Help to Grow

Learn new skills, reach more customers and boost your profits with Help to Grow. There are now two government backed programmes; Help to Grow: Di­­­gital and Help to Grow: Management Course.

This programme is a UK-wide government-backed scheme which provides businesses with free, impartial advice, guidance and tools to help you explore digital technology and how it can help your business grow. The scheme also provides targeted financial support, worth up to £5,000 towards the costs of buying approved digital technologies.

The Help to Grow website guides you through the steps of identifying the digital technology needs of your business, how to make informed decisions about which software products best meet those needs and how to successfully incorporate these products into your business. It recommends a digital solution based upon how you work, where you trade and how you want to improve your business and it gives you guidance on how to make it happen.

If your business is eligible, the financial support you can access is a discount of up to 50% on the costs of buying Government approved software. This discount is worth up to £5,000 and covers the first 12 months of the products cost, not including VAT.

The approved software available on the scheme can help your business to build customer relationships and increase sales (CRM) and to manage accounts and finances digitally. Additional software products, including e-Commerce software, are expected to become available for Help to Grow: Digital discounts soon.

Eligible businesses can only apply for and receive one discount towards the purchase of one approved software product and it cannot be split across more than one software product.

To access the financial discount towards purchasing approved digital technologies from the technology suppliers listed on the Help to Grow: Digital online platform UK businesses must meet all four eligibility criteria listed below:   

• Your business must have a registered office in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland) and be registered at the relevant Companies House or be a registered society listed on the Financial Conduct Authority’s Mutuals Register.
• Your business must have been actively trading for over 12 months prior to the date of application and have an incorporation date of, at minimum, 365 days prior to the date of application. 
• Your business must have a total of between 5 and 249 employees. 
• Your business must be purchasing the approved software for the first time.

Digital technology can help you to organise your business activities more efficiently, improve your ability to reach new customers and make your work smarter and more flexible. This scheme can give you expert guidance and targeted financial support which can help you overcome the cost and knowledge barriers of adopting new digital technologies; it can help open doors to new opportunities and give you the time and space you need to grow your business.

This programme gives you access to 12-weeks and 50 hours of learning designed to fit alongside work commitments. The programme is 90% funded by the government so you only pay £750.

The in-depth curriculum will be delivered by small business and enterprise experts, with the support of leading figures from industry and experienced entrepreneurs. The course involves:

• Eight facilitated online two-hour sessions.
• Four practical face-to-face case study workshops.
• 10 hours of one-to-one mentoring, providing you with personalised support.
• Peer networking, including peer group calls.
• Access to Alumni Network, featuring events with inspirational speakers, business clinics and networking events.

The 12 modules will cover the key areas of leadership including: Strategy and innovation, digital adoption, internationalisation & winning new markets, building a brand, developing a marketing strategy, vision, mission & values, organisational design, employee engagement & leading change, high performance workplace, implementing growth plans, finance & financial management, and efficient operations.

By the end of the programme, you will have created a bespoke business Growth Action Plan to help your business reach its full potential. Over the course, your plan will be personally tailored to the challenges you face, including an organised set of actions and a plan to share with your employees.

To join the Help to Grow: Management course, your business must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Be a Small or Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) based in the United Kingdom
• From any business sector, employing between 5 and 249 people
• Have been operational for at least one year
• Not be a charity
• If your business employs between 10 and 249 people, you can send up to two participants on the course.
• The applicant must: be a senior decision maker, such as Chief Executive, Finance Director, Operations Director, etc. (Please note, only one person per business can attend the programme) and commit to completing all sessions.

The structured learning of the Help to Grow: Management Course gives you every opportunity to fulfil your leadership potential, to learn from and share with your peers, and to grow your business. The programme is structured so it can be factored into your schedule without disrupting your essential day-to-day working, letting you get on with business while investing in the future.