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West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Combined authority · West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Combined Authority is a regional body, made up of the Mayor and five councils, that uses devolved powers and funding over transport, housing, skills and regeneration. It supports businesses to grow, innovate and create good jobs.

westyorks-ca.gov.uk

Everything open to businesses in West Yorkshire, from every organisation

Its parts: West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub.

Open and upcoming

Open all yearSupport programme

Businesses developing future talent

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Support for West Yorkshire businesses to connect with young people in schools and colleges, including a free Engage with Education toolkit for working with SEND schools and colleges.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearMembership or network

West Yorkshire Music Network

Leeds Conservatoire, Come Play With Me, CREATE Britain

A network for everyone working in music across West Yorkshire, offering a place to share knowledge, collaborate on projects and get support to grow a business. Aimed at music sector professionals of all kinds.

Deadline
Open all year
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Open all yearMembership or network

West Yorkshire Fair Work Charter membership

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

A promise from local employers to review their working practices and foster a culture of fair work, giving members access to peer networks, a learning and development portal, a recognition mark and a pathway to sustainable growth.

Amount
Price not stated on the page.
Deadline
Open all year
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Open all yearInvestment

Foresight West Yorkshire SME Investment Fund

Foresight Group

£20 million fund providing equity and debt investments of up to £2 million to growing companies in West Yorkshire with £1-20 million revenues.

Amount
Up to £2,000,000
Deadline
Open all year
Area
Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, WakefieldLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Open all yearSupport programme

Apprenticeship levy transfer (West Yorkshire)

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

A service where larger employers transfer unspent apprenticeship levy funds to smaller businesses taking on apprentices, covering 100% of training costs. Businesses seeking a transfer must be located in West Yorkshire and register through a training provider.

Amount
Transfers of up to 50% of a levy payer's unspent levy; the transferred funding covers 100% of the training costs of the apprenticeship.
Deadline
Open all year
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 8 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Graduates West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

A programme run by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority that helps businesses recruit graduates and students from the seven West Yorkshire universities, and offers research partnerships, placements and employer-led events.

Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Huddersfield Health Innovation Incubator

Huddersfield Health Innovation Partnership

Free membership of Huddersfield's health innovation incubator for West Yorkshire start-ups and growing organisations in health, wellbeing and life sciences: business support, events and mentoring, product development help, co-working space and connections with the NHS, universities and industry. Membership is fully funded for the first two years.

Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Apprenticeship support

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Free impartial advice and support for businesses employing apprentices, offered through the Business Growth Hub team. Apprenticeships can be used to train staff in the skills a business needs.

Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

SME sustainability webinar series

West Yorkshire Combined Authority, West Yorkshire Business Growth Hub

A series of webinars on making businesses more sustainable, covering motivating sustainable action, climate resilience and designing for the circular economy. It is delivered by Green Economy, an expert in helping businesses prepare for net zero.

Area
Not statedLocal Landscape rating 6 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Carnegie Innovation Sport Health Tech Incubator (Leeds Beckett University)

Leeds Beckett University

A Sport Health Tech Incubator offering co-working and incubation space, research links, innovation support and networking for early-stage and scaling businesses in the sport, physical activity, health and wellbeing technology sector.

Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 6 out of 10
Check statusSupport programme

Creative freelancer and microbusiness support

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

A region-wide suite of free training and business support for creative industries freelancers and microbusinesses in West Yorkshire, including tailored skills development and signposting to networks. Also open to creative industries graduates starting a business in West Yorkshire.

Amount
Free training (per the page's description: 'a region-wide suite of free training')
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10

Upcoming events from West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Closed

ClosedSupport programme

Business sustainability support

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

Funding and advice to help small businesses across West Yorkshire measure their carbon footprint and climate risk, plan to reduce environmental impact, and cut emissions and increase energy resilience. The project is now completed.

Amount
The project received £10.597 million in funding through Gainshare and £9.250 million in match funding from small businesses. This is the whole project budget, not an amount for one business.
Deadline
Closed 31 March 2026
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
ClosedCompetition

Tackling health inequalities: the Mayor's big ideas challenge for SMEs

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

A £1 million challenge run by the West Yorkshire Mayor to help SMEs develop innovative solutions that make communities in West Yorkshire healthier. The February 2025 round has finished, with three winners and 19 finalists named.

Amount
Up to £100,000
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
ClosedGrant

Leeds Cultural Investment Programme: Seasons of Culture

Leeds City Council

Grants for one-off projects that connect with nature, promote active travel, nature recovery, and creative work in green and blue spaces. The first theme is Nature.

Amount
£3,000 to £15,000
Area
LeedsLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
ClosedSupport programme

Creative Export Accelerator

West Yorkshire Combined Authority

A programme offering training, mentoring and workshops, plus bursaries of up to £6,000, to help West Yorkshire creative businesses and freelancers take their work to international markets.

Amount
Up to £6,000
Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 7 out of 10
ClosedAccelerator

Propel Healthtech Accelerator

Health Innovation Yorkshire and Humber

Tailored support for healthtech innovators developing solutions that could improve patient outcomes, transform healthcare delivery and address NHS challenges. Includes expert masterclasses, support, mentoring and guidance.

Area
West YorkshireLocal Landscape rating 6 out of 10

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