About this programme
Help to Grow: Management is a UK Government-funded programme that subsidises a leadership and management course for small and medium-sized business owners and senior managers. The course is run by business schools accredited through the Small Business Charter, which coordinates delivery across 50+ locations across the UK.
The Small Business Charter, which administers registration for the course, cites that a majority of small business owners say they need more support to grow their business. The course is built around practical, actionable learning intended to help participants lead change in their business and work toward increased profitability, innovation and growth.
It is a training and mentoring programme, not a grant or loan. Businesses do not receive cash; participants receive subsidised access to a 12-week course plus one-to-one mentoring, delivered by their chosen business school.
How it works
The course runs for 12 weeks, one session a week, and totals 50 hours of structured learning across 12 sessions: 8 of the 12 sessions are 2-hour online webinars, and the remaining 4 are in-person case study sessions of 4 hours each, held at the delivery business school.
Each participant is also offered up to 10 hours of one-to-one business mentoring alongside the taught sessions, plus peer networking with other business leaders on the same cohort.
The government funds 90% of the course cost; the participant (or their business) pays the remaining cost as a fixed participant fee of £750, billed by the delivery business school (payment options vary by school).
To receive a certificate of completion, participants must complete a minimum of 75% of the course — at enrolment, they commit to attending at least 39 of the 50 course hours.
Who can apply
The course is open to leaders and senior managers — people with direct reports or line management responsibility — at UK-based small and medium-sized enterprises.
The business must have been trading for more than one year and employ between 5 and 249 people, with a minimum number of staff on permanent payroll (freelancers and contractors do not count toward the employee total).
Businesses with 10 or more employees can typically put forward up to two participants; businesses with 5-9 employees can put forward one.
Charities are not eligible for this course.
How to apply
- Choose a participating business school and a cohort date in your region via the Small Business Charter registration pages — since four of the modules are in-person, pick a location you can travel to.
- Submit the registration form with your own and your business’s details.
- The chosen business school aims to get in touch within 5 working days of registration to confirm eligibility against the criteria above and to arrange payment of the participant fee.
- Once confirmed, you are enrolled in the cohort and given access to the course schedule, online modules and your assigned mentor.
Documents you’ll typically need
- Business details confirming size (employee count) and trading history, for the eligibility check run by the delivery business school.
- Payment details for the participant fee (multiple payment options are typically offered by the business school).
Frequently asked
What is Help to Grow: Management?
It's a UK Government-backed leadership and management course for SME owners and senior managers, delivered by business schools and coordinated through the Small Business Charter. It funds training and mentoring, not cash grants.
Who can join the course?
Senior leaders or managers with direct reports at a UK SME that has traded for more than a year and has between 5 and 249 employees. Charities are not eligible, and freelancers/contractors do not count toward the employee headcount test.
How much does the course cost?
The government funds 90% of the course cost. Participants pay a fixed fee of £750, charged by the delivery business school; payment options vary by school.
What does the course actually cover?
Twelve sessions over 12 weeks (one a week), totalling 50 hours: 8 are 2-hour online webinars and 4 are in-person case-study sessions of 4 hours each, held at the delivery business school, plus 1:1 mentoring and peer networking.
Do participants get a mentor?
Yes. Each participant is offered up to 10 hours of one-to-one business mentoring alongside the taught modules, in addition to peer-to-peer sessions with other business leaders on the cohort.
How do I apply?
Register through the Small Business Charter, choosing a delivery business school and cohort in your region (in-person sessions mean location matters). The business school then contacts you to confirm eligibility and arrange payment before you’re enrolled.
Is this a grant, and does CapEasy help with applications?
No — it's a subsidised training course, not a grant or investment, so it sits outside CapEasy's grant/equity advisory scope. This entry is provided as reference information only.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.