ICAEW.com works better with JavaScript enabled.

Business finance and grants

Use our selection of guides, links, books and articles to find more information on sources of business finance.
Contents
Back to top

Latest on business finance and grants

Read our latest features and articles on business finance and grants.
ICAEW recommendations to address SME finance woes
  • Article
  • 08 Sep 2023
In its response to the Treasury Committee's call for evidence, ICAEW laments the availability of finance for small business, and sees a role for government in boosting lending to SMEs, following concerns over a deepening access to finance crisis.
Commons Treasury Committee calls for greater diversity of venture capital investment
  • Article
  • 09 Aug 2023
The House of Commons Treasury Committee’s report into venture capital investment schemes recommends better support for female-led businesses and those outside the South East of England.
UK pensions superfund could halt pensions decline
  • Article
  • 26 Jun 2023
The UK’s first “superfund” proposes to undo years of capital market decline through the creation of large pension funds.
ICAEW member insights highlight access to finance woes
  • Article
  • 06 Jun 2023
Access to finance is essential for economic growth, but feedback from ICAEW members highlights the challenges they face.
Access to finance: high hurdles for SMEs
  • Article
  • 26 May 2023
A combination of factors are hindering SMEs’ ability to access finance.
How the British Business Bank puts purpose first
  • Article
  • 26 May 2023
New CEO Louis Taylor explains how the British Business Bank is increasing the focus on delivering growth to the UK.
Access to finance: alternatives to high street banks
  • Article
  • 25 May 2023
Traditional banks’ enthusiasm for business lending may be muted, but at a time when the UK economy is hungry for growth, there are still other finance options for companies to explore.
Money, money, money: protecting against bank failures
  • Article
  • 23 May 2023
If recent bank failures are making you twitchy, what can you do to mitigate the risk of losing your hard-earned business deposits?
Read more

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.
Woman working in flower shop
Sources of finance for your business
Learn how to secure investment finance, overdrafts and loans with our selection of guides and online resources.
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

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.
Debt and equity funding for business - practical advice on the what, why and how
  • Webinar
  • 01 Nov 2022
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar. Senior business leaders and advisers share experiences and practical tips about funding for a business.
Risk management considerations for SMEs in challenging market conditions
  • Webinar
  • 14 Oct 2022
ICAEW Small and Micro Business Community webinar giving 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.
Top tips for starting a business
  • Webinar
  • 12 May 2022
Hear from fellow ICAEW members who will share with you their journeys from taking the first steps, launching, then fast forward to running a successful business.
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 UK home sellers cut asking prices for first time this year
  • Article
  • 17 Jul 2023
  • Jill Namatsi
UK property sellers cut their asking prices for the first time this year, an indication that a sharp jump in borrowing costs is cutting into what buyers can afford. The figures confirm a trend toward lower prices reported by mortgage lenders, suggesting that home sellers are beginning to lower their expectations for how much they can get.
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.
Exclusive Startups stung by UK delay in awarding tax credits to innovators
  • Article
  • 13 Apr 2023
  • Aisha S Gani
Some UK startup businesses have been waiting upwards of six months to receive research and development tax credits from HMRC, forcing some to take out loans to plug the gap in funds. The Fintech trade body Innovate Finance said it has member firms worried about lengthy delays that make it difficult to predict their cash flows. HMRC has acknowledged that it had extended processing times.
Exclusive The Silicon Valley Bank Hangover
  • Article
  • 03 Apr 2023
  • Lizette Chapman
The failure of venture capital’s favourite financial institution, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), is a sign of more trouble to come for the technology sector. SVB's failure can be seen as a symptom of problems in a venture capital industry hit by interest-rate hikes, says Joshua Brustein. As a consequence, startup companies are likely to have to start taking money on less attractive terms.
Exclusive Go with the P2P flow
  • Article
  • 01 Apr 2023
  • Eliot Hastie
For investors looking for an income stream, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending provides an attractive alternative to regular banking products. The article discusses the potential advantages and risks of P2P lending in the current economic environment. Written from an Australian perspective.
Exclusive A startup CFO used ChatGPT to build an FP&A tool - here's how it went
  • Article
  • 02 Mar 2023
  • Sheryl Estrada
There's been an ongoing debate over the possible uses and pitfalls of OpenAI's ChatGPT. One CFO set out to prove the value of the technology by using it to create a financial planning and analysis (FP&A) proof-of-concept chatbot. The idea is that the bot will respond to your data queries as if you were talking to an FP&A analyst.
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.
ByteStart - Finance
  • Website
  • Bytestart Limited
The Finance section of the ByteStart website has a range of articles outlining the different types of funding businesses can call on, such as bank loans, business angels and crowdfunding.
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.
Getting a grant for your business
  • 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.
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.
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.

Can't find what you're looking for?

The ICAEW Library can give you the right information from trustworthy, professional sources that aren't freely available online. Contact us for expert help with your enquiries and research.

Everything business

Find out about the key benefits available for members in business and the support from ICAEW. We are proud of our some 60,000 members working in and running business all over the world.
Read More
Winding road
Information

Some of the content on this web page was provided by the Chartered Accountants’ Trust for Education and Research, a registered charity, which owns the library and operates it for ICAEW.