Business Start Up Grants?

[peteyt]

My online radio is obtaining some small office space rent free for a whole year which we can convert into a studio. We get 24/7 access from it, and it isn't anything like a 2 year contract, so we could leave after our free year. We just have to pay cover, electric bills and other stuff e.g. internet and so on.

I'm trying to find a business start up grant I can use to get all of our equipment. I have a basic mixer - Behringer 1002b and a Rode NT1-A microphone but could do with more equipment and a better computer - mines a few years old. I've applied for a grant with o2 and had a call from them. It could take a while to come through and might get £300 out of it. We can then apply for more and possibly get a few grand if we succeeded.

My lecturer at University also recommended the princes trust (I'm doing my final year in Film and TV Production). The problem is you need to work less than 16 hours and I work approximately 16 hours and 15 minutes lol.

Does anyone know of any other grants available? I can afford to run it, it's mainly the equipment which will cost quite a bit as I could do with a decent computer, some decent mixers and microphones and so on.

Thanks for reading. As this will help me a lot I will rep anyone who know's of something that could help me

Thanks

[GommeInc]

A small loan seems like another viable option if you know you can pay it back. Not many places do grants these days, other than the ones you've mentioned.

[hamheyelliot]

Try Shell LiveWire, as they offer £1000 awards at the end of each month through their 'Grand Ideas' award. You'll have to creative in saying how you market your business uniquely for something such as online radio! Something about getting involved in the community etc. works a treat :P

http://www.shell-livewire.org/

[peteyt]

Try Shell LiveWire, as they offer £1000 awards at the end of each month through their 'Grand Ideas' award. You'll have to creative in saying how you market your business uniquely for something such as online radio! Something about getting involved in the community etc. works a treat :P

http://www.shell-livewire.org/

Just on that site at the moment - good minds think alike ha

---------- Post added 26-04-2011 at 07:03 PM ----------

"tems NOT eligible for the Shell LiveWIRE Grand Ideas Awards include (but are not limited to): a project that is not innovative, a new laptop / PC or new equipment/capital items (unless for a specific purpose directly related to the business), your rent, wages/staff costs and stock."

Sounds like it's a no for me then but I'm going to keep looking

[hamheyelliot]

(unless for a specific purpose directly related to the business)
Give it a shot still, sounds like all the stuff you mentioned above is very much directly related!

I think that rule just applies to anyone who wants to pocket themselves a new home PC for example.

[peteyt]

Give it a shot still, sounds like all the stuff you mentioned above is very much directly related!

I think that rule just applies to anyone who wants to pocket themselves a new home PC for example.

My only problem is it seems like I would have to have something very innovative. It's going to be good but it has been done plenty of times sadly

[hamheyelliot]

Hmm, when you put it that way it might be a little difficult going down that path, time consuming too.

Thought about IndieGoGo (http://www.indiegogo.com)? It's basically a social funding site where you post a project, set a funding amount (you see ventures around the $5000 mark sailing through 100% funding) and offer perks in return for the favour. A project such as yours might offer to put their names on the site for example.

[peteyt]

Hmm, when you put it that way it might be a little difficult going down that path, time consuming too.

Thought about IndieGoGo (http://www.indiegogo.com)? It's basically a social funding site where you post a project, set a funding amount (you see ventures around the $5000 mark sailing through 100% funding) and offer perks in return for the favour. A project such as yours might offer to put their names on the site for example.

I tried it for a film production and never seemed to get anything lol but it's worth another go