Business and Employment Funding Round-up (Part 1)

Here is a collection of funding rounds from local and national organisations focusing on business and employment themes aimed at helping charities continue their work.

Whilst every effort has been made to provide up-to-date information, due to the varying nature and progress of public policies and other related activity, MVA do advise that some of the details below may have changed since the time of its issue and ask that readers please check with each organisation’s website for the latest news.

Business Loans from KCC
The Kent and Medway Small Business Boost scheme from Kent County Council (KCC) offers –interest-free loans to businesses in Kent and Medway to help them grow and create new jobs.

Managed by the Kent and Medway Business Fund (KMBF), the Kent and Medway Small Business Boost offers loans to develop new or expand existing products, services or processes.

Open to various start-ups and not-for-profit groups, the organisers say the loan can also be used create jobs, drive growth, and improve productivity.

The organisers do stress the first stage of their process is their pre-application form, aimed at collecting information so that they can advise interested parties on the eligibility of their group and investment proposal.

The scheme is especially interested in hearing from small and medium-sized businesses (SME) in Kent and Medway, who are start-ups or in the early stages of growth.

At the time of writing, there was no specified deadline, which suggests applications or enquiries could be made at any time.

For more information and how to apply, visit the KMBF website.

Kent Community Foundation – Priority Areas Route (Employability, Skills and Enterprise)
Grants are available from the Kent Community Foundation for projects which raise the aspirations and increase the skills and opportunities of people who are far from the labour market.

The theme supports projects working with:

• Young people/NEETs,
• Young parents,
• Ex-offenders,
• Ex-forces,
• Those with financial barriers and
• Those with learning disabilities, mental health issues or physical disabilities.

The Foundation says the fund is looking for projects that provide accredited training, apprenticeships, meaningful work experience and life skills/employment skills workshops for the disadvantaged.

The Foundation is also looking to provide funding and support for strategic projects which aim to prevent young people from becoming NEETs.

The deadline for applications is 31^st May 2024, with further dates to be announced later.

More information can be found at the Foundation’s website.

Kent Community Foundation – Kent Social Enterprise Loan Fund
The Kent Social Enterprise Loan Fund (KSELF) offers Kent’s charities and social enterprises unsecured loans through the Kent Community Foundation (KCF)

The Foundation can also offer investment readiness and business support through KCF’s dedicated Investment Fund Manager throughout the whole process.

The aim of the Fund is to spread the culture of social enterprise and break down the barriers which prevent enterprising social businesses from accessing finance.

This is a Continuous Rolling Programme, which means there is no deadline and applications can be submitted at any time.

For more information and how to apply, visit the KCF website.

If you would like to see coverage of specific funding or grant rounds to help your charity, your project, your community group or enterprise, you can get In touch by email at info@mva.org.uk, you can also contact MVA via the website.

Source: mva.org.uk