SWEF Enterprise Fund

Open Fund

Forever Manchester is working in partnership with SWEF to support young people aged between 18 – 30 from Greater Manchester who have set-up a business and are ready to take it to the next level but just need a bit of help to get there.

If you would like to view this page as a PDF, please click below.

SWEF Enterprise Fund PDF Guidance

Grants of either £500 or £2,000 are available to help businesses still in the start up phase or, if it has been trading for no more than two years, help a business expand or become more sustainable. Grants must be spent within one month of receipt of funds and feedback given after twelve months.

There are two different grant sizes available for young entrepreneurs in Greater Manchester.

SWEF Start Up Grant of £500:

Grant available for individuals who business is in the start-up or pre-revenue phases and are yet to make any income or sales. This grant provides up to £500 to cover essential costs as you turn your business idea into a reality. The funding is to cover initial costs such as equipment, materials, stock, website building, product development and training.

VIEW IN LARGER PRINT

SWEF Established Business Grant of up to £2,000:

Grant available for individuals whose business has already started trading and is less than two years old. You can apply for up to £2,000 to support growth and development. This funding can be used for expanding operations, upgrading equipment, or other business needs that will help increase your revenues.

VIEW IN LARGER PRINT

Who can apply?

Individuals aged 18-30 who:

are residents in or whose business is based in one of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.
already work or plan to work full-time on the business.
have a business bank account or be in the process of setting up a business bank account.
are without easy access to other sources of finance

Applications will be open all year round and will be considered periodically throughout the year.

We prioritise applications from groups that are often underrepresented in business, including people on low incomes, women, migrants, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, people with few or no formal qualifications.

Before Starting Your Application

It is important that you think about your business and your request to the SWEF Enterprise Fund. Explore why you think the product or service you provide is needed or will succeed before applying for a grant. Depending on what stage you are at with your business, the following are some of the things you may want to consider and share in your application. The more evidence you can provide regarding the need for your service and your research and plans to date, the better.

For example:

Have you undertaken any market research to find out if anyone would buy your products or use your service. A good starting point would be to ask friends, family or even approaching other local businesses to see if they would use your service or if they have any advice. Write as a new business already trading/trying to trade.
Have you identified your potential costs each month such as staff wages, rent, energy costs, taxes, insurances, purchasing of capital items or other goods or services.
Have you thought about the potential income you will earn each month from sales such as services, goods etc.
Business plan and financial projections

Keep in mind that applications based solely on a business idea won’t be considered. You need to show that you’ve already taken steps to get your business off the ground, even if it’s in the early stages.

Completing the online application form

You do not have to complete the application form in one go. If you wish to leave the form and come back to it later, press the ‘Save my progress and resume later’ button at the bottom of the form. You will be asked to enter your email and a password so you can login at another time, this will also be emailed to you as well.

If you find anything unclear or confusing or would like to talk to us, call us on 0161 2140940 or email awards@forevermanchester.com

The most successful applicants may be those who:

Request a specific amount in their application and explain the revenues they expect to raise as a result
Provide accurate links to the items you’d like to purchase
Provide a specific reason for their grant application
Have committed time and resources to the business
Have unsuccessfully tried to raise funds elsewhere

Please note, applications for just ‘business ideas’ will not be considered. You must be able to give evidence of significant steps taken to get your business off the ground.

What happens after I have submitted my application?

Initial assessment – we will confirm that we have received your application within five working days. We will check it is complete and eligible. If you have not submitted all the supporting documents, we will contact you, usually by email and ask you to send them to us.
Meeting – we may invite you to a meeting where you will be able to tell us more about your business. The meeting will usually take place online with two people, a member of staff from Forever Manchester and someone from the SWEF.
Decision – we aim to make a final decision on your application within six weeks. If the funders do not feel able to award a grant, they will explain why and may give you some feedback on how to improve your business case.
Award – if you are awarded a grant you will be asked to accept the terms and conditions of the award and the grant will be paid directly to you by BACS. We can only pay grants into a business bank account that matches the business name in your application, so if you don’t have a business bank account yet you will be asked to set one up. You will receive payment of the grant a month after the terms and conditions have been accepted. There is an expectation that the grant should be spent within one month of receipt.
After the award – Forever Manchester will contact you, usually six and twelve months after you received the grant to find out how your business is progressing. You will also have the opportunity to take part in a business forum with other businesses that have been awarded a grant. The forum offers a space to share, exchange ideas, experiences and learn.

Application Form

Please note: There is one application form for both grants. For the large grant, some questions require a higher level of detail. The form will provide all of the information.

APPLY NOW