Business Support & Opportunities

Don't Miss Out...

Funding opportunities and business support featured through Tamworth Means Business may originate from Tamworth Borough Council, Staffordshire County Council, Central Government and wider regional or national organisations.

We regularly share grants, initiatives, workshops and support programmes relevant to local businesses, however availability and eligibility can change frequently. For the latest opportunities and updates, please check back regularly and read the latest edition of the Tamworth Means Business newsletter.

SKILLS BOOTCAMP – LEADERSHIP FOR THE GREEN ECONOMY

A Department for Education approved programme for Staffordshire and Stoke-on Trent employers and individuals. Ideal sessions to learn about cost saving methods and leave with ideas to become more competitive. Develop new skills, meet industry and academic professionals and prepare for the future. Sustainability is no longer just an environmental issue it is becoming a core business capability.

10 sessions on Thursdays from the 4th June. A date for your diary – Friday 8th May 12pm for a webinar with the course leader. Register here:

Content overview:
Locally tailored and delivered by University and Industry professionals
Understand emerging sustainability challenges and decision making
Sustainability as a competitive advantage
Insight into policy and regulations that matter to your business
Understand and explore funding opportunities
Leave with an action plan to implement for your business needs
Criteria: Open to SMEs and larger employers, and individuals that are self-employed/unemployed
Learners must be over 19 and have the right to work in the UK
Learners must be based in the Stoke/Staffordshire area
Fully funded for self/un-employed and micro businesses with no payroll
90% funded for SMEs meaning a £340 contribution and 70% funded for larger businesses, £1020 contribution
Learners must be willing to participate for 60 hours and report back on outcomes achieved.

Email skills.bootcamps@keele.ac.uk for more information

HELP TO GROW

About the course The Help to Grow: Management Course is a 12-week programme covering all aspects of business management, from strategy to digital transformation, from marketing to finance, from HR to ops. Each cohort brings together senior leaders from a diverse range of local small- and medium-sized businesses for a series of online modules, in-person workshops, peer mentoring, and much more besides. There's a lot more info in the course brochure, which you can access here:

Eligibility The course is open to applicants from small- to medium-sized enterprises that have been operating for over a year. Eligible individuals must be directors, owners, senior managers or managers with leadership responsibilities, and must have at least one staff member reporting directly to them. The businesses themselves must have between 5 and 249 employees. Charities are not eligible, though charities that contain a qualifying business/social enterprise can send a representative from that organisation. There is a cap of one attendee per business if they have 5-9 employees; two attendees per business for businesses that have (or grow to have) 10-249 employees.

Bursaries The course is primarily funded by the Government, and Keele Business School offers all participants a full bursary covering the remaining fees, so participants don't have to pay anything to benefit. However, we have to be careful how we advertise this as not all business schools have the same policy- e.g. we can’t advertise the course as ‘free’, but we can say things like ‘full bursaries are available’ or ‘you can participate at no cost to yourself or your business, thanks to our full bursaries’. Obviously, if you're speaking one-to-one with a business, you can say it's free, the restriction is more about social media posts, newsletters and other forms of public messaging.

Application process The application form can be quite intimidating- it asks for a lot of information, and may ask applicants to commit to paying the fees that will ultimately be covered by our bursaries. You may need to reassure, hand-hold, follow up etc. to get your contacts over the line- although once they fill out the first page, which asks for fewer details, they are on the system and we can follow up with them ourselves. Similarly, feel free to share my email address with anyone who would like to find out more about the programme- very happy to respond to any queries, set up a call to discuss further, etc.

Attendance/completion In order to complete the course, participants must complete 9 out of 12 modules. 'Completing a module' just involves attending it (either online or in-person, live on a Thursday afternoon), but we understand that other commitments mean that participants won't be able to attend every scheduled session over the 12 weeks of the course. Consequently, all sessions are recorded, and catching up on a recording is treated as equivalent to attending a module live (online or in-person). Theoretically, applying and accepting a bursary means that people are committing to completing the course (although in practice we have a degree of discretion about enforcing this, and we try to accommodate requests to defer/drop out where they have good reasons). There are other aspects to the course offer in addition to the modules/workshops (e.g. weekly peer group calls, one-to-one mentoring), but these are not strictly necessary nor counted as part of our completion rate.

Email helptogrow@keele.ac.uk for more information

Training & Workshops

Women In Business

On Tuesday 9th June, Women in business across Staffordshire are invited to attend a practical Masterclass focused on one of the biggest challenges facing SMEs — getting paid on time and in full. Delivered by Karen Woolley, Development Manager for the Federation of Small Businesses, thesession will offer advice on improving payment processes, managing cashflow and professionally handling overdue invoices. Designed to help businesses build financial confidence and resilience, the event will also provide a great opportunity to connect with fellow businesswomen in a relaxed setting with breakfast and refreshments included.

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Let's Do Business Event

Staffordshire’s largest business exhibition is set to return to Uttoxeter Racecourse this October, with free tickets now available for Let’s Do Business 2026. Organised by Staffordshire Chambers, the popular event takes place on Thursday 8 October and is expected to attract more than 1,000 businesses from across the region for a full day of networking, inspiration and keynote presentations.

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Cyber Crime Support

With cyber crime and online scams becoming a growing issue for businesses of all sizes, the West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre (WMCRC) is offering free support to help organisations strengthen their cyber security. SMEs, microbusinesses and sole traders across Staffordshire can sign up for a free core membership, which includes a 30-minute consultation with the centre’s Head of Cyber and Innovation.The session provides practical, tailored advice to help businesses better understand potential cyber risks and improve their resilience, regardless of their current level of knowledge.

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Achieve & Grow

Microbusinesses in Tamworth can now access free expert support through the Achieve and Grow scheme. Designed specifically for small businesses, the programme offers fully funded help with marketing, graphic design, website development and AI, helping businesses strengthen their digital presence and build new skills. Eligible businesses can receive up to six hours of tailored support.

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Chamber Netwalking

Looking to grow your network while staying active? Join our Netwalking event in Burton alongside the Cannock Chase, Lichfield & Tamworth and Royal Sutton Coldfield Chambers. Enjoy meaningful conversations, fresh air and new business connections — all during working hours. Non-members are invited from 11:30am to learn more about Chamber membership before enjoying complimentary access to the event. Perfect for start-ups, growing businesses and professionals looking to expand their network.

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