North of Tyne Business Support Fund: Phase 3 Is Now Open — Here's What You Need to Know
If you run a small or medium-sized business in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland, there's some welcome news this week. Phase 3 of the North of Tyne Business Support Fund (NoTBSF) launched on 23 April 2026, and it's designed to help local businesses access expert support to grow, improve and become more resilient.
The fund is delivered by NBSL in partnership with the North East Combined Authority, and it's part-funded by the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund. Previous phases saw high demand, so if this sounds relevant to your business, it's worth getting your application in sooner rather than later.
What's on offer?
The grant provides up to 50% funding for business improvement projects costing between £3,000 and £8,000 (excluding VAT). That means you could receive up to £4,000 towards bringing in external expertise to tackle a specific challenge or opportunity within your business.
This isn't about buying equipment or capital items — the fund is focused on professional services and consultancy that drive genuine business improvement.
What kind of projects are eligible?
The range of eligible projects is broad. The fund covers areas such as:
Business growth planning and strategy development
Change management and business expansion planning
Product development and diversification
Process improvement systems
Marketing planning and web design or development
Software development
HR strategy planning and development
Financial restructuring and succession planning
Video production, animation and design for marketing
If you've had a project on the back burner because the cost felt like a stretch, this could be the push you need to make it happen.
Who can apply?
The eligibility criteria are straightforward. Your business must:
Be based in Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland (i.e. you pay business rates to one of those three councils)
Be actively trading and making sales
Be an SME with fewer than 250 employees
Be planning to grow — whether that's creating new jobs or safeguarding existing ones
Not have exceeded the £315,000 Minimum Financial Assistance threshold over the current and previous two financial years
Projects themselves need to support business growth, take no longer than three months to complete, and be finished (with the grant claimed) by November 2026 at the latest.
How do you apply?
Applications are open now through the NBSL website, and eligibility assessments begin from 5 May 2026. Given the popularity of previous phases, it's worth applying early to secure your place.
For full details and to submit your application, visit the North of Tyne Business Support Fund page on the NBSL website. If you have questions about eligibility, you can contact NBSL directly at fundingsupport@nbsl.org.uk.
How HiThrive can help
As a registered provider with NBSL, HiThrive is an approved consultancy that businesses can work with through this grant. If you're looking for support with business strategy, growth planning or performance improvement, our consultancy services fall squarely within the types of project the fund is designed to support.
Whether you need a clear growth strategy, a performance audit to uncover what's holding your business back, or a structured plan to navigate a period of change, we can help — and this grant could cover up to half the cost.
If you'd like to explore how the North of Tyne Business Support Fund could work alongside our consultancy services, get in touch with us and we'll help you work out whether it's a good fit.
