North East Business Planning Application

Creative UK North East are proud to announce a new round of Business Support Planning!

The Culture and Creative Investment Programme have crafted a number of support initiatives to support businesses and freelancers in developing new business models, accessing new markets, and bringing new products/services to market. If the support you need is not covered by our business support programme, you can request support via a Business Planning Application.

Please read our FAQs and Guidelines before applying.

About Business Planning Applications

The Culture and Creative Investment Programme will pay up to £2,500 (inc VAT) to subsidise the cost of working with an expert to support companies with their business planning and strategy. This may include acquiring specialist expertise, knowledge and contacts that will get to know you and your company and refine your business proposition.

Some examples where expertise may be used include:

• Support with financial modelling/illustrations
• Developing a SWOT analysis
• Market research and analysis
• Commercialisation strategy
• Brand and marketing strategy
• Resource strategy

(This list contains only examples and is not limited. Expertise may be used across a number of areas.)

If you have identified an expert you would like to work with already, we encourage you to include them on your application. Alternatively, we will have a list of recommended consultants available which we can use to match you. 

At the end of this process, applicants will have typically developed a detailed business proposal and implementation strategy that can then be used to direct the company’s future growth and as a tool for pitching for investment.

Please note that the award cannot be used to pay staff, management, directors, or shareholders of the company for their contributions to the business plan.

 

Who is it for?

Cultural and creative SMEs and freelancers who are based in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland. We are primarily looking to support enterprises that are registered and trading in the region and contributing to the local creative and cultural economy. Beneficiaries must be a registered sole trader with a UTR number; or a Limited Company registered on Companies House

 

What do we mean by the ‘Cultural and Creative Industries’?

We mean businesses working in the

• Visuals arts
• Performing arts
• Music
• Film
• TV
• Media
• Immersive and Video Games
• Advertising & Marketing
• Digital & Creative Tech
• Creative Software Solutions
• Fashion
• Architecture
• Heritage
• Publishing
• Museums
• Libraries
• Galleries

Beneficiaries must have relevant track record* within the Cultural and Creative Industries

* For example trading as a company for at least 12 months, or experience bringing a product to market

 

How much can I apply for?

The maximum amount available for business planning support is £2,500 (inc VAT). This will be subject to a pre-approved budget and work-plan and not every business may need the maximum award.

 

Business Planning Applications

When you apply for business planning support, we will ask you to submit a proposed budget and work-plan. Ideally, we would expect the planning process to take no more than 3 months and to involve the owner/CEO of the company and any other relevant senior management.

 

Assessment and Selection Criteria

Applications will be assessed by the Culture and Creative Investment Programme team.

We will typically consider the track record of your business and its management, the feasibility of your future growth plans, and the impact that our support might have on your company. We recognise that applications may contain commercially sensitive information and all proposals will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

We aim to make decisions within 2 weeks of submission.

 

Deadline

We are currently processing applications, and the deadline will close at the end of September 2024 or until the fund is depleted, whichever occurs sooner.

 

Decisions

Awards of support will be made solely at the discretion of Creative UK, whose decision is final. Due to the volume of applications, we regret that feedback on unsuccessful applications cannot be provided. Creative UK reserves the right to withdraw the grant support offer without notice, at any time.

 

Payment and monitoring

Creative UK will pay the consultant on receipt of invoice and submission of the completed business plan.

 

Appendix

We understand that business plans vary and there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. Companies are not required to present their business plans in any standard format. However, at the end of the planning process we would expect to see the following included in the plan:

• A brief history of the company
• Diagram illustrating corporate ownership structure
• CV’s or bios of all directors and key personnel involved in implementing your business proposal Details of previous achievements in financial and creative terms
• An evaluation of where the company is currently positioned within the industry and opportunities for future growth
• A detailed business proposal and implementation strategy showing how you will achieve that growth
• Any market analysis or research that supports your strategy
• Commercial Strategy
• Key milestones year by year, including start
• Details of all projects (if applicable) including intended platform(s), genre, short synopsis, key creatives proposed budget, confirmed market or financing attachments.
• A summary finance plan and cash-flow forecast
• A detailed line-item budget including income and expenditure projections for the full period (minimum 3 years) covered by your business proposal

If you have any questions or require the application form in a different format for accessibility, contact the North East programme team at northeast@wearecreative.uk

 

Application form

To apply for the business support, please complete the application form through this link

 

The Culture and Creative Investment Programme has been developed with and funded by North East Combined Authority to increase the sustainability of the creative industries in the area.