Cheshire East Business Support Connect

Accessing Grants and Funding

Our current and planned business support grant programmes are detailed below. 

During the CONNECT events, you may book an individual discussion with one of the grant scheme advisers to discuss your individual needs.

Rural Business Grants

As a predominantly rural borough, Cheshire East is a honey pot of entrepreneurial activity. We’ll provide you with bespoke support to help you grow, increase productivity and secure funding.

The scheme  is offering grants from £1,000 up to a maximum of £10,000 per eligible business for small scale investment in micro and small enterprises in rural areas.

Sustainable Inclusive Growth Scheme

This scheme is offering grants from £1,000 up to a maximum of £10,000 per eligible business to support businesses to invest in new equipment, technology, and business practices to decarbonise their operations, become more energy efficient and improve productivity to drive employment growth and to support long-term sustainability.

Repurposing the High Street Scheme

The scheme offers capital grants of up to £30,000 for businesses/organisations taking on leases on vacant town premises and could help with the costs of improving the property for occupation including fit-out, as well as buying other capital equipment.

It also offers business support to help you start or scale-up your business.

Flexible Workspace Scheme

This scheme aims to incentivise and encourage investment in enterprise and employment site development projects in our town centres by offering grants to landlords/leaseholders to refurbish vacant or under-utilised property into flexible co-working spaces.

The grant scheme is offering grants from £25,000 up to £100,000.

Highlight achievements by the numbers

Our business support initiatives have already supported local SME businesses to develop and grow. Businesses have received advice, training and grant funding.  Learn how you and your business can also benefit from our support and guidance to unlock growth.

> 1,236

SME businesses supported

> 28

Entrepreneurs who are business ready

> 604 Jobs

Impact of jobs created and safeguarded.

> £3,8 million

Additional local SME revenue growth enabled

> 946,480 kWh

Energy usage reduction

>241k  kg CO2

Carbon emissions reduction

> £1,0 million

Grant funding paid to SME businesses

> £1,8 million

Enabling additional investment by local SMEs