Funding and Support

There are a number of ways in which East Midlands Chamber can support your business, either directly or by signposting you to the appropriate partner in the region.

East Midlands
 Chamber membership

There are a number of benefits to becoming a member of East Midlands Chamber. Membership can help you grow, connect, develop skills,  influence, trade internationally, target specific opportunities and benefit from heavily discounted services.

Accelerator – funded by the UK Government

Accelerator is a project funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and East Midlands Chamber.

It helps manufacturers across the East Midlands to start, sustain, grow and innovate. Fully funded and tailored to the needs of each participating district across the region, the project can provide manufacturers with support that leaves a lasting impact on their business plan.

It includes Business Adviser support, Innovation Adviser support, training workshops and webinars, access to finance, and energy audits.

The project runs until March 2025.

Make UK affiliate membership

Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, is the largest force to back UK manufacturing. It has been helping the sector to compete, innovate and grow for 125 years and is in regular contact with Government about the needs of the manufacturing sector.

Affiliate membership offers you a range of benefits:

  • Industry reports, publications and insight
  • Member events, webinars, podcasts and briefings
  • A range of discounted products and services
  • Preferential rates on the Brexit Toolkit and Pay benchmarking reports

Joining the East Midlands Manufacturing Network provides you with the added benefit of Make UK affiliate membership.

Further support available

There is lots of support available to manufacturers. Where linked to funding, it is often time-limited. Stay in touch with the latest news by using the following websites:

Made Smarter
Backed by the UK government, Made Smarter helps East Midlands manufacturers go digital offering expert advice, support, and funding for advanced technology adoption.
Find out more
D2N2 Growth Hub
D2N2 Growth Hub is a vital support network for growing and ambitious businesses across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
Find out more
LLEP Business Gateway Growth Hub
Business Gateway in Leicester & Leicestershire offers free advice, workshops, funding, and more – all in one place.
Find out more
Innovate UK
Innovate UK Business Growth helps high-potential SMEs grow and scale. This free service, backed by the UK government, offers support to unlock their full economic potential.
Find out more