South Midlands Growth Grant

South Midlands Capital Growth Grant

£5,000 – £25,000

Match funding available

Dates

Expressions of interest:
Open: 1 July 2026
Close: 23 July 2026

Supporting

Projects that will accelerate business growth, foster innovation and support decarbonisation efforts

Available to

Businesses based in Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire

The South Midlands Capital Growth Grant has been created to help South Midlands businesses invest in innovation, adopt new technologies and unlock new opportunities.

The South Midlands Growth Hub are inviting Expressions of Interest for projects that will create new products and/or services, reduce carbon emissions and help companies safeguard and create jobs. The South Midlands Capital Growth grant is match-funded, covering a maximum of 50% of the total price of the project.

Between £5,000 & £25,000 is available to eligible businesses in the South Midlands that are ready to accelerate their growth.

Q&A sessions

Throughout July, we’ll be hosting Question & Answer sessions with Business Advisor, Max Smart. These are drop-in sessions designed to answer any questions you have about the grant and the application process.

Session 1
Friday 10 July 2026 | 11:30 – 12:30 | Request calendar invite

Session 2
Friday 17 July 2026 | 11:30 – 12:30 | Request calendar invite

Podcast

We’ve recorded a podcast so you can listen to the key details on the Growth Grant.

The Growth Grant in under 8 minutes

Kelly Griffiths, Business Adviser and Growth Manager, runs through the key details of the new grant. Including how much is available, the EOI process, and what projects could be eligible.

What is match funding?

Match funding is a requirement of the grant, where applicants must contribute a portion
of the project’s total cost from other sources. The grant will cover up to 50% of the total
project cost and you will need to “match “ the rest. This matching amount can come
from your own funds. For example, if a project costs £10,000 and the grant covers
£5,000, you would need to secure the remaining £5,000 through match funding.

What is the application process?

There is a two-stage process:

Expression of Interest (EOI)
– Assesses project eligibility
– Deadline for receipt of EOI: 17:00 on 23rd July 2026.
– Please ensure you answer each question thoroughly, as this will help us
complete our eligibility checks. If any sections are incomplete or documents are
missing, we will be unable to process your EOI. As this is a competitive grant
programme, applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria or programme
objectives will not be successful.
– Your EOI will go through an initial screening to assess whether your EOI
demonstrates sufficient potential, strategic alignment and feasibility to progress
to a full grant application.

THIS IS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAMME, AND WE
EXPECT TO FUND APPROXIMATELY 30% OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED.

Full Application (if invited to apply)
– If your EOI is approved, you will be invited to submit a full application and
supporting documentation w/c 17th August 2026. (All emails will be sent from
cgg@southmidlands.org.uk. If you do not receive the email, please check your
spam folder.)
– Successful projects must not start until written approval has been issued
(expected from week commencing 23rd November 2026).
– Deadline for receipt of applications: 17:00 on 25th September 2026.
– Projects must be completed by 31st December 2027
– Incomplete applications or missing documentation will be rejected and you may
not get another chance to reapply. If you need help, contact
cgg@southmidlands.org.uk.

Is the maximum grant £25,000 or is the total project value £25,000?

The maximum grant available is £25,000. On the basis of 50% match funding
requirement from businesses, projects seeking the full amount would be expected to
have a total value of at least £50,000.

Can I submit my EOI by email?

No all EOIs must be submitted via the portal. We would strongly suggest that you do not
leave it until the last minute to submit as the portal will cut off at 5.00 pm on 23rd July
2026 and no EOIs will be accepted after this time.

Is software classed as capital expenditure?

Software development is treated as capital expenditure for costs associated with
creating a new asset or a major enhancement that provides future economic benefits.
Capitalising software costs involves treating the expenditure as an asset on the capital
register.

Minor improvements and maintenance will not be eligible for a grant.

Can the grant be used for website development?

Yes, website development can be capitalised expenditure as it is an intangible asset.

In general, website development costs can be capitalised if the following conditions are
met:

1. The costs are directly related to the creation or acquisition of a website or web
application that will be used in the business’s operations.
2. The website or web application is expected to provide economic benefits to the
business over a period of time and not simply for promotion and advertising
purposes.
3. The costs can be reliably measured.

If these conditions are met, the cost of developing the website can be recorded as an
asset and written off gradually over its useful life.

Advertising, promotion, maintenance and minor updates would not be eligible.

How can I find which Local Authority area my business is in?

To check if your company is located within the South Midlands Growth Hub area, please use the following link to confirm whether your postcode falls within one of our six local authorities: Find your local council – GOV.UK

Our local authorities include:
– Bedford Borough Council
– Central Bedfordshire Council
– Luton Borough Council
– Milton Keynes City Council
– West Northamptonshire Council
– North Northamptonshire Council

Invest in innovation.
Adopt new technologies.
Unlock new opportunities.

South Midlands Capital Growth Grant

£5,000 – £25,000

Match funding available

Dates

Expressions of interest:
Open: 1 July 2026
Close: 23 July 2026

Supporting

Projects that will accelerate business growth, foster innovation and support decarbonisation efforts

Available to

Businesses based in Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire

Before you apply

Tools & resources

Webinar

Q&A sessions

Podcast

The Growth Grant in under 8 minutes

Grant guidance notes & Evaluation criteria

To support applicants, we provide guidance notes and details of the evaluation process. The guidance notes explain how the grant works, including eligibility criteria and what the grant can be used for. The evaluation criteria outlines how EOIs will be evaluated.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Invest in innovation.Adopt new technologies.Unlock new opportunities.

South Midlands Capital Growth Grant

£5,000 – £25,000

Match funding available

Dates

Expressions of interest: Open: 1 July 2026Close: 23 July 2026

Supporting

Projects that will accelerate business growth, foster innovation and support decarbonisation efforts

Available to

Businesses based in Bedfordshire, Luton, Milton Keynes & Northamptonshire

Before you apply

Tools & resources

Webinar

Q&A sessions

Podcast

The Growth Grant in under 8 minutes

Grant guidance notes & Evaluation criteria

To support applicants, we provide guidance notes and details of the evaluation process. The guidance notes explain how the grant works, including eligibility criteria and what the grant can be used for. The evaluation criteria outlines how EOIs will be evaluated.

Frequently Asked Questions

STAY CONNECTED: SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Invest in innovation.
Adopt new technologies.
Unlock new opportunities.

Expressions of interest:
Open: 1 July 2026
Close: 23 July 2026