Made Smarter Adoption North East

Made Smarter Adoption North East can help your manufacturing business become more efficient, more productive and more competitive by investing in digital tools.

The support available includes:

• Hands on help to develop a digital roadmap for your business – wherever you’re at on your digital journey.

• Access specialist training and workshops on digital transformation, road mapping, process mapping, leadership development and industrial cyber security.
• Grants of up to *£3,500 to access expert technical advice.
• Grants of up to *£20,000 to help you purchase and implement new software and/ or equipment.

*Grants are subject to availability upon completion of the three programme workshops  

Made Smarter Adoption North East is backed by world-renowned businesses and the UK government. It aims to drive growth amongst the region’s manufacturing businesses and advance the UK economy by improving the development and adoption of emerging technologies. The North East Growth Hub and Tees Valley Business are working with Made Smarter to deliver Made Smarter Adoption in the North East LEP and Tees Valley Combined Authority areas. 

This support is only available for small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses.

For more information and to sign-up, please visit the Tees Valley Combined Authority webpage here. 

Key information

Available? Now

Can I apply if my business is not trading yet? No

Eligible location: Tees Valley

Award available:

• up to *£3,500 to access expert technical advice.
• up to *£20,000 to help you purchase and implement new software and/ or equipment (up to 50% of the overall cost)

Unlocking Access: Cultural Venue & Visitor Attraction Programme

TVCA is offering funded support to help cultural venues and visitor attractions venues in Tees Valley become more accessible and inclusive.

Through this programme, cultural venues and visitor attractions in Tees Valley will have the opportunity to receive:

• Accessibility training for staff and volunteers 
   
• Accessibility scoping visits to identify opportunities for improvement

• Full accessibility audits to provide detailed recommendations

• Potential access to grant funding (we expect grants for improvements to be between £500 to £10,000. In exceptional circumstances grants may exceed this if significant need and high impact can be demonstrated) to make accessibility improvements based on recommendations or existing need. 

“Unlocking Access” is a new programme from the Tees Valley Combined Authority to help our brilliant venues boost their visitor numbers, audiences and their takings by making them more welcoming and accessible to all visitors.

Eligibility 

Venues must:   

• Be predominantly either a cultural venue or visitor attraction.

• Cultural venues in scope will be – museums, art galleries, theatres, music venues.  

• Visitor economy venues in scope will be – visitor attractions.  

• Be based in the Tees Valley.

See guidance for full eligibility requirements. 

Deadlines

Deadline for applications is Wednesday 15th October 2025, 5pm. 

Applicants will be notified of outcome latest 24th October 2025.

For more information and to apply, please click here.

Support is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, and by Tees Valley Combined Authority through the Creative & Visitor Economy Growth Programme.

Key information

Available: Now

Can I apply if my business is not trading yet? No 

Eligible location: Tees Valley

Venues Must:

• Be predominantly either a cultural venue or visitor attraction.
• Cultural venues in scope will be - museums, art galleries, theatres, music venues.
• Visitor economy venues in scope will be - visitor attractions.
• Be based in the Tees Valley.
• Be a registered Freelancer / Sole Trader OR a Partnership OR a Company registered
  with Companies House.
• Have read the information below regarding financial due diligence and subsidy
  control.
• Have at least one year of trading as a venue

Commit To:

• Time for full staff training day and application of learning.
• Accommodating a scoping visit and potentially a full access audit.
• Actioning the recommendations from scoping visits/audits and training via TVCA
  grant (where practicable and within time limitations). This could include capital works,
  minor physical adjustments, digital/marketing work, or additional training.
• Sharing visitor and audience data with TVCA.
• Taking part in evaluation including providing case studies on impact of training or
  improvements to infrastructure or marketing made as a result of this programme.

Award available:

*£500 to £10,000 for improvements

*Grant award is part of a wider programme of support

Tees Valley Export Fund

This £300,000 grant scheme is jointly funded by the Department for Business & Trade (DBT) and the Tees Valley Combined Authority (TVCA) through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Open to businesses starting or continuing their export journey who have been trading for longer than twelve months.

• Claim back 75% of eligible costs (up to £10,000) — your business contributes 25%.
• Typical grants range from £3,000 to £10,000.
• All funded activities must be completed by 31 March 2026.

Application Windows:

• Phase 1: Open now until 10 October 2025
• Phase 2: 31 October – 3 November 2025 (subject to remaining funds)

What Can Be Funded?

• International trade shows (exhibiting or attending)
• Overseas market visits
• Internationalisation of digital assets (e.g. websites)
• Market research and more

Important: Please do not book flights, hotels, or exhibition stands until you receive formal grant approval.

Start with a quick eligibility check via the online form below. If successful, you’ll be invited to complete the full application.

Click here for more information and to apply.

Key information

Available: Now

Can I apply if my business is not trading yet? No

Eligible location: Tees Valley (Darlington, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees) 

Eligibility Criteria:

• Must be trading for a minimum of 12 months.
• Must have an existing, demonstrable interest in exporting (e.g. having previously participated in DBT Export Academy Course or carried out sector-specific export research). This list is not exhaustive.
• Must have capacity to complete and claim for grant project activity by the end of March 2026

Applications from businesses in the following sectors are particularly encouraged to apply:

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Business & Professional Services
• Construction
• Culture & Leisure
• Digital & Creative
• Education
• Health & Biologics
• Health Care
• Process Chemicals and Energy

Award available:

Typical grants range from £3,000 to £10,000

Tees Valley Labs

Tees Valley Labs is designed to fast-track the success of Tees Valley-based entrepreneurs, start-ups and scale-ups through structured, founder-centric support.

Tees Valley Labs has three comprehensive programmes: Pre-Flight (pre-accelerator), The Stable (start-up incubator) and The Forge (business scale-up accelerator) cater to entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey. Details of each programme are listed below:

Pre-Flight (Workshop Only)

A two-day workshop, offered on several dates across the Tees Valley with the same content and goal: to prepare your business idea for an incubator programme.

The sessions will focus on three main areas: value proposition, ad lib statement, and pitching. We’ll start by helping you clearly define what makes your product or service valuable to your audience. Then we’ll work on shaping that into a simple, memorable ad lib statement that is easy to share. Finally, we’ll look at how to pitch your idea in a way that is confident, clear, and natural.

For more information and to apply for the Pre-Flight programme, click here.

Stable

The Stable programme is a 6-month incubator focused on taking businesses from early ideation and discovery through to market traction and funding.

As part of this programme, entrepreneurs will gain access to a comprehensive support programme delivered by industry experts. Successful applicants will be able to draw down monthly grant funding of £2,200 over the course of the programme, with the opportunity to apply for a further £4,800 in additional grant funding.

Those who wish to apply for the Stable programme must participate in a Pre-Flight two-day workshop programme to be invited to apply. 

For more information and to apply for the Stable programme, click here.

Forge

The Forge Programme is a 12-week accelerator designed to take businesses from market traction and revenue through to significant investment funding.

As part of this programme, businesses will have the opportunity to apply for up to £25,000 in grant funding.

For more information and to apply for the Forge programme, click here.

Tees Valley Labs is delivered on behalf of the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority, and is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Backed by a wealth of experience, Alt Labs developed the Tees Valley Labs programme in order to support local start-ups and scale-ups and help drive growth in the region’s tech and business ecosystem.

Key information

Available: Now

Can I apply if my business is not trading yet? Yes (Pre-Flight, Stable ONLY)

Eligible location: Tees Valley

Eligibility Criteria:

Stable:

• Max of 2 Years in Operation: Businesses must have been in operation for no more than two years at date of application.
• Pre-revenue, Bootstrapped, or Seed Funding: Businesses should be at the pre-revenue stage or have received bootstrapped or seed funding.
• Key Areas of Interest: We are particularly interested in businesses operating in AI, Blockchain, Web3, Robotics, Space, Mobility, Sustainability, and Gaming, but businesses outside of these key areas are encouraged to sign up.
• Sectors: We’re extremely interested in businesses solving problems in the following areas: Advanced Manufacturing, Chemical and Process, Health and Life Sciences, Net Zero, Transport and Logistics, and Smart Cities, but businesses outside of these sectors are encouraged to sign up.
• Time Commitment: Candidates must commit to participating in a six-month programme, requiring an average of 2–3 days per week, and actively engage with all programme activities and material.

Forge

• Minimum Trading History: Businesses must have been actively trading for at least two years (evidence may be required).
• Generating Revenue: Businesses must not be insolvent or in financial distress (proof of accounts may be required).
• Key Areas of Interest: We are particularly interested in businesses operating in AI, Blockchain, Web3, Robotics, Space, Mobility, Sustainability, and Gaming, but businesses outside of these key areas are encouraged to sign up.
• Sectors: We’re extremely interested in businesses solving problems in the following areas: Advanced Manufacturing, Chemical and Process, Health and Life Sciences, Net Zero, Transport and Logistics, and Smart Cities, but businesses outside of these sectors are encouraged to sign up.
• Time Commitment: Candidates must commit to participating in a 12-week programme, requiring one day per week, and actively engage with all programme activities and material.

Award available:

Stable*

£2,200 per month (over the course of programme)
£4,800 at end of programme

Forge*

£25,000

*Grant award is a part of a wider programme of support.

Dogger Bank Operator Fund

Dogger Bank Wind Farm will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world once constructed, capable of powering up to 6 million homes once fully operational. As part of this project, Dogger Bank Wind Farm has made available a small operators fund to provide grants of up to £1,000 to community projects near their construction and operation bases.

What type of projects can this fund support:

Community-focused or charitable activities which:

• enhance quality of life for local residents;
• contribute to vibrant, healthy, successful and sustainable communities; and/or
• promote community spirit and encourage community activity

For more information and to apply, click here.

Key Information

Available: Now

Eligibility:

Deliver activities in Redcar and Cleveland.*

Have a constitution.

Have an annual turnover below £100,000.

*Priority will be given to activities close to the wind farm sites: Redcar and Cleveland – TS10 4FX.

Award: up to £1,000

Enovert Community Trust

Enovert Community Trust (formerly Cory Environmental Trust in Britain) is an environmental body which supports community and environmental projects within 10 miles of Enovert's site on Teesworks (TS6 6UG). The Trust is committed to supporting community and environmental projects across the UK. 

Example of what type of projects can this fund support?

• Improving community halls
• the creation of new play areas and skate parks
• restoring green spaces.

Five project criteria

In line with the Landfill Tax Regulations, Enovert Community Trust is able to support projects under the following categories, so please make sure that your project complies with one of the following objects:

• Opening up access for the public to an area of land that has been closed or partially closed up to now.
• Cleaning up land that has been polluted because of now ceased activity.
• Helping to improve, protect, provide and/or maintain land or a building as a public amenity.
• Protecting the environment, and conserving or promoting biological diversity.
• Helping to preserve, maintain, restore and/or repair a religious building or one of historical or architectural interest.

For more information about the Enovert Community Trust and it's grants, please visit their website here.

Key Information

Available: Now

Eligibility:

Based within 10 miles of Enovert's site on Teesworks (TS6 6UG)

Non-profit distributing: You don’t need to be a charity, but any surplus you make must be used to further your organisation’s objects. Surplus must not be used to pay dividends or other rewards. If you are a sporting organisation you must be CASC registered or a limited company or registered charity. If you are a sporting organisation you must be CASC registered or a limited company or registered charity.

Available to the general public: Your facility must be available to the general public as much as possible, and no less than four evenings or two days a week, or for more than 104 days in any one year.

Award: up to £50k*
*the Trust requires 10%
independent 3rd party funding

Community Grants

The Woodsmith Foundation is keen to support a wide range of organisations across the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland, the Borough of Scarborough and the North York Moors National Park to deliver projects that will do good things in their communities.

Example of what type of projects can these grants support:

• Increase opportunities for better life chances.
  
• Encourage positive changes by improving lives and places, or tackling issues that negatively impact on local people.
  
• Bring people together and enrich lives by ensuring there are local spaces, resources and activities that provide pleasure, learning, or community action.

Upper limits of funding available

The Community Grants are popular so they have separated the funding available into 3 upper limits, with clear and specific categories based upon what they know is needed from past grant rounds. Priority will be given to projects that support people most at disadvantage due to unfavourable circumstances or facing barriers that lead to inequality.

For more information about the Woodsmith Foundation Community Grants and to apply, please visit their website by clicking here.

Key Information

Available: Now

Eligibility:

• Local, voluntary groups that are constituted.
• Charities or Charitable Incorporated Organisations (CIOs) registered with the Charity Commission.
• Community Interest Companies (CICs) limited by guarantee and with at least two unrelated bank signatories and three unrelated Directors.
• Parish and Town Councils or Parish Meetings
• Faith organisations
• Schools or school parent led fundraising groups that are constituted voluntary groups.
• Companies limited by guarantee with charitable objectives MAY be considered. 

Award: up to £10k revenue or capital costs.

Dormanstown Seed Fund

The Woodsmith Foundation is keen to help people grow ideas that bring people together and build upon the strong sense of community spirit and pride in Dormanstown. They have therefore set up a new Seed Fund Grant offer for this community. They will support a wide range of organisations and individuals to deliver projects that:

• Increase activities for residents
  
• Tackle local issues
  
• Help people come together to develop new ideas for Dormanstown.

This grant process is different to our other grant rounds as it begins at the inception of an idea and is worked through with an Community Connector. However, from the submission of an application form, they aim to inform you of a decision within one month.

For more information about the Woodsmith Foundation Dormanstown Seed Fund and to apply, please visit their website by clicking here.

Key Information

Available: Now

Eligibility:

• Organisations or individuals with a strong connection to Dormanstown.

Expression of Interest

In 2025 the Woodsmith Foundation are accepting expressions of interest from community organisations across the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland, the Borough of Scarborough and the North York Moors National Park that will increase opportunity and tackle disadvantage. If you are seeking funding under £10,000 please first check Community Grants as this may be a more appropriate route for you to apply for a grant.

They are seeking to support projects that will:

• Increase opportunities for local people to have better life chances.
  
• Encourage positive changes
  
• Build better community connections
  
• Bring people together

For information on the Woodsmith Foundation's guiding principles when evaluating expressions of interest, please read their guidance document.

Expressions of Interest will be accepted from February 2025 to the end of October 2025, but will close to EOIs once the budget for the year has been allocated. It is strongly recommended you do not wait until the end of October to send us your Expressions of Interest.

For more information about the Woodsmith Foundation Expression of Interest and to submit an EOI, please visit their website by clicking here.

Key Information

Available: Now

Eligibility: 

• Applicant needs to be uniquely placed to deliver the work proposed.
• Leaders of the organisation’s they fund need to be competent (or able and open to develop their skills)

Award:

They have total Expressions of Interest funding pot of £400,000*. They do not know whether the Expressions of Interest they receive will mean they fund one great idea or a range of projects.

please note: although not essential there is an expectation that a request for a significant amount of funding from a local organisation will include a financial match from other sources. For large national charities a financial match is a requirement.

Young and Talented

Woodsmith Foundation are open for applications for Young and Talented grants from February 2025 to the end of October 2025.

The funding will focus on supporting individual children and young people across our area of benefit, who can demonstrate exceptional skill in their chosen subject. They would like to hear from those who intend to continue to use this skill in their future and who will struggle to do this because of financial restrictions.

They are seeking to support projects that will:

• Increase opportunities for local people to have better life chances.
  
• Encourage positive changes
  
• Build better community connections
  
• Bring people together

The children and young people they will support:

They will accept applications to support children and young people up to the age of 18 who have already demonstrated exceptional talent in their chosen subject. Children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, would be eligible up to the age of 25. You can also apply for funding for care leavers up to the age of 25.

Young and Talented grants are aimed at essential funding needed for a young person to progress in any chosen subject. They do not have a prescriptive list of subjects we will support (as long as the activity is safe and legal). Examples could include: an academic subject, chess, dance, art, writing, music, drama and sports of all kinds - from skateboarding and surfing to horse riding and athletics. 

Applications to the fund can be made by either: parents/guardians of the young person themselves or trusted adults*.

*Trusted adults may include: sports coaches, trainers, youth workers, music leaders, mentors, teachers/tutors or any other professional experienced at working with children and young people.

For more information about the Woodsmith Foundation Young and Talented grants and to apply, please visit their website by clicking here.

Key Information

Available: Now

Eligibility: 

Geographical area of benefit - The activity funded must only be for young people normally living in the Foundation’s area of benefit. This is the Borough of Scarborough, the Borough of Redcar and Cleveland, and the North York Moors National Park.

Trusted adults and referees - Trusted adults must work for an organisation that is already experienced in, and working with, children and young people in some capacity. 

Keeping children and young people safe - It is the responsibility of parents/guardians or organisations submitting applications to ensure that providers of activities have an appropriate safeguarding policy in place and undertake the right level of risk assessment for the proposed activities.

Types of applicants:

• Parents/guardians of individual young people.
• 18 year olds may apply themselves.
• Local authority staff.
• Schools.
• Local, voluntary groups that are constituted. 
• Charities or Charitable Incorporated Organisations registered with the Charity Commission.
• Social enterprises, such as Community Interest Companies limited by guarantee. 
• Parish and Town Councils.
• Sole traders and private businesses where they are acting as the trusted adult and are the specialist support for the young person e.g. coach or tutor.

Award: Grants of up to £1,500 are available.

Redcar Fund Seekers

Redcar Fund Seekers is a grant portal funded and provided in partnership by Tees Valley Rural Action and Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency.

Powered by IDOX GrantFinder, this grant portal gives you access to the widest possible range of national, regional, and local funds from national and local government to private trusts and charitable foundations and corporate sponsors.

By signing up for a free account you’ll be able to create easy, customised funding reports that makes sure that you receive opportunities that are tailored to your needs.

This grant portal is only available to Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, and will only display funding opportunities available to them.

Access to the Redcar Fund Seekers grant portal is available here.