the Welsh language, including developing new local enterprises, creating modern employment opportunities, and keeping wealth in the region.

Bridgend Special Regeneration Fund

Eligible regions: Bridgend

Sectors: Start ups and SMEs, primarily trading business to business (B2B)

Amount: £1,000 to £5,000 to cover up to 40% of costs 

Details: This grant is designed to provide small and medium sized businesses with a ‘customer-led’ approach to funding opportunities.. The grant can fund various activities including capital equipment purchases, website development, and premises improvements.

Caerphilly Enterprise Fund

Eligible regions: Caerphilly 

Sectors: SMEs, start ups, community organisations

Amount: Up to £2,000 to cover 50% of expenditure (revenue); up to £10,000 to cover 50% of costs (capital)

Details: Businesses can apply for funding for both capital and revenue costs. Eligible project costs could include websites and e-commerce, feasibility studies, business planning, one-off marketing costs, capital equipment, IT hardware and software and property and infrastructure improvements to commercial, industrial and retail premises. Applicants must demonstrate how their funded project would bring economic, social, cultural, and environmental benefits to Caerphilly.

Swansea University’s Founders Fund 500

Eligibility:  The funding is available to current Swansea University students and recent graduates (within 2 years). 

Amount: Up to £500 for start-up ideas.

Details: Founders Fund 500, is designed to help students and graduates to take the first step towards starting their own business, freelance career or social enterprise. The grant funding will help turn your entrepreneurial idea into a reality by providing a helping hand to soon-to-be entrepreneurs in need of a financial boost.

Swansea Business Growth Grant

Eligible regions: Swansea

Sectors: SMEs

Amount: up to £50,000, based on a limit of £5,000 per job created or safeguarded

Details: Businesses looking to introduce a new product or service in the Swansea area can apply for a grant worth a maximum of £50,000 to fund costs including equipment, IT systems and machinery. This total is based on a limit of £5,000 per job created or safeguarded through your business growth.

Swansea Website Development Grant

Eligible regions: Swansea

Sectors: SMEs adopting new technology online

Amount: Up to £1,500 (50% of costs in match funding)

Details: If you are a Swansea-based business looking to adopt new technology online, or via website development, you can apply for a match funded grant worth 50% of project costs to a maximum of £1,500. Applicants must provide a business plan or summary and a 12-month cash-flow forecast to be eligible for the grant.

Young Person’s Start Up Grant

Eligible regions: Wales

Sectors: Individuals under the age of 25

Amount: Up to £2,000

Details: If you are under the age of 25, and live in or are returning to live in Wales, and want to become self-employed, you could be eligible for a grant of up to £2,000 to assist you in starting your business. You will need to demonstrate that your start up business idea has the potential to become your main source of income.

Swansea Pre-Start Grant

Eligible regions: Swansea

Sectors: Start ups

Amount: Up to £10,000 (to cover 95% of first £1,000 of costs, and then 50% of costs)

Details: If you are looking to start a brand new business in Swansea, you can apply for a grant worth up to £10,000 to help with getting your idea off the ground, including buying equipment, undertaking training, or paying for marketing.

Neath Port Talbot Innov8 Scheme

Eligible regions: Neath Port Talbot

Sectors: Start ups

Amount: Up to £1,000 (to cover 50% of costs)

Details: This grant is part of a wider support package for people aged 18 years and over looking to start, develop or grow a business in Neath Port Talbot. Alongside the funding, entrepreneurs can access workshops and courses, information on business premises, and ongoing support

Carmarthenshire Business Start Up Grant

Eligible regions: Carmarthenshire

Sectors: Start ups

Amount: Between £1,000 and £50,000 (50% of project costs, or maximum of £5,000 per job created, whichever is the less)

Details: Start ups based in Carmarthenshire can access grants of up to £50,000, with a focus on creating new jobs. The minimum grant award is £1,000, based on a new job being created, with the business owner being included as a new job

Caerphilly Business Start-up Grant

Eligible regions: Caerphilly

Sectors: Start ups

Amount: Up to £500 to cover up to 50% of costs

Details: Individuals in Caerphilly wanting to set up their first full-time business may be able to receive support from this start-up business grant. Funding can be used to help new businesses grow and develop, by contributing to the costs of equipment, IT equipment, web development, marketing, building works, and other costs associated with starting a business

CF5 Start Fund - Sponsored by Santander

Eligibility: Open to current students (Undergraduate and Postgraduate) and recent graduates (within 2 years).

Applicants must be legally allowed to start a business in the UK.

International students need to graduate and transfer to the Graduate Route visa before receiving funds.

Amount: Option 1: £2000 bursary for living costs + £3000 grant for start-up costs (for businesses with growth ambitions).

Option 2: £2000 bursary for living costs + £1000 grant for start-up costs (for lifestyle businesses, freelancers, or creative practitioners).

Details: The CF5 Start Fund, sponsored by Santander, offers grants of £3,000 or £1,000 plus a £2,000 bursary for students and recent graduates starting UK-based businesses. Applicants need a validated idea, clear funding plans, and must provide documents including a business model, financial projections, and a pitch. Grants are first-come, first-served, supporting specific business needs only.

DBACE ( Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs)

Eligibility: Be over 18. Have a strong idea or existing business in, or in support of, the creative industries. Want to create positive social impact through your enterprise. Be focused and committed to engaging with MeWe’s business support.

Amount: Up to £60,000 prize fund, and 12 months tailored business support for 5 winners.

Details: For 31 years the Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs has helped creatives bring their ideas and business goals to life. Partnering with MeWe360, the programme aims to enable and celebrate talented entrepreneurs to make positive social impact through their creative ventures. 

Business Wales Young Persons StartUp Grant

Eligibility: The fund available to help young people under the age of 25, living or returning to Wales to become self-employed. The business case will need to demonstrate that it has the potential to become the main source of income. 

Applicants need to meet one of the following criteria:

You must be unemployed and / or not in education or training

Currently working part time (under 16 hours) with the intention to become full time self-employed

Still in education but intend to become self-employed within 3 months of completing the course.

Amount: Up to £2,000

Details: The Young Person's Start Up Grant supports Welsh youth not in education, employment, or training to start businesses or become self-employed by 2025. Developed through youth consultation, it addresses key challenges of accessing finance, business knowledge, and confidence building. Big Ideas Wales provides advisory support and potential financial grants to help young entrepreneurs succeed.

Barriers to Start-up Grant

Eligible regions: Wales

Sectors: Economically inactive and unemployed individuals aged 25-years and over, particularly those facing barriers to business start-up and the employment market.

Amount: Up to £2,000

Details: This start-up grant is for unemployed and economically inactive people looking to start a self-employed business in Wales. Alongside a grant worth up to £2,000, the scheme also provides one-to-one support and confidence building webinars, alongside advisers to provide further start-up guidance. You must have a viable business proposal to be considered for this scheme, which is currently oversubscribed and not open to new applications

UKFT Funding For Training

Details: Working in partnership with industry, UKFT develops and maintains the tools required to attract, train and retain the workforce which is essential to supporting a developing industry.

As the Government-appointed Sector Skills Body for fashion and textiles in all four nations, we look after skills and training at all levels from apprenticeships and entry level training through to higher education, encouraging people into the wide variety of jobs. We cover all parts of the industry including fashion and footwear manufacturing, dyeing and weaving, leather work, pattern cutting, bespoke tailoring and design and development roles

BG Effect Business Fund

Eligible regions: Blaenau Gwent

Sectors: Start ups

Amount: Up to £1,000 to cover 80% of costs

Details: This start up business grant aims to help new enterprises develop and achieve their growth objectives, whether that’s by funding expert advice and support, necessary equipment purchases, marketing materials, or business location costs.

Development Bank of Wales

Details: Get Loans and equity investments between £1,000 and £6 million.