Business Support
Starting up? Looking to grow? Or would you like to discover a range of services tailored to your business needs?
Find the right support below so your business can thrive!
Ready To Grow and Big Ambitions
Two new business support programmes are from February 2024-March 2025, available to those businesses based in Lewes, Eastbourne, Rother and Wealden districts.
Ready To Grow is a training programme for early-stage business owners who have been trading for less than three years. The programme includes in person and online workshops, masterclasses, one to one support and networking opportunities.
Big Ambitions provides up to 18 hours of expertise for businesses who are growing and likely to employ additional staff within the next six to 12 months and includes one to one diagnostic action planning and specialist support.
This project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and the collaboration between Lewes, Eastbourne, Rother and Wealden District Councils. It is supported by East Sussex County Council, and delivered by Digital Islands.
Rother and Wealden Rural Business Grants Programme
A new grants programme to support rural SME businesses in Rother and Wealden District areas has now launched and is open for applications.
Businesses can apply for grants up to 50% of the cost of capital projects up to £50,000 under the new Rother and Wealden Rural Business Grants Programme. Capital projects could include farm diversification projects outside of agriculture, property adaptations, creation and expansion of rural leisure and tourism businesses, new equipment, machinery and commercial vehicles.
The programme is funded by the UK Government, Wealden District Council and Rother District Council as part of the Rural England Prosperity Fund. It is delivered by East Sussex County Council.
Help to Grow: Management
Looking to boost your leadership skills and build a more resilient business?
The Help To Grow: Management course benefits from leadership development, 1-2-1 mentoring and peer-to-peer networking designed specifically for small business leaders.
In just 50 hours across 12 weeks, this practical course will equip you with the essentials to scale your business including strategy, innovation, finance, marketing, employee engagement and digital adoption. You will leave the course with the knowledge and confidence to build a more resilient business, even in the most challenging conditions. And continue to receive support from the Help to Grow: Management Alumni Network, long after the course has finished.
90% funded by UK Government, Help to Grow: Management costs just £750 per person and is available at 50+ locations across the UK.
Her Biz
Aimed at anyone across East Sussex and Kent area that identifies as female who wants to start their own business, Her Biz is a FREE Women’s Start Up Programme which provides women with the opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and confidence.
Candidates will receive expert business support from experienced Start up coaches, from refining business ideas, to marketing and managing finances. Participants can also enter a competition to win £500 towards start-up costs by submitting a business plan.
The course is delivered by Let’s Do Business Group in partnership with NatWest.
- Please email info@ldbgroup.co.uk to be added to the waiting list or phone 0844 415 2272
LEAP – Leadership and Management Programme
The Leadership and Management Programme is a free programme available for businesses in the Lewes District who want to become a truly effective business leader.
Access support from expert coaches through workshops covering topics such as time management and communication, and mentoring tailored to your specific needs through the LEAP Leadership and Management Programme.
Locate East Sussex
Locate East Sussex is dedicated to helping companies from within East Sussex, or those looking to move into the county, to achieve their business goals. Their support includes helping businesses find the right commercial property, accessing funding and making connections to promote business growth.
Locate support any sized business to access funding to help grow local economy and create jobs in local communities.
- The South East plays a pivotal role in the UK economy and is the gateway to mainland Europe. Locate East Sussex is key to ensuring that East Sussex remains an exceptional place to live, work and visit.
Transform East Sussex
Transform offers free and impartial skills information and business support with current and future skills gaps.
Aimed at SMEs in East Sussex that want to hire an apprentice and address current and future skills gaps through apprenticeships, traineeships and workforce skills training.
One-to-one advice is offered on how to source and access workforce training, in line with your business objectives.
- Transform can help you apply for government incentives and levy transfer funding which could cover the cost of your apprenticeship training.
Create Growth
Companies in six regions will receive support through the Create Growth Programme to help get themselves investment ready.
A key aim of the Create Growth Programme is to support creative businesses to explore and secure commercial investment opportunities. To this end each of the selected regions will have a Programme of activity that will enable businesses to be ready for investment and facilitate access to additional funding from Innovate UK and commercial investors in 2023 and beyond. Â
Creative UK will be working with partners in three of the regions (North East, Cornwall and South East), to launch Programmes in January 2023 that are tailored to each specific region and the creative sub sectors based there.
Businesses have up until 8th February to apply for £10-£30k each for innovation projects.