Growth Hub Business Grant Scheme 2025 (UK)

Priority Areas

• The funding is available to all businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly with growth ambitions, but priority will be given to projects from the Distinctive Sectors identified in the Cornwall Good Growth Plan, and the supply chain for those sectors. Key sectors targeted for investment are:
  • Critical Minerals
  • Renewable Energy – innovations in floating offshore wind, deep geothermal and biomethane capture
  • Space and Aerospace (including Data)
  • Marine – including emerging FLOW opportunities and decarbonisation of shipping
• Priority will also be given to the Plan’s Core Sectors for projects focussed on improving the quality of year-round employment, wage levels and business performance:
  • Agri-food
  • Creative and Cultural – focus is on digital and tech
  • Visitor Economy

Funding Information

• Minimum grant value of £20,000 and maximum grant is £200,000.

What can they fund?

• Capital and Revenue cost, e.g. equipment, building works, consultancy costs that support the overarching aims of the scheme.

What can’t they fund?

• New for old or replacement goods and services, i.e. business as usual activity
• Routine repairs, replacements and renewals
• Staff costs
  • For RD&I projects that are driving innovation in the Distinctive Sectors, a higher intervention rate may be considered where the business can demonstrate the level of staff costs needed to deliver the project is unaffordable
• Projects that have already started in terms of financial or contractual commitments
• Other costs listed as ineligible on the Good Growth
• In addition to the items listed above as not eligible, the following costs or activity are not a priority for support:
  • Vehicles (e.g. cars, vans etc – including the purchase of electric vehicles)
  • The creation or upgrading of visitor bedspace
  • Solar installations that are not supported by battery storage – unless it can be demonstrated that all energy produced is used on site, i.e. there is no feed into the grid.

Outputs and Outcomes

• Priority will also be given to those projects that deliver the strongest value for money in terms of outputs and outcomes, or that can demonstrate innovation.
  • Outputs (to be achieved by date of final grant claim)
    • Commercial space completed or improved
    • Low or zero carbon energy infrastructure
  • Outcomes as a result of the support  (to be evidenced within 12 months of final grant claim date and no later than 31/03/27)
    • Creation of new jobs
    • Safeguarded existing jobs
    • Improved productivity
    • Estimated carbon dioxide equivalent reduction
    • New to market products
    • New to firm technologies or processes
    • New or improved products or services
    • Engagement in new markets
    • New knowledge transfer activity following support

Eligibility Criteria

• Your business must:
  • have a project and business that is located in Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly
  • be able to complete all grant funded activity by 31st December 2025
  • Application should include key milestones for activity with project able to start as soon as contracted
  • already pay the Real Living Wage or do so by time of your final claim (for more info click here)
  • have all permissions/consents already in place or applied for – with a known determination date in the next month at point of application e.g. planning permission
  • Priority will be given to those that already have approvals in place
  • have an adequate lease and landlord consent in place at point of submission if applicable – supporting evidence with application is required
  • have an appropriate business bank account
  • have match funding in place/already secured
  • have full Accounts available (including Management Accounts when Full Accounts more than 12 months old)
  • For new businesses where no accounts are available, a full Business Plan will be required
  • contribute to the Good Growth Principles.

For more information, visit Growth Hub.