In summary
Welcome to the latest news from FSB Sussex. Here you will find details of local business activity and events. You can also follow us on X and Facebook @FSBSussex.
Featured news and events
Newhaven Business Grants Programme
The Newhaven Business Grants Programme is back for a second phase. This initiative continues to provide financial support to SME businesses in the Newhaven Town Deal area.
Eligible businesses can apply for grants of up to £15,000 to cover 50% of project costs. In the previous round, the programme helped fund specialist equipment, commercial vehicles, premises improvements, and more contributing to business growth and job creation in Newhaven.
The project is funded by UK Government with the grant funding secured by Lewes District Council and will be delivered by East Sussex County Council.
Eastbourne Business Networking
Come and meet local businesses and make new contacts in the Eastbourne Business Network on Tuesday 11 February 2025.
Members and non-members are welcome. Tickets are £8 and include a continental breakfast.
Bring your business cards and get ready to make some new connections. You never know who the next person is that will benefit your business.
In other news
Transport across the South East
Transport for the South East (TfSE) wants your views about transport challenges and priorities in the South East.
TfSE, the Sub-national transport body which includes Surrey, Sussex and Kent, has published their new draft Transport Strategy, setting out their vision for the region. It highlights plans to use transport to grow the economy, connect our communities and reach net zero in the decades ahead.
They want to know what businesses think about their vision, goals and mission outlined in the draft Transport Strategy consultation which is open until 7 March 2025.
Cyber Security Awareness: Protecting your Organisation
Wednesday, 15 Jan 2025, 10am – 12:30pm
Your people can be your biggest asset and with security awareness training they can become highly effective barriers to cyber-crime. Security awareness training provides simple and effective knowledge for people to understand their environment and provides the confidence to challenge when something doesn’t look right. The training, delivered by Business & IP Centre Sussex (BIPC) is focused on those with little or no cyber security or technical knowledge and is delivered in small, succinct modules using real world examples.
Register Here!
Still in the news
Gatwick airport supplier opportunity
Gatwick is a major driver for the local and regional economy, as well as supporting the wider UK economy. It is committed to supporting local businesses and creating new opportunities associated with its local supply chain.
Are you a regional small and medium-sized business that wants to work with Gatwick Airport?
Regional small and medium-sized enterprise businesses in certain postcodes can register their interest in working with the airport as a supplier.
Note: this is only open to SMEs located in the RH, BN, CR, KT, TN, GU, PO, SM, ME, CT, BR and DA postcodes).
Full details of Gatwick’s procurement policy is available on its website.
£200,000 funding available, but only until the end of January
If you’re looking to boost your business, £200,000 in grant funding is available—but only for a limited time! Through the fully funded Adur & Worthing Business Support Programme, you can access match-funded grants of up to £3,000. But don’t wait as the application deadline is the end of January 2025, and all projects must be completed by the first week of March.
Here’s how the grant can be used, depending on the programme strand you attend:
- Start-up support (£1,000 match-funded): Use the grant for things like business coaching, marketing initiatives, or joining local business networks.
- Leadership & management (£1,000 match-funded): Invest in leadership training, team development, or business improvements to help you recruit and retain staff.
- Sustainability (£3,000 match-funded): Improve energy efficiency through LED lighting, insulation, or renewable technologies like solar panels.
- Innovation (£3,000 match-funded): Invest in systems and tools to improve business processes, develop products and services, or adapt your business model for future growth.
To qualify for the grant, you MUST enroll in the programme by attending a relevant workshop in your chosen field, as detailed above. This is the first step to unlocking the funding!
Sign up for a workshop in the programme now to secure your eligibility.
More news and activity near you
- Kent and Medway
- Surrey
- More from FSB South East England
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Sussex is Alison Turner. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email us: [email protected]
- follow us on x: @FSBSussex
- follow us on Facebook: @FSB.Official.Sussex