Business Catalyst (Small) Grants Guidelines and FAQs
Overview
Our Business Catalyst (Small) Grants, funded by the Goldsmiths’ Company Charity, enable up to ten UK resident jewellers, silversmiths and allied industry practitioners per year to access £1,000 (including VAT) in order to grow their businesses. Each grant can be used to gain access to essential equipment, marketing tools or specialist knowledge.
Our team at the Goldsmiths’ Centre is aware that specific groups are systematically under-supported or under-represented in the UK’s jewellery, silversmithing and precious metal industry. We have therefore made dedicated funding available to applicants who have lived experience of the groups listed here
We look forward to receiving your application. If you need any additional information or advice prior to submitting your application or you need the form in a different format, please Julia Skilton, Grants and Engagement Manager at the Goldsmiths’ Centre to discuss how best we can support you.
Call our team on + 44 (0)207 566 7650 or email applications@goldsmithscentre.org
1. What can I apply for?
The Business Catalyst (Small) Grants support emerging micro-businesses that have growth plans in place but need financial support to move these plans forward to the next stage. Any funds must be used by successful applicants within 12 months of being received.
Our Business Catalyst (Small) Grants can be used to help your business to:
Purchase new equipment, such as new IT equipment or machinery and tools to produce a new product.
Create new services, such as a digital marketing strategy and means of putting this in place (i.e., new brand identity, website development, object photography etc.), to sell a new product or business service.
Adopt new processes and new ways of working, such as adaptations to your workshop or access to mentoring to realise a new production process or operation.
All proposals must also demonstrate a commitment to successful business growth –whether that is an increase in sales, productivity or profitability, or the potential to create new employment opportunities and an improvement in business processes.
2. Who can apply?
The grants are open to individuals who:
are on the pathway to being self-employed/sole trader or running a microbusiness in the jewellery, silversmithing and allied industries.
have recently completed, or have undertaken a formal mentoring programme, business consultancy or business diagnostic programme, such as (but not exclusive to) the Goldsmiths’ Centre* in the past 12-months.
are located and have/will have a trading address in the UK. They must have a UK bank account in the exact name they are applying in.
typically, we would expect the business to have a turnover up to £75,000.
dedicated funding will be awarded to applicants experiencing financial difficulty (evidenced through eligibility for government benefits, listed here) and applicants who identify as belonging to an under-supported group within the industry.
Groups under-supported or under-represented in the industry include, but are not limited to:
Black or minoritised ethnic background (e.g. the Global Majority) including Gypsies, Travellers and Roma.
Disabled people including physical, mental health, ‘hidden’ and learning disabilities.
Those from a high Index of Multiple Deprivation area (current or childhood residence).
Currently or previously a migrant, refugee, or asylum seeker. Eligibility for government support:
Child Tax Credit (provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
Income Support
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
Universal Credit in place of ESA / Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
* Our Business Diagnostic and Advice sessions for Jewellers and Silversmiths at the Goldsmiths’ Centre are free to attend, if you are experiencing financial difficulty. To prove your eligibility, you will need to apply for one of our Access Grants. Completing the application form for our Access Grants only takes 5 minutes and we are able to guide you through the process if you have any questions.
3. How do I apply?
This section details how to apply and the supporting documents you will need to submit with your application form.
Step 1: Read these guidelines and our FAQs, and ensure you are eligible for the Business Catalyst (Small) Grant.
Step 2: You can apply for the Business Catalyst (Small Grant) either via:
a. our online application form, hosted online via SurveyMonkey, which can be accessed via any standard web browser on a computer, tablet, or smartphone. The application will need to be completed in one session, which is estimated to take up to 30 minutes.
b. A video captured on your camera phone or computer and submitted via a file hosting service (such as a hidden Vimeo or YouTube link, Google Drive, Dropbox or WeTransfer) to applications@goldsmiths-centre.org – see our FAQs for a step by step guide on how to best capture your submission.
Step 3: Gather support materials and draft your responses for your online or recorded application in advance.
Please note, if you have completed a Business Diagnostic and Advice session with the Goldsmiths’ Centre in the last 12 months, please fill in your name and email address in section 1 and complete the rest of the form from section 4 onwards.
You will need to provide the following information as part of your application:
Personal Information:
Your name, postal address, email address, mobile phone number, business Instagram account and/or website.
Education and Training: Details about your training, whether a formal qualification or a self-taught training route, including:
Level of qualification
Name of the course/apprenticeship
Name of training provider/apprentice employer
Year of course/apprenticeship completion
Details of any other training routes or courses you think may be relevant to your application.
Professional Practice (only complete this section if you have not participated in the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s Business Advice and Diagnostic session:
In no more than 750 words, outline your work and summarise how you have developed your business to date, including for example:
What does your business do?
What are its main activities/services?
How many collections have you launched or worked on to date?
Who are your target audiences?
In no more than 400 words, explain why you are applying for the grant at this stage in the development of your business. Tell us how the grant will combine with any current or past mentoring you have undertaken in support of developing your business. If you have a written business plan, please refer to this in your answer.
Business Catalyst (Small) Grant Use:
If successful with your application, please tell us how you will use the Business Catalyst (Small) Grant. Tell us what your main aims for the Business Catalyst (Small) Grant are and how this will benefit your business.
Outline the key steps and costs in your project plan from the project start date onwards, including:
Your project milestones (the key activities) you will carry out.
What the outputs of the activity will be (which will be the things you can claim your grant money against).
The costs for each activity.
Priority applicants: We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds, particularly those under-supported or under-represented in the industry. As part of the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), dedicated funding will be awarded to applicants who have lived experience of the groups below., and who meet the financial circumstances below.
The information that you provide will only be reviewed by the grants team and will subsequently be deleted. You will be asked if you have lived experience of the following priority groups:
Black or minoritised ethnic background (e.g. the Global Majority) including Gypsies, Travellers and Roma.
Disabled people including physical, mental health, ‘hidden’ and learning disabilities.
From a high Index of Multiple Deprivation area (current resident or childhood residence)
Currently or previously a migrant, refugee or asylum seeker.
Please note, that in addition to answering the question on Priority Applicants, once you have submitted your Business Catalyst (Small) Grant application and your application has been reviewed, you will receive a link to complete the Goldsmiths’ Centre EDI Survey. This is a short anonymous survey that helps the Goldsmiths’ Centre to improve equity, diversity and inclusion across our programmes.
You will be asked to outline your financial need for a grant and will be asked if you are in receipt of the following benefits. You will be asked to indicate which one(s) and provide supporting information with your application, as listed in 6.
You will be asked if you are in receipt of any of the following benefits and you will need to provide evidence with your application:
Child Tax Credit (provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit) and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190, as assessed by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) / Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
Income Support
Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
The guarantee element of State Pension Credit
Universal Credit in place of ESA / Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Working Tax Credit run-on – paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
Supporting Documents: Please ensure that you label all uploaded support documentation with your name. Please note that each file cannot be larger than 16MB.
Before starting your application, you will need to gather the following supporting information:
2 forms of ID, one type from each column:
Proof of name examples
Birth certificate
Proof of address examples
A Utility of Council Tax Bill (last three months)
ID card A current rent card or tenancy agreement
Current passport
A mortgage statement (last three months)
Current driving licence HMRC letter (last three months)
If you are eligible for dedicated funding, you will need to have proof of your entitlement to one of the government benefits (listed above) available to upload. This document can be a photograph taken on your phone, a scan, or an electronic document. It must include the name of the benefit, and your name and address.
Professional reference – a professional referee is an experienced worker, typically a former employer, colleague, client or someone who can recommend you for employment. Please note it is your responsibility to ensure that the
completed references reach us at applications@goldsmiths-centre.org by the application deadline.
If your business is more than 1 year old, please provide your most recent end of year accounts. The document must mention your name or the name of your business.
Up to 5 images of your work. Images should be a high resolution - .tiff or jpg format file at 300dpi at approximately A4 size.
Links to pertinent online information, including websites and/or social media.
Applications should be completed via Survey Monkey via the link which will be available on our website. Incomplete applications will not be assessed.
Step 3: You will then receive a link to complete our EDI Survey via Survey Monkey, this will come from applications@goldsmiths-centre.org This survey is anonymous but requires completion before your application is considered.
This will help support the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s EDI strategy – see www.goldsmithscentre.org/about-us. The EDI survey will be sent to you within 7 days of receiving your application form, please check your Junk Mail and notify us if you have not received this.
Step 4: Once your EDI survey has been received, your Business Catalyst (Small) Grant application will be assessed by an independent panel. You will be notified within 8 weeks about the outcome of your application.
FAQs
Is it possible to apply in other ways than the written application form?
Yes, you can submit a simple video captured on your camera phone or computer by following the steps below:
Step 1: Decide the format: Before you start filming, familiarise yourself with the questions in the application form and how you can best present your case through video.
Step 2: Write your script: Start by introducing yourself and then film a response to each question / section of the application form citing the number of each section in the application. Make sure your film is no longer than 20 minutes in total.
Step 3: Rehearse: It’s important to know what you’re going to say in your video, so write a short script and rehearse what you are going to say beforehand until you’re completely comfortable. You may want to enlist the help of a friend or family member. Make sure to speak clearly and slowly, and let your personality shine through.
Step 4: Shoot your video: You don't need to buy or hire expensive equipment to create your video. You can simply use the camera on your smartphone (although you will need a tripod, something to prop your phone onto or a friend to film you) or a computer.
Set aside a few hours so there’s no time pressure – you’ll want to do as many takes as necessary to get it right. You should always film in a well-lit, indoor location with as little background noise as possible. Don’t film against a window; rather use it as natural side lighting. Do some test runs first to make sure the lighting is bright enough and the audio is clear on speakers and headphones – it can also be invaluable to have a friend record with you to get an alternative perspective.
Step 5: Submit your video application: Once you've saved your video in a common format such as MOV, MP4 or AVI, you can share your file via Wetransfer, Google drive or Dropbox. You can also upload your video as a hidden video on Youtube or Vimeo and provide us with the link to applications@goldsmiths-centre.org
How will you assess my application?
A panel of independent industry professionals will be appointed by the Goldsmiths’ Centre to review the applications. This review will take place within 8 weeks of submission. The judges’ decision is final.
The criteria by which the judges will assess each entry on are:
1. Current standard of representative work.
2. Clarity of project proposal and consideration of financial management.
3. Professionalism of presentation.
4. Justification for grant application and clear identification of key benefits to the recipient/s.
5. Recommendation of the supporting professional reference.
What types of makers have participated previously?
An example of previous grant recipients can be seen here
Is this programme just for young makers?
No. The Business Catalyst (Small) Grant is for anyone who is in the early stages of developing a business.
Who can apply and what are the allied trades?
If you are working in the jewellery, silversmithing and goldsmithing industry in precious metal or alternative materials, or an allied trade such as enamelling, engraving, blacksmithing, then please apply. If you are unsure whether your craft discipline or material technique meets this criteria, please get in touch.
I’ve never attended anything at the Goldsmiths’ Centre before. Will that be a problem?
No. We work with a wide range of makers and are always looking to make new connections with people we haven’t worked with before. We actively welcome applications from makers who have yet to work with us.
Can I apply twice in one year?
Please note that you cannot apply twice for a Business Catalyst (Small) Grant in one year. You also cannot apply for a Business Catalyst (Small) and (Large) Grant in one year.
We recommend that you attend a Q&A session to discuss your proposal ahead of applying to assess whether your application is suitable to submit and get feedback if you are looking to reapply the following year.
How can I get support with my application?
If you are interested in this opportunity but feel there are some barriers to participation, please do get in touch. Including but not limited to:
• Caring responsibilities
• Financial
• Accessibility
• Travel
• Slow internet/devices
We would be happy to discuss this with you and see what support is available. If you think you might be a good fit for the programme and would like to find out more, in advance of applying, then please do get in touch with us.
What can’t we fund?
Please note that this list is not exhaustive:
● New and existing employee salaries (excluding founders and interns).
● Employee additional benefits e.g. Private health insurance, staff social events.
● Tax bills.
● Fines or financial penalties.
● Activities that have already taken place or will have taken place before you receive a grant.
● Activities which are considered religious in nature.
● Activities which are considered political including campaigning or lobbying.
● Activities that the state has a legal obligation to provide.
● Any debt, loan or interest repayments or endowments (including funds to build up a reserve or surplus).
● Any project or activity that may bring the Goldsmiths’ Centre into disrepute.
● Business rates and subsidies.
● Ongoing maintenance costs or ongoing running costs linked to capital projects.