Cheshire East Council

Business Growth Programme

Business Growth Programme

This scheme is offering grants from £5,000 up to a maximum of £25,000 per eligible business to support businesses to develop growth plans which identify opportunities to accelerate growth, introduce new products, services and provide fair employment practices. The Growth Grant aims to support businesses in accelerating their growth, which would otherwise be unattainable due to cost constraints. By providing access to expert guidance from a business consultant, the grant helps improve productivity, drive employment growth, and ensure long-term sustainability, making years of potential growth achievable.


Eligibility

  • Only businesses and organisations trading from a property based in the Cheshire East boundary can apply for a grant. 
  • At this stage, priority will be given to businesses that have not previously received a UKSPF grant between April 2022 and March 2025.
  • Businesses must have an approved Growth Plan in place to support the need for the grant. Assistance with developing these plans is fully funded through the Support Hub team.
  • Businesses must apply to the Council via an online application form to be considered for a grant payment.
  • Only expenditure that occurs after the 1 April 2025 will be eligible.
  • Businesses must hold a business bank account.
  • Must be an existing SME who have been trading for at least 12 months. 
  • Refer to the scheme policy for full details of the Business Growth Grant.

How to apply - Follow these steps:

Get Prepared


Businesses applying for the Cheshire East Business Growth Grant can access dedicated advisory and consultancy support through the Business Support Hub.


If you would like to have a chat with one of our support team to check your eligibility or to discuss your requirements, prior to starting an application, we may be contacted via the contact box below.


To support you with the preparation of your grant application, we have prepared  documents for you to download below.


  • List of the key questions that you will need to answer on the online application site.
  • Full Business Growth Grant Scheme policy, including criteria and eligibility.

Growth Plan Support

A key requirement for your application is a completed business growth plan.


Our experienced advisers are available to review existing business growth plans or assist in the preparation of new plans, which are a mandatory requirement for grant eligibility. 


This support may include identifying strategic opportunities for growth, conducting gap analyses, highlighting workforce development and training needs, and ensuring alignment with the objectives of the Business Growth Grant scheme. 


Where appropriate, we can also signpost businesses to additional funded programmes such as Business Vitality, and provide access to one-to-one business mentoring. 


This support is fully funded and delivered at no cost to eligible businesses.


Contact our team to arrange a consultation. See below to contact us.


Submit formal application

All applications must be made via the official 'grant approval' site via the button below. This external site will open in a new window.


You may login with your existing details if you used the grant approval site in the past, or register for a new account to access the applications.


Once registered, you will be able to search for the scheme and submit your application.


Please do not submit any application without all the required information, including your growth plan, or the application will be rejected.

Need help with your application?

If you have any questions about the grant scheme, need help with preparing your growth plan to support your application, please contact the grant support team.