For ambitious small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), access to funding can be the difference between standing still and scaling up. If you’re based in Northumberland, North Tyneside or Newcastle, there’s an opportunity right now to secure financial support to accelerate your growth.

The North of Tyne Business Support Fund (NOTBSF) has been designed to help SMEs invest in external expertise that drives business performance, creates jobs and safeguards the future.

At eCommerceXpert, we work with business owners every day who want to improve their online presence, streamline their digital operations and generate more sales. Funding like this can make those investments more achievable.

What Can the Fund Support?

If you’re planning a project that requires specialist input, the NOTBSF could provide a grant contribution towards your costs. Typical areas of support include:

– Digital marketing: SEO, paid advertising, social media strategy.
– Website design & development: new websites, platform upgrades, CRO.
– Video & animation: professional content to enhance your brand story.
– Process improvement: adopting better systems, quality management.
– Strategic consultancy: planning, restructuring, business transformation.

The emphasis is on growth. Your project needs to demonstrate how it will help you expand, become more competitive and create or safeguard jobs.

Who Is Eligible?

To qualify, you’ll need to meet a few key conditions:

– Your business must be located within the North of Tyne Combined Authority area: Northumberland, North Tyneside or Newcastle.
– You must be an SME (fewer than 250 employees, under £50m turnover or under £43m balance sheet total).
– The project must use external expertise, this isn’t about funding internal salaries, rent or day to day operations.
– Projects must not begin before you’ve signed a contract with NBSL.

The fund does not cover: capital investments, staff wages, premises costs, general running expenses or staff training/qualifications.

Why This Matters for eCommerce Businesses

The digital landscape moves quickly. Whether you’re on Shopify, WordPress/WooCommerce or another platform, keeping your website competitive means continuous investment.

This funding could help you:

– Launch a new website that’s optimised for user experience and conversions.
– Invest in SEO or Digital PR campaigns to rank higher and attract more customers.
– Develop content, video and brand assets that engage your audience.
– Work with consultants to refine your eCommerce strategy and streamline operations.

In short, it’s a chance to access expert support without shouldering the full financial burden.

How to Apply

The application process is designed to be straightforward and decisions can be turned around in a matter of weeks.

– Check the full eligibility criteria here: North of Tyne Business Support Fund – Grow with NBSL

If your business qualifies, now is the perfect time to plan the next phase of your digital journey.

Final Thoughts

Funding opportunities like this don’t stay open forever. If you’re serious about scaling your eCommerce business, don’t miss out on the chance to leverage external expertise with financial backing from the North of Tyne Combined Authority.

At eCommerceXpert, we’ve already helped SMEs across the UK make the most of support schemes like this. If you’re based in the North of Tyne region and want to explore how funding could help your business grow online, call us on 01325 939 838 or book a free consultation today.

Let’s turn funding into growth.

Thanks for reading,
Myk Baxter,
eCommerce & Digital Marketing Expert