She Started It
BIPC Devon's Start-up Grant for Female Founders

She Started It is a specialist grant programme designed to kickstart 20 brand-new female-founded businesses.

Using a grant offered by NatWest, BIPC Devon is offering the women of Devon a chance to apply for a business support package worth £1,000. It is hoped that this project will help launch 20 new female-founded businesses.

To apply you must submit an application including a business plan. Your application will be evaluated and successful applicants will be contacted. If successful, you can choose from over 18 experts to deliver the business support package, this could be with a tax specialist, website designer, or marketing professional, for example.

Project Aim

To deliver flexible small-scale consultancy and business support packages to over 200 new small businesses across Devon, and help launch 20 new female-founded small businesses.

The aim of the project is to stimulate innovation, new approaches and new ideas and support the recovery and growth of SMEs in a post-Covid environment. It will support the establishment of new businesses and accelerate the growth of new start-ups many of which will have started during lock-down.

She Started It has 2 strands:

  • Female Founded SMEs looking to start their businesses will receive a business support package up to the value of £1,000.
  • SMEs will receive up to 12 hours of business coaching support provided by a Business Expert, procured by BIPC Devon.
Purple square with graphics of three women, one with dark long hair, one with dark short hair and one with ginger hair

Apply For The Grant - Deadline: 30th April 2024

The eligibility criteria are as follows:
  • You identify as female
  • You are 18 years or older
  • Your business is Devon-based (evidence will be required)
  • Your business has no turnover or has turned over less than £1,000 to date (evidence may be required)

We require you to complete the application form below, which will include a business plan. 

At BIPC Devon, we realise that many budding entrepreneurs have not completed a business plan before. If this is the case you can find some excellent tips on getting started in our recorded webinar: ‘How to Build a Business Plan’ by Clare Palmer. This was recorded as part of our Bedroom to Business Course.

If you need any further support please contact us at bipc@librariesunlimited.org.uk.

The deadline for your application is the 30th April 2024.

Once submitted, your application will then be evaluated by a selection of BIPC members and then we will inform you if your application has been successful by the 15th of May 2024.

If you are successful, we will enrol you into our 12-month coaching programme and we will work with you to decide which of our experts you would like to work with to receive the business support package.

We have experts in marketing, PR, taxation, legal, web design, branding, sales and pricing, who are ready to help get your business off to a great start!. The BIPC will pay the experts directly, up to a value of £1,000. You can use multiple experts and if you require additional services that the grant does not cover, you will need to fund that yourself.

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Application Form