Finance and funding
Getting the right type of finance for your business is essential. There are many different types available including loans, grants and investment; each of them designed to meet different needs.
Business grants
Forest of Dean District Council business start-up grant
Any locally based business or constituted social enterprise organisation can apply individually or in partnership for a maximum of £1,000 per application. Grant funding can be used towards a variety of business and social enterprise start-up activity including:
- research and development
- energy efficient and/or renewable energy installations, research, development, and staff training
- premises
- equipment and product or service launch
- support for agricultural, horticultural, and aqua-cultural based projects
To apply complete the form below and email it back to us with the supporting information to Regeneration@fdean.gov.uk. More details on eligibility criteria are available in the form. For any questions email or call us on 01594 810000.
The Business Start Up Grant application forms have recently been updated, please ensure you have read the new documents fully.
The closing dates for application rounds are:
- 23 May 2025
- 22 August 2025
- 21 November 2025
- 20 February 2026
Active Travel Grant Scheme
The Forest of Dean Active Travel Grant Scheme closed on 1 November 2024.
Community groups and organisations across the Forest of Dean are invited to apply for a £15,000 grant from the Forest of Dean Active Travel Grant Scheme (ATGS) to help fund projects that support and encourage active travel for residents.
Applicants will need to provide a minimum 20% ‘match funding’ contribution, i.e. £3,000 match funding for a £15,000 grant and there is £100,000 of funding to be allocated in total.
Applications for the grant will need to come from eligible organisations, including local businesses, charities, community groups, communities interest companies (CICs), or a limited range of Forest of Dean based, community focused statutory bodies, e.g. Parish Councils or schools.
Examples of Active Travel Schemes that could be funded include new or improved cycle parking or facilities, improvements to walking, cycling or wheeling signage or information boards. It could also include promotional or training events which promote behaviour change and ultimately help to increase walking, wheeling and cycling.
Rural England Prosperity Fund Rural Business Grants
The Forest of Dean District Council Rural Business Grant scheme closed on 07 October 2024.
In September 2022, the Forest of Dean District was identified by DEFRA as an eligible place for the Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF). REPF aims to improve productivity and strengthen the rural economy and rural communities. The district was awarded an allocation of capital funding. The REPF is linked with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). Both funding programmes share the same aims. See our webpage Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) for information on all grants available.
Apply for the Heat Training Grant: discounted heat pump training
If you're a heating engineer, you could receive a discount of up to £500 towards the cost of heat pump training, plus support and advice when installing a heat pump for the first time. Heat training grants
Boost your business with faster broadband
Grants are available exclusively for Gloucestershire businesses that have yet to access super fast broadband and are not currently in a plan to deliver this. Grants of up to £25K of EU funding are available to access faster broadband. To find out if your business may be eligible visit the Fastershire website.
Intellectual Property Rights
Gloucestershire Libraries is a member of PATLIB UK which is a growing network of regional patent information centres supported by the Intellectual Property Office, the aim of each PATLIB centre is to encourage entrepreneurs and businesses to identify and protect their Intellectual Property (IP).
Intellectual Property (IP) allows businesses and entrepreneurs to own the work that they create which could be in the form of a logo, brand name, design, invention etc.
Through the PATLIB service, clients can access a wealth of information and signposting in relation to Intellectual Property rights, IP abroad, IP disputes, commercialising your IP etc. Help is also available with searching databases for Patents, Trademarks and Designs.
Why should start-ups consider their IP?
So you have launched your business, and spent a lot of time, effort and money developing your product/s and services, perhaps you have even designed a logo for your business – but have you considered the Intellectual Property (IP) that you may have generated in the process?
Most businesses have some form of intellectual property, yet few have protected these valuable intangible assets or understand their financial value. Protecting your business with a robust Intellectual Property (IP) strategy from the outset, allows you to take legal action in the event of unauthorised use of your IP. It also allows you to exploit commercial opportunities such as licensing your goods or services out to third parties, as well as helping you to maintain your competitiveness in the market. A good IP strategy can also help you to attract investment in your business.
What can I protect?
There are 4 main rights that you can use to protect your IP, these are Copyright, Trade marks, Patents and Designs.
Copyright covers literary, artistic and musical works as well as broadcasts and sound and music recordings. This is an automatic right in the UK, there is no official registration system for copyright works in the UK, so you do not need to apply or pay any fees.
Trade marks protect your brand e.g. product names, logos, jingles
Patents protect new inventions, covering how a product is made, how it works and what it does
A registered design helps to protect the design of a product including the colour, configuration or shape
Free 1:1 intellectual property advice
Gloucestershire Libraries are working in partnership with Handsome IP, a local firm of European and UK Chartered Patent & Trademark Attorneys, to offer virtual one-to-one intellectual property advice clinic sessions every last Thursday of the month.
If you have a great idea, product, invention or design, you can discuss this in confidence with the IP Attorney who can provide you with advice about your IP assets during this free half an hour session.
It's an unmissable opportunity that all start-ups and business owners can benefit from.
If you want to learn more, simply visit: https://gloslibraries.uk/ask-us and scroll down to the ‘Ask Us: Business’ section.
FAME Database - free targeted mailing lists
Gloucestershire Libraries subscribe to Fame, this is a comprehensive business database which contains information on both public and private companies in the UK and Ireland. Fame can create targeted mailing lists which may be useful if researching local competition and want to know what already exists in the market, or if you are looking to target new markets.
For example, if you are looking to approach coffee shops in the Forest of Dean, a list of coffee shops can be provided within any chosen geographical area. Data is presented in a spreadsheet which contains information including company name, address, telephone number, email address, website, employee numbers, turnover and a contact for each one if known.
All contact data on Fame has been collected through a GDPR compliant process but the onus is on the end user to consult their own GDPR policies when using the data. Here is a link to their privacy notice which is available on the Moody's website which contains information on using their data: https://www.moodys.com/web/en/us/legal/orbis-privacy-notice.html.
"Ask Us" Service
Gloucestershire Libraries also provide a reference and enquiry service where business customers can ask any question and they can either answer the enquiry, help them get started with research or refer them to the most relevant organisation or person to help with the query. All services are provided free, with the aim of providing an authoritative enquiry service. The Ask Us service responds to enquiries within three to five working days but frequently can provide the information needed immediately or same-day.
The Ask Us service is available to anyone who lives, works or studies in Gloucestershire or lives in a county adjacent to Gloucestershire.
UK Research and Innovation
The UK Research and Innovation website has funding and support across all academic disciplines and industrial areas. You can use their website to search for funding opportunities.
Gloucestershire VCS Alliance
You can search for funding opportunities by signing up to the Gloucestershire Funding opportunities bulletin.
Stobart Sustainability fund
The Stobart Sustainability fund is aimed at supporting community-led sustainability projects and initiatives lead by non-profit organisations, community groups and educational facilities, such as schools and colleges, to help them transform their local community through projects that tackle climate change, reduce carbon emissions or that protect and enhance the environment.
Business loans
British Business Bank
British Business Bank is a government-owned business development bank dedicated to making finance markets work better for smaller businesses. Whether you’re looking for finance to start a business, grow to the next level, or stay ahead of the competition, they deliver greater volume and choice of finance.
Funding Circle
Funding Circle is an online peer-to-business lending platform connecting businesses and investors. Businesses get fast business loans and investors earn returns on their investments. Funding Circle has funded over £330m in business loans so far and has created an estimated 16,500 jobs across the country.
Start-up loan scheme
The Start-up Loan Scheme is a government funded initiative that provides a business loan together with a mentor for people starting up a new business.
SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a not-for-profit organisation delivering loan finance across the South West to small and medium sized enterprises. For starting a business, struggling to raise finance or growing a social venture.
Debt advice
For free, confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems visit the Money Advice Trust's Business Debtline. Or visit the Citizens Advice Bureau.
For further information and finance schemes visit the Better Business Finance website.