Tyne & Wear · Northumberland · County Durham · Tees Valley and its five boroughs

Find grants and funding for your North East business

51 verified schemes in plain English, each linked to its official source and dated with when we last checked it.

  • 51 schemes listed
  • 44 currently live
  • 13 local areas covered
  • 40 funders
  • Checked
  • Free, no sign-up

Sources we check: Innovate UK · North East Combined Authority · Tees Valley Combined Authority · British Business Bank · local councils

Closing soon and upcoming

Open

Frontier AI: SME Champions, Phase 1

Innovate UK · Grant

Share of up to £3.1m. Total eligible project costs must be £150,000 to £250,000. Feasibility studies: up to 70% of costs for micro or small firms, up to 60% for medium-sized firms.

UK-wide (open to North East firms) · Checked

Open

Growth Cohorts: Next-gen low carbon concrete, Round 2

Innovate UK · Cohort entry with funding access

Up to £11.5m across a two-stage competition. Stage 1 grant funding request must be exactly £54,400: £50,000 of grant you can claim against eligible costs plus £4,400 of in-kind support from Innovate UK Business Connect.

UK-wide (open to North East firms) · Checked

Open

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP)

Innovate UK · Part-funded partnership

Share of up to £12.5m in the 2026 to 2027 Round 4 competition. Business contribution: check with funder.

UK-wide (open to North East firms) · Checked

Open

Full ADOPT Grant: Round 10 (on-farm trials)

Defra and Innovate UK (Farming Innovation Programme) · Grant

Share of up to £5m. Each project's total eligible costs must be between £50,000 and £200,000.

UK-wide (open to North East firms) · Checked

Open

Climate Tech FOAK Builder: programme entry expression of interest

Innovate UK · Support programme

Support worth up to £315,000 (expert advisory, technical assistance, mentoring and upskilling) to develop a first-of-a-kind (FOAK) climate tech project. Successful companies could be invited to apply for a larger grant in Phase 2.

UK-wide (open to North East firms) · Checked

Get new North East grants every Monday

One short, free email each Monday: new schemes, changed amounts and deadlines closing that week. Every item links to its official source.

Open now

Open

Sunderland Business Support Fund

NBSL (North East Mayoral Strategic Authority) · Grant

Up to 40% of eligible spend on projects costing £3,000–£6,000 excluding VAT (a maximum grant of £2,400)

Sunderland · Checked

Open

BIPC Citylife Business Support

Business & IP Centre North East · Fully funded expert support (grant-paid)

Up to 12 hours of expert support, fully funded

North Tyneside · Checked

Rolling

SWEF Enterprise Fund: Start-up Grant

Community Foundation North East · Grant

Up to £500

Gateshead, Newcastle, Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland · Checked

Open

North East Accelerate Fund

North East Fund, managed by Mercia Ventures · Equity / convertible loan

Initial £50,000–£350,000, up to £1m in total

Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, County Durham · Checked

Open

North East Elevate Fund

North East Fund, managed by FW Capital · Loan / mixed loan-equity

Loans from £50,000, up to £1m for established businesses

Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, County Durham · Checked

Open

Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II: NEL Smaller Loans

NEL Fund Managers (British Business Bank NPIF II) · Loan

£25,000–£100,000 (per Review North)

Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, County Durham, Tees Valley · Checked

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Common questions

What grants are available for small businesses in the North East in 2026?

Current examples include the Sunderland Business Support Fund (up to 40% of eligible projects costing £3,000–£6,000 excluding VAT, so a maximum grant of £2,400) and Made Smarter Adoption North East for manufacturers (up to £20,000 towards software or equipment). The North of Tyne Business Support Fund is fully allocated for now, according to NBSL. Every scheme on Sourced North East links to its official source and shows the date we last checked it.

Can I get a grant for a new website in the North East?

Yes, in some areas. The Sunderland Business Support Fund lists website design and development as eligible projects. The North of Tyne Business Support Fund (Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland) also covers websites, but NBSL says its funds are currently fully allocated. Check the eligibility on the official page before you commit spend.

Is there funding for equipment or machinery?

Options include the North East Elevate Fund (loans from £50,000), the Business Growth Fund for investments in Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and Sunderland, and Made Smarter for manufacturers. Availability changes, so check with the funder.

All FAQs