What the Future Camden Fund is
The Future Camden Fund is our programme to support small businesses to build a better future for Camden and its residents.
How we will fund small businesses
Small businesses applying to the Future Camden Fund can be awarded an affordable loan or Match Trading grant of up to £50,000.
Our affordable loans have a flat interest rate at 5% with a three-year repayment term.
Match Trading matches an increase in sales income with a grant. If you make an extra £1,000, we will award you another £1,000. Businesses will also have access to a package of support to help them grow their business.
Who can apply
The fund is open to small businesses that believe they have had a positive impact on the borough. We are particularly keen to hear from small businesses that:
- work towards a more inclusive and sustainable economy
- are Black and female-owned, as data shows that there can be barriers to funding
Application criteria
Your project should meet the following application criteria:
- Your business is based in Camden or can show that a large amount of your work is done locally and benefits local people
- You are a micro or small business with fewer than 50 employees
- You are registered with Companies House or the Charity Commission
- You have a clear, innovative, and realistic project idea that you would like to fund
Your project should also meet one of the Inclusive Economy outcomes:
- Providing education and training for local people
- Delivering programmes for young people
- Improving digital inclusion
- Addressing underrepresentation
- Supporting diverse and local supply chains
- Access to Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics (STEAM)
- Supporting citizens’ health and wellbeing
- Promoting sustainability, net zero or more ethical choices
- Supporting other small businesses
If you are applying for Match Funding, there should be a clear trading component to your project. This is income that is earned by selling a product or service.
Find out more in the application guidance.
How to apply
The Future Camden Fund is currently open and will run until all the funding has been allocated.
The first step is to complete the expression of interest form which should take 5 to 10 minutes. We will be in touch within two weeks of your expression of interest to confirm if you are eligible to apply. Click the link below to register.
Register an expression of interest
If you meet the application criteria, we will invite you to submit a full application so we can find out more about your:
- project
- budget
- delivery plan
- finances
We will send you a simple online application form. You will have the option to upload documents such as your business plan, pitch deck, impact report or a video. We are also carrying out informal conversations and site visits so that we can better understand your work.
Panel decision
Using a scoring assessment model, an independent panel of senior council officers and local business experts will decide if you application is successful or not. Applicants will be scored based on their local impact, how well they meet at least one of the Inclusive Economy outcomes, their business innovation and financial viability.
Application dates
We want organisations to have time to hear about the Fund and put forward their best application. We are reviewing two more cohorts of applications in 2024:
Cohort one:
- Applications received by 16 August will be considered in the first cohort
- The panel will take place in the final week of September and successful applicants will be confirmed shortly after that
Cohort two:
- Applications received between 16 August and 18 October will be considered in the second cohort
- The panel will take place in the final week of November and successful applicants will be confirmed shortly after that
You may submit an expression of interest at any time. If we are experiencing a high volume of applications, we cannot guarantee your place at a panel.
Contact [email protected] if you have any questions.