Business | Posted on September 3rd, 2025 | return to news

Dorset businesses invited to apply for funding

Funds are available for initiatives from the UK Shared Prosperity fund (UKSPF) which is managed by Dorset Council.

Businesses in Dorset which have projects that boost productivity, economic growth and upskilling can now apply for grants from the UK Shared Prosperity fund (UKSPF) which is managed by Dorset Council.

Applications are now invited for initiatives that can be completed by 31 January 2026.

There will also be a chance for new companies and budding businesses to apply for start-up grants from 29 September.

These new grants bring the total funding made available to local businesses since UKSPF was launched three years ago to £6.4million.

One local success story saw Weymouth-based South Coast Precision successfully use a £20,000 UKSPF grant towards buying new machinery and employing two new members of staff.

With that extra resource the company successfully bid for a new contract that doubled its turnover.

Director, Paul Russell, said: “Without this funding we couldn’t buy the machine or hire our new staff. It’s made a huge difference, and we are very hopeful we will get more orders as a result.”

For the 2025-2026 UKSPF round, businesses can apply for grants ranging from £10,000 to £40,000 and will need to able to provide 100 per cent match funding.

Eligible activity could include investing in new production methods, buying machinery, providing staff training and net zero innovation.

The start-up grants range from £500 to £4,000 and require 30 per cent match funding.

Dorset Council’s deputy leader and Cabinet member for Property & Assets and Economic Growth, Cllr Richard Biggs, said: “This is a great opportunity for businesses to boost their productivity and who need that extra helping hand to get things off the ground.

“We have distributed millions of pounds of funding to more than 100 Dorset businesses, all of whom are doing amazing work to help our economy grow, creating more high skilled jobs for local people.

“I really hope to see more success stories emerge from this latest round of UKSPF funding.”

For more information on both business and start up grants and how to apply go to dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/uk-shared-prosperity-fund-2025-to-2026.