World of Opportunity Programme to support SMEs (UK)

The World of Opportunity Programme helps exporters to get their goods and services sold on international markets. The programme is designed to support the UK’s SMEs in boosting their export potential, focusing on trade missions, research, and training.

Heathrow has partnered with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) who will support via promoting the programme to their members and help judge the applications. Winners will be connected to the network of advice via the Export Support Service, offered by the Department for Business and Trade, to assist in their research and export strategies.

This programme follows the Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT’s) findings that British exporters feel less confident about seizing international opportunities. The grant aims to address this by providing financial support and expert guidance to help SMEs grow their export potential.

Funding Information

• Participants are eligible to:
  • be awarded a £2,000 (two thousand pounds GBP) grant; and
  • be connected to the network of advice via the Export Support Service, offered by the Department for Business and Trade, to assist in their research and export strategies.
  • The Grant Funds must be taken within 60 days of the Successful Bidder(s) being notified.
  • The Grant Funds are not transferable, not exchangeable and no cash alternative is available.
  • The Grant Funds must be taken as stated and no compensation will be payable if any Successful Bidder is unable to accept the Grant Funds as stated.
  • Each Successful Bidder is responsible for any costs or expenses involved in claiming or using the Grant Funds other than those that are expressly stated above as being part of the Grant Funds.
  • Heathrow reserves the right to replace the Grant Funds with alternative of equal or greater value if circumstances beyond Heathrow’s control make it necessary to do so.

Eligibility Criteria

• Entry into the Grant Competition is open to Small and Medium Enterprise businesses (“SME’s”) who have their main operations based in the United Kingdom and who are registered in the United Kingdom with a Companies House registration number (or HMRC registration evidence if the SME is a sole trader business. In such cases, the sole trader must be a resident of the United Kingdom and demonstrate the business status with evidence such as UTR or correspondence from HMRC confirming status as a sole trader).

Restrictions and Requirements 

• Each Successful Bidder must:
  • provide Heathrow with a case study setting out how the Grant Funds have been spent;
  • take part in a reasonable level of publicity relating to the World of Opportunity Grant Competition, including but not limited to being named in and supporting social media posts and providing quotes for related press releases.
  • No refund may be claimed for expenses incurred in participating in the Grant Competition.
  • Heathrow reserves the right to exclude any entries which it believes to be inappropriate, fraudulent or based on misconduct, or where there are reasonable grounds to believe that there has been a breach of these Terms and Conditions by a Participant.
  • All required details must be provided for an entry to be considered valid. Entry cannot be accepted if all required details are not provided, incomplete, illegible or inaccurate.
  • Where a Successful Bidder has been awarded Grant Funds, they must be used as stated on the application form, unless otherwise agreed in writing with Heathrow. If a Successful Bidder does not use the Grant Funds as stated, they may be liable to return the Grant Funds to Heathrow.
  • If a Successful Bidder becomes subject to any regulatory or criminal enforcement action, or involved in or connected with any other matter which may impact negatively on Heathrow’s reputation or goodwill, Heathrow reserves the right to end that Successful Bidder’s participation in the World of Opportunity Grant Competition and may require the Successful Bidder to return any Grant Funds.

Required Application Details

• The details include:
  • details of why the SME thinks it should win the Grant Funds and how they will be used in relation to trade missions, trade shows, skills and training or other market research;
  • a communications plan which must set out the business overview and goals;
  • a budget plan which must set out an allocation of the grant funds for trade missions, trade shows, skills and training or other market research;
  • evidence confirming the Participant’s main operations are based in the UK and that the Participant is UK registered with Companies House (or if a sole trader, that the sole trader is a UK resident and evidence from HMRC such as a UTR or correspondence from HMRC); and
  • financial statements/annual reports evidencing the Participant as a SME.

Selection Criteria

• Winners of the Grant Competition (“Successful Bidder(s)”) will be selected by a panel of business experts including but not limited to: Heathrow’s Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer. Details of the panel will be made available on Heathrow’s website prior to the selection of the Successful Bidder(s) being made (“Judging Panel”), based on the following judging criterion:
  • Criteria 1: Business Overview, Communication Plan and Goals
    • Clarity of business operations and reasons for exporting.
    • Identification and rationale behind specific overseas markets.
    • Description of any current exportation activities in overseas markets, including an analysis of its performance.
    • How realistic are the goals for expansion withing the market.
    • Strategy for engagement with media and local press outlets.
    • Innovativeness and creativeness of the communications plan.
    • Contact information of local press outlet.
    • Identification of a customer base and marketing activities to engage with such base.
  • Criteria 2: Budget
    • Justification for allocation of grant funds for trade missions, trade shows, skills and training or market research.
    • Alignment of budget with the goals.
    • Clear and comprehensive budget proposal.
  • Criteria 3: Social Mobility and Net Zero considerations
    • Addressing of the social mobility in its current operations and plans for future operations.
    • Clear plan for achieving net zero within the plans.
    • Highlight of any existing or planned sustainability initiatives that support the businesses net zero goals.
  • Criteria 4: Impact and feasibility
    • Growth potential.
    • Feasibility and sustainability.
    • Long-term goals and its achievability.

For more information, visit Heathrow Airport Limited.