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Local Landscape

Funding and business support in Bolton

Open to businesses in Bolton, including schemes for the wider region and the whole country.

Bolton's page: people to ring, events nearby and what is only for Bolton

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Local to Bolton 5 schemes

Open all yearSupport programme

Invest Manchester free and confidential package of services

Invest Manchester

Invest Manchester offers a free and confidential package of services tailored to individual business needs, including finance and funding guidance, market intelligence, PR and marketing support, property solutions, recruitment and relocation support.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
Greater ManchesterLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Skills Development Service

GM Business Growth Hub

Free fully funded training and tailored business support to develop workforce skills, address skills gaps and strengthen workforce resilience for Greater Manchester organisations and individuals.

Amount
fully funded (no amount stated)
Deadline
Open all year
Area
Greater ManchesterLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearLoan

NPIF II Smaller Loans

GC Business Finance

Loans of £25,000 to £100,000 for SMEs across the North of England to invest in equipment, expansion, recruitment or cash flow improvements.

Amount
£25,000 to £100,000
Deadline
Open all year
Area
Greater Manchester, Cheshire and WarringtonLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Invest in - Manchester

Invest Manchester

Invest Manchester offers a free and confidential package of services tailored to individual business needs, including finance and funding guidance, market intelligence, PR and marketing support, property solutions, recruitment and relocation support.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
Greater ManchesterLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
OpenSupport programme

Spark to Scale

GM Business Growth Hub

A six-week scale-up support programme for businesses in Greater Manchester covering strategy, innovation, customer insight, people management, finance and social value.

Deadline
Apply now for a place on a cohort: cohort 8 starts on 28 January 2027 and cohort 9 on 22 April 2027.
Area
Greater ManchesterLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10

For all of North West England, or the whole North 2 schemes

Open all yearSupport programme

Made Smarter Adoption Programme

The Growth Company

Support for small and medium-sized manufacturing and engineering businesses in the North West to adopt industrial digital technologies, including expert guidance, match funding, digital interns and leadership training.

Amount
Up to £20,000
Deadline
Open all year
Area
North West EnglandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Leading Digital Transformation (North West Adoption Leadership programme)

Made Smarter North West

A funded programme for senior leaders and managers in SMEs, mixing online and face-to-face sessions on digital strategy, identifying priorities and where digital tools can help.

Amount
Described as funded; no amount stated.
Deadline
Next cohort: January 2027
Area
North West EnglandLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10

National schemes 39 schemes

Open to businesses across England or the UK, including Bolton.

Closing soonGrantUK-wide

Future Leaders Fellowships: Round 11, business and non-academic

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

Share of up to £110 million from UKRI for UK registered organisations to deliver research and develop future leaders, for business and non-academic applicants.

Amount
£100,000 to £3,000,000
Deadline
Closes 4 November 2026 at 11am (3 days)
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
OpenGrantUK-wide

Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP): 2026 - 2027 Round 4

Innovate UK

A Knowledge Transfer Partnership project in which a business partner works with a knowledge base on a specific strategic innovation project, supported by an Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Adviser. Grant contributions cover part of eligible project costs.

Amount
Innovate UK has committed a budget of £12.5 million for this round. Large companies may receive a grant contribution of up to 50% of eligible project costs; SMEs up to 67%.
Deadline
Closes 27 January 2027 at 11am
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Opening soonGrantUK-wide

QEST Apprenticeship

QEST

Grants of up to £12,000 to enable hands-on collaboration between a skilled master and a talented apprentice looking to start a career in craft, supplementing the apprentice's wage.

Amount
Up to £12,000
Deadline
Closes 17 February 2027
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Opening soonGrantUK-wide

QEST Emerging Maker Grant

QEST

Grants of £3,000 to £10,000 for early-stage craftspeople (typically practicing 4 years or less) to develop core skills and techniques through essential training.

Amount
£3,000 to £10,000
Deadline
Closes 17 February 2027
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Opening soonGrantUK-wide

QEST Scholarships

QEST

Grants of £3,000 to £18,000 for mid-career to established craftspeople to refine their craft, deepen specialism or innovate, plus a place on the Cockpit PDP.

Amount
£3,000 to £18,000
Deadline
Closes 17 February 2027
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
OpenGrantUK-wide

Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

The UK Government has launched the Visa Fees Reimbursement Scheme for Scale Ups (VFRS4SU), a targeted grant scheme to help UK scale ups in Clean Energy, Life Sciences, and Digital and Technologies hire internationally by reimbursing eligible visa application fees for specialist hires and their de...

Amount
£5,000 to £25,000
Deadline
Closes 1 March 2027 at midnight
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 10 out of 10
OpenGrantEngland-wide

People and Research

Historic England

The People and Research Scheme offers grants for activities that help people understand and champion the historic environment through, engagement, skills, training, education and heritage project-based posts.

Amount
£250 to £300,000
Deadline
Closes 31 March 2027 at midnight
Area
EnglandLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
OpenGrantUK-wide

Sovereign AI Visa Reimbursement Scheme

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Sovereign AI

Reimbursement of visa-related fees for international hires into UK-based R&D roles for AI companies supported by the Sovereign AI Fund.

Amount
£500 to £151,650
Deadline
Closes 31 March 2030 at 12 noon
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programmeUK-wide

Go4Growth Programme

Go4Growth

A free, fully-funded programme providing tailored training, digital content, templates, events and 1:1 mentoring to help micro businesses, small businesses and VCSEs win public sector work and become Public Sector Supply Ready.

Amount
FREE to use
Deadline
Open all year
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10
Open all yearMembership or networkUK-wide

Institute of Directors

Institute of Directors

A membership community for directors and leaders, offering networking, learning resources, and advice services. Membership is open to aspiring directors and those with senior responsibilities, with different tiers available.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programmeNational

Acas advice, templates, dispute resolution and training

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas)

Acas offers free, impartial advice on employment rights, rules and best practice, free letters, forms and policy templates, help to resolve disputes without an employment tribunal, and courses and tailored support on employment topics. It is for employees and employers.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
England, Scotland, WalesLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearTool or resourceEngland-wide

Skills for Life: find training and employment schemes

Department for Education (DfE)

The Department for Education's online service listing training and employment schemes, such as apprenticeships, that help businesses recruit new staff and upskill existing employees.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
EnglandLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearTool or resourceUK-wide

Workforce Readiness Tool

FutureDotNow

A free online tool that gives organisations a personalised digital and AI readiness report on their workforce. Aimed at employers building workforce digital skills.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearTool or resourceUK-wide

Business Builder

NatWest

A free set of advice, articles, lessons, toolkits, smart tools and training for business owners, from idea stage to growth. Users can go at their own pace.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearMembership or network

TCoE membership

TCoE

Membership of the TCoE, a not for profit, industry owned training company for textile manufacturers and associate companies with an interest in the sector, giving discounted services, grant support, and access to the manufacturing supply chain.

Amount
Full or Associate Membership. Fees are based on company size: £8 per full time employee per annum plus a £200 registration fee. Example: 10 staff would pay £280 per year, invoiced as four quarterly payments of £70 plus VAT. Associate Membership does not allow voting at the AGM.
Deadline
Open all year
Area
Open to all textile manufacturersLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

RISE Direct: Supply chain

RISE

RISE Direct is a support service for organisations in the retrofit supply chain. After a self-assessment, businesses are matched with a RISE Direct Support Manager who provides a tailored support plan on retrofit readiness, procurement routes, partnerships and training.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
Not statedLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programmeUK-wide

Business Growth Service - National business support

Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

The UK government's Business Growth Service gives free, impartial advice, expert-led training through the Business Academy, and personalised guides to one-to-one support, opportunities and funding, through Business.gov.uk and a network of partner organisations.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
United KingdomLocal Landscape rating 9 out of 10

Email me more like this

We will email you when new funding appears for a business in Bolton, wanting to hire or train staff.

How often

We send nothing else, and every email has a link to stop. How we use your address

Or save these answers in a free business profile: your alert then follows them whenever you change them.