Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) has partnered with SWEF to deliver an initiative that supports young entrepreneurs across Hampshire, Southampton, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to take their business venture to the next level. SWEF was founded to help unlock potential in young people aged 18-30 years who face barriers to growing a business, such as a low-income background or other financial challenges. HIWCF supports SWEF’s vision to help young people build a brighter future and is delivering business grants of up to £2,000 to young people to support their business aspirations. Katie Sharp, Grants Manager of SWEF, says:
“We launched SWEF after realising that although there is a lot of support and advice for young people trying to launch their first venture, there is virtually nowhere to get the cash injection they often need. The key criteria we look for are initiative and a strong work ethic. We want to help young people change their lives through entrepreneurship.”
Jacqui Scott, CEO of HIWCF, says:
“Young entrepreneurs have passion and energy to bring to the business sector, but for many, especially those without families who can financially support them, financial challenges can hold them back. A small grant might be all that is needed to enable an idea with great potential to really fly. We hope these grants will help unlock this potential by supporting young entrepreneurs to get their fledgling businesses to take off.”
Grantees have the added opportunity to join a business forum where they can exchange ideas, experiences and questions with other grant recipients. SWEF applications and grants are administered by HIWCF. Find detailed information on grant criteria and how to apply at https://hiwcf.org.uk/swef-enterprise-grants-for-individuals/.
