The Goldsmiths’ Centre’s New Business Catalyst (Small) Grants of £1,000 Help Start-up Businesses to Grow

24 Aug 2023

The Goldsmiths’ Centre, an educational charity in London, is looking to support ten businesses in the jewellery, silversmithing and allied industries with a Business Catalyst (Small) Grant of £1,000 (including VAT). Whether potential beneficiaries are selling direct to consumers or working within the trade, the grants will help craftspeople who can demonstrate creativity and present how these funds could accelerate their business to the next phase of growth.

Funded by philanthropic giving from current members of the Goldsmiths’ Company, the Business Catalyst (Small) Grants are designed to help get plans of start-up and emerging businesses off the ground, providing essential equipment, marketing tools or specialist knowledge. Proposals must demonstrate a commitment to successful business growth – whether that is an increase in sales, productivity or profitability, or the potential to create new employment opportunities or an improvement in business processes. Successful applicants must be residents in the UK and have recently completed or have undertaken a formal mentoring programme, business consultancy or business diagnostic programme, such as (but not exclusive to) the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s new Business Diagnostic and Advice sessions, in the past 12 months.

Julia Skilton, Grants and Engagement Manager at the Goldsmiths’ Centre, explains,

“Following a successful pilot in 2022, the Goldsmiths’ Centre is delighted to launch the Business Catalyst (Small) Grants to provide financial support to new and emerging businesses. The grants are designed to be flexible to support each unique business plan and complement the wider programme of business support offered by the Goldsmiths’ Centre, including its new Business Diagnostic and Advice sessions.”

Jeweller Kali Forbes, who received a Business Catalyst (Small) Grant during the Goldsmiths Centre’s pilot project in 2022, explains,

“I get bespoke commissions for engagement and wedding rings. A client comes, and the world is their oyster – they could choose anything. It takes a long time to make somebody happy when there are no boundaries. I wanted to develop a core collection with my Business Catalyst (Small) Grant that people could customise slightly.”

Two rounds of £1,000 (incl. VAT) of funding are available each year. Round one for the Business Catalyst (Small) Grants closes on Sunday, 15 October 2023, at 5pm and round two on Sunday, 21 April, at 5pm.

Apply for Business Catalyst Small Grants

Source: The Goldsmiths' Centre