First things first: what is a grant?

A grant is money awarded to you or your organisation — usually from governments, foundations, or NGOs. The best part? It doesn't dilute your equity. The catch? Each grant has its own fine print, and it's easy to waste days applying for something you're never eligible for.

 

Here's what to check before you fall into the application rabbit hole:

✨ Legal status
Some grants are charity-only, others welcome for-profits and social enterprises.

✨ Location
Most funders only support work in a specific region.

✨ Sector
From climate and health to education and arts, funders are usually niche.

✨ Amount
Small pilot pots vs multi-million awards.

✨ Years active
Some funders want proof you've been trading for 1–2 years, others prefer brand-new ideas.

✨ What they'll fund
Some cover equipment or pilots, others only specific projects.

 

So where do founders actually find grants?

💡 1. Social media
Following funders on LinkedIn or X (formerly Twitter) can give you the freshest announcements. The downside? Feeds move fast, info can be patchy, and it's easy to miss deadlines.

Bonus: I share a handful of new opportunities each week over on LinkedIn, follow along here if you haven't already.

 

📬 2. Newsletters

Some funders (and platforms) share opportunities straight to your inbox. Great in theory…but with ten different newsletters, your inbox fills up quickly and most still don't tell you whether you're actually eligible.

Bonus: Our free newsletter shares a few curated opportunities every fortnight. It's a start, but still only scratches the surface.

 

🏛️ 3. Government websites

National and local portals are a good bet (e.g. Find a Grant or Innovate UK). These are usually up to date, but only cover a slice of the grant landscape.

 

📂 4. Free directories

Handy for basic searches by sector or location, but many are outdated or too broad. They are usually static spreadsheets or Notion pages and rarely give the details you need to know if you're truly a fit.

 

👩‍💻 5. Paying someone

You can hire a grant writer, agency, or even an intern. This can uncover hidden gems, but it's expensive and no one knows your business as deeply as you do.

 

🤝 6. Networking

From local meetups to accelerator WhatsApp groups, founders often hear about opportunities through peers. It's free, human, and sometimes the fastest way to learn what's coming up. The trade-off? It takes time to build and maintain those networks — and everyone else is competing for the same funds.

 

🗝️ 7. A Live Funding Database

This is why we built it.

For founders who don't want to waste evenings chasing ghosts on Google.

Inside the Live Funding Database you'll find:

• Over 1,000 open UK grants, prizes, and accelerators
• Updated weekly by actual humans on our team and they add new ones, remove closed ones, and flag deadlines
• Search filters that cut through the noise (sector, stage, funding type, location, legal status, amount)
• In-depth and consistently laid-out detail pages so you will know at a glance whether something's the right fit
• A WhatsApp group of like-minded founders sharing wins, frustrations, and advice
• Nudges via WhatsApp and email to let you know when new opportunities are added, to keep you ahead and focused on funding
• Quarterly Funding Focus Hours to help you stay ahead with live expert Q&As (plus all replays!)
• And TONS of resources that will help you bust that jargon and get your ducks in a row

Yes, it's subscription-based; that's how we keep our small team paid fairly, ensuring the funding remains fresh and you stay focused.

Bonus tip: Many of the opportunities we list won't hit Google or LinkedIn until days before the deadline. Inside the Live Funding Database, you see them early enough to apply.