Unlock Business Growth in South Yorkshire with the Productivity & Digitisation Grant Scheme

Get a match-funded grant of up to £12,500 to transform your business operations and accelerate your growth.

FWD Motion is helping businesses make the most of the Business Productivity and Digitisation Grant Scheme with expert support across web development, digital marketing, design, print, and more. Up to £12,500 funding is available until October 2025, with the aim to increase employment opportunities and business growth across South Yorkshire.

Find out more below.

What Is the Business Productivity & Digitisation Grant?

To help South Yorkshire businesses work smarter, grow faster, and embrace new ways of working, the Business Productivity and Digitisation Grant Scheme offers match-funded grants of up to £12,500 for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in:

• Sheffield
• Barnsley
• Rotherham
• Doncaster

Funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), this scheme provides the opportunity to improve your productivity and digital innovation through new systems, processes, tools, and technologies that address productivity challenges, drive efficiency, and support long-term business success.

Who Can Benefit?

Under the scheme, grants are available towards both revenue (e.g., specialist business support) and capital investment (e.g., machinery, equipment, and premise fit-outs). This is designed to help SMEs that are looking to:

• Invest in more advanced digital tools, marketing, or automation
• Streamline operations to save time, space, or resources
• Improve processes for greater productivity and performance
• Introduce new services or products

Your business must be able to clearly evidence projected productivity improvements, with priority given to those that will have a positive impact on the creation of potential new employment opportunities.

Over 200 businesses have already accessed funding through this scheme, helping to create 100+ new jobs and launch 120+ new products or processes across the region.

How the Grant Works

You can apply for either a Productivity Grant or a Digital Innovation Grant, depending on the nature of your project. Currently, businesses are only eligible to apply for one grant.

• Productivity: Funding available between £2,500 and £12,500.
• Digital Innovation: Funding available between £2,500 and £5,000.

To qualify, your business must contribute at least 50% of the total project cost, and the grant will fund the remaining amount to a maximum of £12,500. However, local councils within South Yorkshire may use their discretion to make higher contributions – particularly where there is a strong potential for job creation or business growth.

FWD Motion: Your Partner for Brand Success

If you've secured the South Yorkshire Business Productivity and Digitisation Grant, FWD Motion is here to help you turn that funding into real, measurable impact. As a Sheffield-based SME ourselves, we're passionate about supporting our local business community and can help you sharpen your brand, strengthen your digital presence, and boost your overall productivity.

Depending on your goals, we can support your project with:

• Website or ecommerce design and development
• Ongoing SEO to help you grow your online visibility
• Digital marketing strategy and implementation
• Interior and exterior print, signage, and workspace rebranding
• Tools to track productivity and performance post-project

With a proven track record of delivering results across sectors, we take a practical, collaborative approach that ensures you’ll get the most value from your grant.

How to Apply for the Grant

To apply for the grant, you will need to follow a few simple steps with the support of your local council. You can speak to us before you apply, to get a clear idea of what you’ll need funding for, or after your project is approved and ready for implementation.

Step 1 – Contact Your Local Council to Register Your Interest

Each South Yorkshire council delivers the scheme through its own business support team, meaning you’ll need to contact the council responsible for your area. First, register your interest with them, and include details about your business (business name, postcode, and contact information). They will then assign a dedicated advisor to help you through the next steps.

Council Contact Details:

• Sheffield: Contact Sheffield City Council at [email protected]
• Barnsley: Contact Enterprising Barnsley at [email protected] | 01226 773003
• Doncaster: Contact Business Doncaster at [email protected] | 01302 735555
• Rotherham: Contact Rotherham Investment and Development Office at [email protected] | 01709 331133

Step 2 – Plan Your Project & Prepare Your Application

After contacting your local council, you’ll be asked to complete a referral form to provide more details about your proposed project. Your assigned advisor will review the information, and if your project meets the eligibility criteria, you’ll be invited to complete a full application.

At this stage, you may be asked to supply supporting documents, such as supplier quotes, planning or landlord permissions, and a project breakdown. This will help them assess the feasibility, value, and potential impact of your proposal.

If you’re thinking about working with FWD Motion, we can provide a fully itemised quote for any services you require to support your application.

Step 3 – Submit Your Application & Complete the Project

If your application is approved by the panel, you’ll receive a formal grant offer letter. Your project must begin within one month of receiving this letter. Do not start any project activity before the grant offer letter is issued – doing so will invalidate your application.

Once your funding is confirmed, we’ll get to work bringing your project to life. Whether you’re refreshing your space, enhancing your digital presence, or rolling out a new campaign, we’ll ensure everything is delivered on time, on brand, and to the highest standard.

Key T&Cs at a Glance

Grant funding is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis, with one grant available per business – so it’s important to check your eligibility before contacting your local council.

Eligibility

To apply for a grant, your business must meet the following criteria:

• Your business must have been trading for at least 12 months (if applying for over £5,000)
• Your business must have commercial premises registered in Sheffield, Barnsley, Rotherham, or Doncaster (if you’re not the business rates payer, you’ll need to provide a copy of your lease or licence)
• You must be able to complete the project and pay all supplier invoices in full by November 2025
• You’ll need to cover the full cost of the project upfront, before claiming the grant
• You must be able to meet all project deadlines and grant conditions
• Your business must have received less than £315,000 in public funding (state aid/subsidy) over the current and previous two fiscal years (excluding the grant you're applying for)

Exclusions

You are not eligible for the grant if:

• You are a pre-revenue business (i.e. not yet trading)
• Your company has more than 250 employees
• You have already received funding through the UKSPF Productivity and Digitisation project (April 2023 – March 2025)