Guidance

The SWEF Enterprise Fund invests in the business initiatives that young people in Gloucestershire are taking to direct and improve their lives. Grants of up to a maximum of £2,500 are awarded to young people in Gloucestershire who need support with business investment that they would otherwise not be able to afford, and particularly to those who are not in education, employment or training.

The more steps you have taken to start or grow your business, the more likely you are to receive a grant.

Eligibility

You can apply if you:

• Are aged 18 to 30
• Currently live in the county of Gloucestershire
• Are from a low income household or facing other challenges preventing you from developing your business
• Have been trading for under two years (including those about to start a new business)
• You are the majority or an equal shareholder

Application Process

If you meet the above criteria you may be eligible for a grant of up to £2,000, regardless of your background or how well you did in education. Please read below for further details to determine the size of grant you can apply for. The grant can be used for equipment, materials, stock or services you need in order to get your business running or support the development of the business. You cannot apply for your salary or living costs.

Please note: If you apply and are awarded a Start-Up Grant of £500 or less and your business is successful, you can re-apply for a Business Grant of up to £2,000 after six months of receiving your first grant.

Please read SWEF Enterprise Fund Funding Criteria 

Applications will be assessed based on whether they are a start up business or an existing business.

• A start-up business is considered as very early stage or pre-revenue companies with less than £500 revenue per month. For start-up businesses the maximum award is £500. APPLY HERE: SWEF Application Form for start-ups

• Existing businesses are considered as companies trading for less than 2 years and generating income of more than £500 per month. For existing businesses the maximum award is £2,000. APPLY HERE: SWEF Application Form for businesses

We need you to tell us about your business in your application form, and how a grant would help you to make it more successful or support start-up costs. Please provide a breakdown of specific costs to help us understand how you would use the grant, you will need to provide working weblinks or formal quotes. Avoid general terms like ‘marketing’ that do not provide enough detail about how you will spend the grant.

Please complete all the questions on the application form.

We also need a reference to support your application. Your referee should be a person who can tell us about your character or abilities and can confirm your circumstances. It might be a tutor, support worker or someone who you have worked for.  You will need to ask your referee to complete a reference form and submit this with your other supporting documents.

DOWNLOAD REFERENCE FORM

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us by emailing Lucy Pollock at operationsmanager@gloucestershirecf.org.uk

Read more about our successful applicants.