Solent Freeport has launched a new Business Growth Skills Grant to help small businesses invest in training for their existing workforce and unlock new opportunities for growth.
Opening for applications on 13th October 2026, the scheme will offer one-off grants of between £500 and £5,000 towards eligible training costs.
The funding is aimed at growth-focused businesses where skills gaps are holding back their ambitions, but where current cash flow pressures mean the necessary training would otherwise be unable to go ahead.
Support can be used for a wide range of training linked directly to business growth, including technical and engineering skills, digital, and software capabilities, AI and data, leadership and management, project management, export and commercial skills, quality and compliance, clean energy technologies, and other specialist business skills.
Funding covers direct training costs only and cannot be used for equipment purchases, staff salaries, or associated travel and accommodation costs.
Eligible businesses must employ fewer than 50 people, have been trading for at least 12 months and have their main trading address in Eastleigh, Fareham, Gosport, Havant, the Isle of Wight, New Forest, Portsmouth, or Southampton local authority areas.
Businesses must operate within one of Solent Freeport’s priority sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Maritime, Aerospace, Space, Digital Technologies, Life Sciences, Defence or Clean Energy.
Brian Johnson, Chair of Solent Freeport, said:
“Having the right skills in place is fundamental to business growth. Across the Solent, we have ambitious smaller businesses with opportunities to innovate, improve productivity, win new contracts and enter new markets, but the cost of developing their workforce can be a barrier.
Article continues below this advertisement “The Solent Freeport Business Growth Skills Grant is designed to address that challenge directly. By helping businesses invest in the skills of their existing employees, we want to unlock opportunities that might otherwise be delayed or missed and help businesses build the capabilities they need for their next stage of growth.
“This is about ensuring the economic opportunities being created across the Solent translate into stronger businesses, a more highly skilled workforce and sustainable growth across our region.”
Applications will be assessed against 3 criteria: the business growth opportunity, expected outcomes, and value for money. There is no requirement for businesses to provide match funding, although a business contribution will be viewed favourably.
Applicants will need to demonstrate how the proposed training addresses an identified skills gap and supports a specific growth opportunity. This could include creating or safeguarding jobs, increasing productivity, securing new contracts, launching new products, adopting new technology, increasing exports, or supporting wider business investment.
Training must be delivered by a registered provider, and eligible businesses will need to provide supporting information including a training quotation and course information, as well as their latest accounts and cashflow forecast.
Applications opened on 13th October 2026 and must be submitted by 20th November 2026.
Find out more, read the applicant guidance and apply: https://solentfreeport.com/business-growth-skills-grant/
Find out more about Solent Freeport at https://solentfreeport.com/
