Invest4 Business Growth Grants

Get money from the Invest4 grant fund to help your business, find out if your business is eligible and what you can use the money for.

We have now allocated all Invest4 grant funding. The programme is now closed.

"Logos of HM Government, The European Unions European Regional Development Fund and Invest 4"

About the fund

Invest4 grant funds are a strand of the European Regional Development Funds. They support growing and established businesses. 

In phase 3 of the programme, the fund provides up to 30% towards your business investment. We accept applications for grants of between £1,000 and £20,000, (capital or revenue). 

Invest4 grants are not part of the government package of COVID support. 

To find out how the Invest4 grant can help your business grow send an email to invest4@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

What you can use the grant for

You can use an Invest4 grant for: 

  • equipment and machinery
  • consultancy services - short term
  • premises improvements
  • new IT systems or IT system upgrades
  • moving all or part of your business online
  • website improvements or launches
  • leadership and management development - short term courses

What you can't use the grant for

The grant cannot be used for: 

  • staff salaries 
  • backdated expenses, for example to repay loans
  • to pay existing sub-contractors 
  • building or construction costs 
  • premises rental 
  • other general running costs, such as purchasing materials or stock 
  • paying VAT

This list is not exhaustive. Please contact the Business Hot House partner you are working with or send an email to invest4@brighton-hove.gov.uk if you have any questions.

The final year of the programme. 

The Invest4 programme started in April 2020 and is now in its final year with most of its funding committed.

Please note:

  • all claims must be submitted by 1 March 2023, after that date there's no obligation for Brighton & Hove City Council to pay your grant
  • longer term services such as IT consultancy or subscriptions are now not eligible as we move into the final year of the programme
  • if you are buying machinery on a long lead time, it needs to be in situ by end of December 2022 to be able to allow payment of the grant to be made

Businesses that are eligible to apply

Trading businesses, including not-for-profit organisations and charities with a trading arm based in the following areas can apply:

  • Coast to Capital area, which covers Greater Brighton City Region
  • West Sussex
  • East Surrey Coast to Capital Local Enterprise area

Businesses must have less than:

  • 250 employees
  • £30m on their balance sheet
  • £40m turnover

Businesses looking to invest in their growth and resilience. The growth and resilience measures must include one or more of the following: 

  • job creation
  • increase in turnover, productivity or profitability
  • introducing new products or services to the market or business 

Businesses are already taking advantage of the Invest4 grant fund, examples include: 

  • new equipment for the expansion of a bakery, to support their growth and to increase productivity of their current workforce
  • new website and marketing strategy to align with the growth plans for a small business to move forward in a post-Covid marketplace
  • a manufacturer investing in a CNC lathe to extend their product range
  • a beauty manufacturer’s new product development to enable growth into overseas markets 

The fund is only available for a short time and the Invest4 team want to make sure our local businesses can access the fund. They can then grow their business whether that is just related to a growth in turnover or extends to recruiting staff. 

To find out more about how the Invest4 grant can help your business grow, send an email to invest4@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

Businesses that are not eligible for a grant

This grant is for trading businesses only, therefore charities and not-for-profits that do not have a trading arm cannot apply.

Other business types ineligible for the fund include:

  • fishery and aquaculture
  • processing and marketing of agricultural products
  • coal, steel, and shipbuilding
  • synthetic fibres
  • school age education
  • banking and insurance
  • primary production
  • retail shops
  • a business or parent business with more than 250 employees
  • a business or parent business with more than £30 million on their balance sheet
  • a business or parent business with a turnover of more than £40 million