Finance & Funding

Sources of Help

Finding grants, loans and equity finance can be difficult, and successfully applying for financial support even harder. Whether you want advice about what's out there, or a helping hand in putting together and supporting your application, find the right contact here.

Business Link

Business Link NorthEast provides tailor-made support for your business free of charge. As a government funded organisation, they exist to foster the right circumstances for new and existing businesses to flourish. They have dedicated specialists for funding, training and marketing and general advisors for everything else.

Contact Business Link:

• Access their grants, awards, loans and funding database here
• Access their comprehensive website here
• Call them on 0845 600 9 006

Finance and Business 

Just for businesses in North East England,  Finance and Business is a European-funded programme to help small and medium sized businesses understand their options and find finance and grants.  They give advice and guidance, run events and workshops (some of which are free), provide a searchable grant, loan and equity database, have free funding guides to download and an online intuitive survey to help assess your readiness - and address any weak points - for funding applications.

View their services and contact details at their website:

• www.financeandbusiness.biz  

Entrust

Not to be confused with the landfill charity, Entrust is the enterprise development agency for the whole of the North East, supporting economic growth and development. They support new and existing businesses and finding finance is one of their key services. Click here for their website and more information: http://www.entrust.co.uk/page.asp?id=77

Project North East (PNE)

Project North East is an enterprise agency and economic development consultancy which has been operating for 21 years. Their website is: http://www.pne.org/

In Durham:

Wear Valley and Teesdale Enterprise Agency

This agency was formed by the merge of the Wear Valley Development Agency and The Teesdale Enterprise Agency. They provide a broad range of services to new, existing and developing businesses and provide advice, access to funding and training. They offer businesses in their area help with finding and applying for funding.
Click here to view their website:
http://www.teesdaleenterprise.co.uk/finance.asp

County Durham Development Company

This is the business development arm of Durham County Council. It offers support, advice and trade intervention for new and existing businesses, in a way that is tailored to the business' needs, rather than pre-packaged. Click here for their website: http://www.durham4business.com

East Durham Business Service

The enterprise agency for the district of Easington, the East Durham Business Service is active and committed. It provides support, advice, grants and training for start-ups and existing businesses as well as bespoke services on training, marketing and funding. For more information visit their website:
http://www.edbs.co.uk/economic-development/index.php

In Tyne and Wear:

Tyneside Economic Development Company (TEDCO)

Covering the whole of Tyneside, TEDCO provide tailored support, advice and guidance to new and existing businesses. Click here to visit their website: http://www.tedco.org

South Tyneside Business Support: South Tyneside Means Business

Funded by South Tyneside Council, this is an active and dynamic support service for new and existing business. They offer advice, guidance and funding information.http://www.southtynesidemeansbusiness.co.uk

In Northumberland:

Northumberland Business Service

With six centres across the county, this proactive and committed business service offers advice, support, funding information, business events and workshops to new and existing businesses right across Northumberland. Click here to view their website: http://www.n-bs.org/

The Northumberland National Park

The National Park Authority looks after the landscape, heritage and culture of Northumberland National Park, helping to make it a special place for people to live in and enjoy. They do this by making sure that communities and businesses in and around the National Park are supported with good advice, guidance and funding. They encourage any existing or planned business in the Park area, to pay them a visit, to discuss new ideas and to explore how to expand and grow in a sustainable way. They provide tailored help finding and applying for finance.
www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk

In Tees Valley:

Invest in Hartlepool

This is the service offered by Hartlepool Borough Council. They offer support, guidance, funding and training and a regular program of business events and networking. Follow the link to their website: http://www.investinhartlepool.com/index.php

Darlington Business Venture

Darlington Business Venture is the Enterprise Agency for Darlington, working to support new businesses and existing businesses through the provision of advice, training, counselling, business information, access to finance, workspace, conference and training facilities and business-to-business networking.
http://www.dbv-northeast.co.uk/

Middlesbrough Borough Council

Middlesbrough Borough Council has an active business support team that specialise in providing both advice and practical help to new and existing businesses. They can advise you on funding, help with your application and operate some grants themselves. View their website for more information:
http://www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/business/business-sectors-and-services/

Area Tourism Partnerships

Each ATP offers support, guidance and workforce development opportunities specifically for tourism businesses. Contact yours directly to see what events, workshops and training opportunities are on offer.

One North East Tourism is the regional tourism organisation and provides research, strategic direction, product development and extensive marketing for the whole of the North East. Visit their website at: www.tourismnortheast.co.uk/one-northeast-tourism

Visit County Durham is the Area Tourism Partnership for Durham County. They provide business support, visitor services and marketing. Visit their website for more information: www.tourismnortheast.co.uk/visit-county-durham

Northumberland Tourism is the area Tourism Partnership for Northumberland. They provide business support, workforce development, visitor services and marketing. Visit their website at: www.tourismnortheast.co.uk/northumberland-tourism

Tourism Tyne and Wear is the Area Tourism Partnership for the Tyne and Wear area. They provide business support, workforce development, visitor services and marketing. Visit their website at: www.tourismnortheast.co.uk/tourism-tyne-and-wear

visitTeesvalley is the Area Tourism Partnership for the Tees Valley area. They provide business support, workforce development, visitor services and marketing.www.tourismnortheast.co.uk/visitteesvalley