Business & economy

New grants and loan schemes and the latest news on funding opportunities for businesses in Devon.

  • GWR Customer and Community Improvement Fund

    APPLY BY 2 FEBRUARY 2026 GWR is inviting bids for up to £25,000 from its Customer and Community Improvement Fund. The fund is designed to support small and medium rail-related projects that can be completed over the course of the 2026/27 financial year. As well as being rail related, projects should have a customer and […]

  • GBE Supply Chain Fund: Offshore Wind and Networks

    Capital grants are on offer for manufacturers producing components for the offshore wind and electricity networks supply chain. The Great British Energy (GBE) Supply Chain Fund is a new programme with a total budget of £300m to address constraints in the supply chain for the offshore wind sector. Manufacturing businesses can apply for funding to […]

  • Horizon Europe

    Horizon Europe is the EU research and innovation programme: UK organisations can apply for funding to participate in the programme, based on an EU/UK agreement which makes the UK an ‘associate country’ to Horizon Europe. The new Horizon Europe work programme for 2026/27 has now been published setting out the priorities for the final two […]

  • Creative Industries Clusters

    Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are invited to apply for up to £6,750,000 to host a Creative Industries Cluster. The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is looking to expand its portfolio of clusters that bring together universities, businesses, local and regional policymakers, and private funders to drive research, innovation and growth in the creative industries. […]

  • Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund

    Manufacturers seeking investments in large-scale projects to manufacture medicines and medical diagnostic products can apply for a capital grant from the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund. Your project must have a total cost of at least £8m. The fund is open to applications for MHRA-licenced medicines, medical and diagnostic devices registered with the MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare […]

  • NextEnergy Solar Impact Fund

    Not-for-profit organisations in South West England can apply for funding from the NextEnergy Solar Impact Fund. The funding is intended for activities that will have positive social, economic and/or environmental impacts on the area. There is a particular focus on education, training and skills. The programme objectives are: Registered charities, CICs, charitable trusts, academic institutions, […]

  • Water Discovery Challenge 2

    The Water Discovery Challenge 2 is a funding competition that aims to attract innovative solutions to the challenges facing the water sector. It focuses on organisations from outside the sector, providing a structured route for new solutions to be developed, tested and scaled within the industry. There is a total funding pot of £7.5 million […]

  • Water Efficiency Lab

    The Water Efficiency Lab (WEL) is a new fund with a budget of £25m over the next five years to help address water efficiency challenges and develop new approaches to saving water. There will be a specific focus each year – for the first year (WEL1) it is about using data to help customers understand […]

  • Oli Bennett Charitable Trust

    The Oli Bennett Charitable Trust was set up in memory of Oli Bennett who died in the September 11th World Trade Centre attack. It provides small grants for young people starting a business. Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30 and should note the following requirements:

  • Mid Devon Business Refresh Grant

    Small businesses in Mid Devon can apply for a grant to help improve their premises. Refresh grants of up to £2,500 are available to help existing commercial, retail, leisure, hospitality and tourism businesses to refresh their look, with priority given to those in Mid Devon towns and villages. If you have an independent business with […]