We offer many opportunities for training through organisations such as Enterprise Connection, Enterprise Training and Business link in Dorset.

ENTERPRISE FINANCE GUARANTEE SCHEME

In the current climate, businesses are finding it increasingly hard to access the finance they need, particularly working capital.  Under the Enterprise Finance Guarantee, Government will guarantee lending to viable businesses to ensure that they can get the working capital and investment that they need. This £1.3bn scheme will enable banks to lend up to an additional £1.7bn in loans and overdrafts to smaller businesses. The guarantee is available through all the high street banks now.  It will become available from many other lenders shortly.

WORKING CAPITAL SCHEME

The Government are immediately making available a £1billion working capital guarantee scheme which will provide participating banks with a guarantee for up to 50% of qualifying portfolios of short-term working capital loans. This will support existing or new loans worth £2 billion or more.   

CAPITAL FOR ENTERPRISE

This is a scheme targeted at economically viable SMEs who have exhausted normal sources of finance and would benefit from an equity injection and/or mezzanine loan to enable them to restructure their balance sheets and continue their growth. The Capital for Enterprise Fund is part of the Finance for Business product in the Solutions for Business portfolio. All of these schemes will be administered through the banks, not Business Link. There is a web based tool to help businesses identify the source of finance that may be right for them - this can be found at: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/layer?topicId=1074441426&site=106  

We know - it sounds unbelievable, Free Leadership & Management training worth £500, but please read on.

Whitehorse Leadership Training is supporting the Train to Gain programme which offers up to £1,000 funding to capitalise on the leadership and management potential within your business. The first £500 is fully funded.

Any owner, director or manager who wishes to fully exploit their capabilities and talents as a business leader will gain competitive advantage from the Leadership and Management Advisory Service.

Up to £1,000 of grant funding can be applied for. The first £500 is fully funded, and is for use only by owners, directors and managers with a strategic role in the business. A further £500 is also available if matched £ for £ by the business. This can be used by the same beneficiary of the first £500, or by any other member of the management team (note that all grants of exclusive of VAT)

Eligibility Criteria

• Your business should employ between 5 and 250 people (including volunteers)
• You should pay for and commence any activities within 90 days of the grant being approved
• Specific exclusions: membership fees, travel and subsistence, statutory and mandatory training e.g. health & safety, assessment/accreditation for Investors in People or ISO, capital equipment, business accommodation costs or use in conjunction with any other LSC or European Social Fund funding streams.

All you need to do is contact us either Rob Hamilton on 07751 817152 or Lisa Worthington on 07957 542878 and we'll organise the rest.

£25m female investment fund launched for those requiring funding of >£100K.  

Female Entrepreneurs Urged: Aspire To Greatness.

A groundbreaking new £25 million equity fund for women-led businesses has been launched.

The Aspire Investment Fund – said to be the first of its kind in the UK – will offer women who own businesses or who have entrepreneurial ideas the chance to secure financial support. 

Half of the budget has been stumped up by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), with private sector contributions set to provide the remaining £12.5 million. 

The scheme will be targeted at high growth businesses seeking an investment ranging between £100,000 and £2 million in order for the venture to develop. 

Business Minister Shriti Vadera launched the Aspire Investment Fund at the Everywoman Conference on Women’s Enterprise Day. 

She said: 

“There are 20% more people in enterprise in the US than in Britain, and the majority of that gap is made up of women. Getting more women entrepreneurs is an economic issue, not just an equality issue. If we were to match US levels of women’s enterprise, there would be 900,000 new businesses in the UK." 

“There is a wealth of untapped talent and economic opportunity that could significantly boost the economy in these uncertain times.” 

Overall responsibility for administrating the scheme has been allocated to Capital for Enterprise Limited, BERR’s equity capital scheme managers, but funding will be accessed through the Business Link service.  

Applicants will be offered support and assistance from a range of professional advisors to ensure their ideas are “investment ready”. 

Interested individuals should phone the Business Link Helpline on 0845 6009 006 or visit their website: