Funding & Grants
Through our OxLEP Business team, we can offer funding and grant opportunities for those looking to start a business, or grow one.
We have two funds for Oxfordshire SMEs via our Elevate programme - one specifically for start-ups and the other for growing businesses.
Our grants fund activities and projects which will ultimately lead to business growth and job creation in Oxfordshire.
Please note the key information below:
- Grants are available to start-up* and growing** businesses
- The grants are subject to six competitive grant rounds
Revenue grants of at least £1,000 are available for SMEs
Capital grants of at least £1,000 are available for SMEs
- Start-up SME applicants can receive up to a maximum of 50% of eligible expenditure. For example: in order for a start-up to receive a grant of £1,000 you would need to spend a total of £2,000 excluding VAT.
- Growth SME applicants can receive up to a maximum of 33% of eligible expenditure. For example: in order for a growth SME to receive a grant of £1,000 you would need to spend a total of £3,000 excluding VAT.
- There is a minimum grant value of £1,000, and there is no upper limit for grants, however we consider it unlikely that any grants will exceed £25,000. The De Minimis State Aid threshold of €200,000 within a three-year fiscal period applies and there can be no further financial support within that three-year period.
- Grants are not to be used for retrospective purchases
- Grants are to be used to support job creation
- Grants are only available once per business
Who can apply?
- Businesses with less than 250 employees, or start-ups based in Oxfordshire
- Eligible sectors
- Businesses who have sufficient funds for the match requirement
Grants could potentially be used for:
- Coaching
- Business consultancy
- Website development
- Marketing collateral creation, brand development and printing
- Marketing support, search engine optimisation and social media growth
- Advertising
- Recruitment costs
- Business strategy development
- Market research
- Patent search activities
- Consultancy work to support licencing and franchising
- Exhibition costs (excludes travel and accommodation costs)
- Succession planning
How to apply:
Call us on: 01865 897181 and express your interest in applying for a grant. Example grant application forms and other supporting documents are available to download on the right hand side of this page.
Sign up to the latest grant workshop here.
* Start-ups here defined as those businesses trading 12 months or less, ** Growth businesses defined here as businesses trading longer for than 12 months.
