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Business finance and grants

Use our selection of guides, links, books and articles to find more information on sources of business finance.
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Latest on business finance and grants

Read our latest features and articles on business finance and grants.
ICAEW outlines effective grant management for government entities
  • Article
  • 09 Dec 2024
Grant-paying government entities could save £1.9bn through effective grant management. A new ICAEW helpsheet offers advice on designing a grants assurance framework and highlights some of the main pitfalls to avoid.
What’s the #1 people risk for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)?
  • Article
  • 21 Nov 2024
People are everything to SMEs, so it’s no wonder that rising health and benefit costs top their list of worries. Employee benefit premiums and related costs ranked first in our People Risk 2024 survey of the most likely people risks to affect their business in the next two years with the most severe impact. (1)
Next-day fee finance vs invoice factoring
  • Article
  • 01 Nov 2024
Keys Finance explain how their Next Day Professional Fee Finance tool can help accountants to receive 100% of their client fees Next-Day.
What’s next for LEPs and growth hubs?
  • Article
  • 05 Aug 2024
Local enterprise partnerships’ functions were transferred to local authorities in April 2024. What role will they play now?
National Wealth Fund to unlock green and growth investment
  • Article
  • 15 Jul 2024
Fund will bring together UK Infrastructure Bank and the British Business Bank to unlock billions of pounds of investment in the UK’s green and growth industries, government says.
British Business Bank launches Recovery Loan Scheme successor
  • Article
  • 12 Jul 2024
Running until 31 March 2026, the new Growth Guarantee Scheme aims to support small businesses by offering loans of up to £2m, with 70% government-backed guarantees.
The secret to accessing early-stage investment
  • Article
  • 22 May 2024
With a lending market changed by high interest rates and a proliferation of technology, we look at what start-ups can do to increase their chances of attracting venture capital investment.
Step up on innovation, advisers are urged
  • Article
  • 15 May 2024
Summit organiser says that a greater understanding of the innovation ecosystem is needed in order to help clients capitalise on economic opportunities.
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Topics in depth

Hot air balloons
Crowdfunding
Learn about the benefits and risks of crowdfunding with our selection of guides, reports, articles and books.
Science lab microscopy looking at samples
Grants and local funding
Selected information resources on grants and business funding in the UK and Europe.
Teamwork groups inclusive
Peer-to-peer lending
Peer-to-peer lending is a popular way for businesses to secure loans. It is most suitable for businesses which have been trading for a few years.
Hands holding plant
Venture capital and business angels
Learn about financing your business through venture capital and business angels with our selection of guides, links, books and articles.
London skyline
Working capital
Find out more about the benefits and risks of using your assets to finance your business. Options available include hire purchase, leasing, invoice factoring and discounting, and commercial mortgages.

ICAEW guides and advice

Access to finance special
  • Hub page
  • 2023
ICAEW Insights examines the finance options and support available to businesses, as well as the challenges they face in obtaining it.
ICAEW BAS
  • Promotional material
  • 2020
ICAEW’s Business Advice Service puts small and medium business owners in touch with both ICAEW members or regulated ICAEW member firms who can provide a free initial consultation, without obligation, to discuss any business issues the owners are facing.
The Business Finance Guide
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2016
This independent guide draws on the expertise of partners from across the finance industry and business community to provide information on the financing options that may be available to entrepreneurs, startups and businesses at every stage of development.
Exclusive Special report - Growing your business
  • Report
  • 2014
This report is primarily aimed at smaller businesses seeking to grow and develop and to achieve their full potential through practical guidance and advice.
How to find the right professional advice
  • Helpsheets and support
  • 2011
The Business Advice Service connects small and medium businesses with trusted business advisors working in ICAEW regulated-firms.

Webinars

Why are female-led startups so underfunded?
  • Podcast
  • 02 Aug 2024
In this episode of Behind the Numbers, we discuss gender inequality in investment.
Getting SME investment back on track
  • Podcast
  • 28 Apr 2023
In this Insights In Focus episode, we discuss the obstacles and incentives to SME investment.
Exclusive Risk management considerations for SMEs in challenging market conditions
  • Webinar
  • 14 Oct 2022
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar providing an in-depth overview of the SME market, the current economic conditions and challenges being faced and the specific risks SMEs are facing when starting up.
Exclusive Top tips on growing a business
  • Webinar
  • 21 Sep 2022
Hear from our speakers about the different financing options available as you grow, what investors look for in a business and what should be included in your pitch deck. A ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar.
Disruptors, innovators, start-ups - exploring roles for accountants
  • Webinar
  • 22 Mar 2021
Considering making a move from a practice or established corporate world into a start-up, or exploring expanding your portfolio into this space? Hear insights and experience from our panel of speakers.
More webinars

Business press

The ICAEW Library & Information Service provides access to leading business, finance and management journals. These journals are available to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users subject to suppliers' terms of use.
Exclusive Supporting diverse business owners
  • Article
  • 01 Nov 2024
  • Kelly Burch
Discusses the challenges faced by diverse business owners in the US, including people of colour, women, veterans and those with disabilities. Barriers such as limited access to capital are highlighted. Provides a list of resources and funding for entrepreneurs from marginalised groups in New Hampshire, including support from organisations both locally and nationally.
Exclusive Demand for trade finance is set to grow
  • Article
  • 01 Mar 2024
  • Paul Golden
Over 60% of respondents to Euromoney's Trade Finance Survey 2024 anticipate an increase in use of trade financing over the next three years. The factors behind this expected rise are discussed, including the need for companies to optimise working capital and reshore projects to reduce risk and secure strategic sourcing.
Exclusive Alternative financing in uncertain times
  • Article
  • 01 Oct 2023
  • Brian Belley
Provides an overview of alternative financing options for small businesses and startups outside of traditional banks and grants. Discusses various dilutive and non-dilutive financing options and suggests the types of businesses for which they are most suitable. Written from a US perspective.
Exclusive Supply chain finance in the trenches
  • Article
  • 01 Oct 2023
  • J. Stephen McNally
Former Campbell's Soup supply chain finance executive J.Stephen McNally shares stories 'from the trenches' on how CFOs and their teams can effectively collaborate with their cross-functional colleagues in supply chain management to mitigate supply chain disruption and build stronger operations.
Exclusive The language of crowd-funding
  • Article
  • 01 Sep 2023
  • Daniela Blei
Do crowdfunders seeking donations see different results depending on the phrasing they use? A new paper to be published in the Journal of Consumer Research investigates the language of crowdfunding appeals by mining some ten years of data from crowdfunding platforms GoFundMe and Kickstarter. Daniela Blei reports on the outcomes.
Exclusive Think big: Frontaal invests in a new brewery
  • Article
  • 01 Jun 2023
  • Rebecca Szkutak
Netherlands brewery company Frontaal discusses their growth through crowdfunding, which has generated EUR 5m in capital, with around 5,500 beer-lovers now counting themselves among the co-owners of the brewery. The company sees this community of shareholders as being one of the advantages of raising money by crowdfunding. The economics of running a microbrewery and the logistical challenges of installing a new brewery operation are also discussed.
More articles

Online magazines

Some online journal titles are available only to logged-in ICAEW members, ACA students and other entitled users. To view the full range of titles available to you, please log in.
Corporate Financier
  • ICAEW Corporate Finance Faculty
Analysis and insight from ICAEW's Corporate Finance Faculty.

External resources - Funding sources

Alternative Business Funding
  • Website
  • Alternative Business Funding
A matchmaking service for small businesses and alternative finance providers.
British Business Bank
  • Website
  • British Business Bank
An economic development bank launched in 2013 to create more effective finance markets for smaller businesses in the UK.
Enterprise Europe Network
  • Website
  • Enterprise Europe Network
The Enterprise Europe Network helps small businesses develop into new markets, source or license new technologies and access EU finance and funding.
European Investment Fund
  • Website
  • European Investment Fund
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is involved in a number of initiatives to promote regional business development.
Finance and support for your business
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
List of publicly-backed finance or business support schemes. With hundreds of schemes available, this is a good starting point to find out which ones you are eligible for and which suit your needs.
Good Finance
  • Website
  • Good Finance
A UK website aimed at charities and social enterprises. It provides information and advice on locating socially responsible sources of finance.
Start-up loans
  • Website
  • GOV.UK
A government funded scheme to provide loans and mentors for entrepreneurs. As well as start-up finance the scheme offers coaching to applicants to prepare for the pitch for the loan, help prepare a business plan and mentoring for a period after the loan has been received.
Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

External resources - Associations, reports and guides

Environmental grants and loans
  • Atom Content Marketing
If you are considering making your business more environmentally responsible, there are a variety of grants, loans and government-sponsored initiatives can help you. This MoneyDonut guide covers environmental support basics, finding a grant, what you can get a grant for, making the application, your financial contribution, environmental loans and environmental awards.
Responsible Finance
  • Responsible Finance
The trade association for community development finance institutions (CDFIs). CDFIs provide loans and support to individuals and businesses who find it difficult to access finance from the commercial banks.
SME Finance Monitor
  • BDRC
Annual large-scale study of UK SMEs and their access to finance. BVA BRDC surveys 5,000 businesses every quarter about past borrowing events and future borrowing intentions.
Start up business grants
  • Atom Content Marketing

Securing grant funding could really help your business develop and grow. This MoneyDonut guide covers grant funding - potential problems, grant schemes, identifying possible grants, applying for a business grant, writing your grant application and grant payments.

Terms of use

ICAEW accepts no responsibility for the content on any site to which a hypertext link from this site exists. The links are provided 'as is' with no warranty, express or implied, for the information provided within them. Please see the full copyright and disclaimer notice.

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