Business grants and funding

There are a number of grants and funding schemes available for local businesses, offered through ourselves and a range of partners.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund was launched by the Government in early 2022 to support its ‘Levelling Up’ agenda. All local councils have been allocated a share of the fund to invest in their areas by March 2025. The Shared Prosperity Fund is intended to replace EU funding.

We have been allocated £1.76 million over the next three years, up to March 2025.

This can be used to support a wide range of initiatives across three priorities:

• Community and place
• Supporting local business
• People and skills

To access this funding, we must submit an Investment Plan to the Government. This will set out the activities to be delivered to meet local needs.

Developing the Investment Plan

To develop the Investment Plan, we will work with local partners - including voluntary and community sector organisations, business representatives and other key stakeholders - to identify the activities that will have the greatest impact for Dacorum residents and businesses.

Documents to support the UKSPF Investment Plan

•  Dacorum Economic Recovery Plan (PDF 818KB)
•  UKSPF Partnership Group Contacts (PDF 239KB)
•  Dacorum UKSPF Investment Plan Partnership Group Terms of Reference (PDF 290KB)               

More information

Further details about the Shared Prosperity Fund can be found on the Government website.

Dacorum's Den

Organised by Dacorum Borough Council and supported by local sponsors, Dacorum’s Den is our business grant scheme, based on the popular TV show, which gives budding local entrepreneurs the chance to apply for up to £1,000 to grow and develop a business idea. Find out more and apply.

Available grant schemes

Below is a list of grants currently available. Please note: access to grant funding will be dependent upon the eligibility criteria for each of the schemes. To find out more, please register on the Hertfordshire Growth Hub website. Once registered, you will be able to find more information on all the schemes using GrantFinder - an online funding portal, which you’ll find in the Knowledge Bank.

Available business grants

Fund name	Type of funding	Purpose	Maximum amount/grant percentage
Manufacturing Growth Programme	Revenue grant	To support Hertfordshire Manufacturers (SMEs) to improve competitiveness and productivity	£1,860 (31%) Revenue Grant to support projects costing up to £6,000
Stay Safe Stay Open Ventilation Grant	Capital and revenue grant	To support Hertfordshire businesses to continue to trade safely by ensuring their premises have adequate ventilation	Up to £5,000 for consultancy and up to £20,000 installation of mechanical ventilation (100 per cent grant)
Low Carbon Workspaces	Capital grant	To support projects that will result in a quantifiable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions	£6,750 (45 per cent)
Help to Grow: Digital	Capital grant	Receive a discount towards the cost of buying one approved software in the Help to Grow: Digital scheme	Up to 50 per cent of £5,000 (including VAT)
Hertfordshire Start-Up Programme (HSUP)	Revenue grant	To support new start-ups. Businesses must be signed up and receiving 12 hours of support under the programme before they can apply for the grant element	£3,000 (50%)
ACMI 4.0 Programme	Capital grant	To support manufacturers adopt and integrate Industry 4.0 technologies and design principles more effectively. Businesses must be receiving 12 hours of support before a grant can be applied for. Funding for equipment and/or software.	£20,000 (40/60 match)

Community Grants

The Community Grant is designed to support community activities and improve the wellbeing of Dacorum residents. It is aimed at community groups and voluntary organisations within the borough who are looking for funding to deliver projects that will primarily benefit the people living in Dacorum. Find out more and apply.