HP Smart Business Awards - Imminent Deadline

The HP Smart Business Awards are designed to celebrate the achievements of the UK's best small and medium-sized businesses.

Awards will be made across a range of categories, recognising different areas of business, including social media, manufacturing innovation and green practices. One business will also be awarded the overall title of HP Smart Business of the Year 2012.

As well as the kudos and associated PR that comes with winning an award, the following prize packages are offered:

HP Smart Business of the Year Prizes

• A premium HP device bundle (PC, Printer and relevant software)
• The HP Smart Business of the Year 2012 trophy and branding with full usage rights
• PR support to help promote the business around the award win
• Free branding expert advice
• Trip with a Santander trade mission
• HP Business Mentor

Category Prizes

• HP device bundle (computer, printer and software)
• HP Smart Business Awards trophy
• LinkedIn pro account x1 seat (one year)
• Category winner logo and branding with full usage rights

Small and medium-sized enterprises operating within any business sector and located and operating within the UK may enter this programme.

Entrants may be nominated under multiple categories, including the overall award.

The 2012 deadline for receipt of entries is 29 June 2012.

http://www.hpsmartbusinessawards.com/

POWYS BUSINESS AWARDS 2012

The Powys Business Awards are designed to showcase the extent of business talent and the quality of companies and individuals that we have here in the county. Powys is home to so many exciting and diverse businesses, a number are well known, some with market leading credentials, but the majority are unsung heroes that given the opportunity have the skills and ability to rival anyone in their sector. Perhaps you or your business are one of these that just requires the spotlight of exposure to ignite your potential.

The Powys Business Awards are open to any business that have offices and/or manufacturing facilities here in the county and employ locally resident staff.

Size of business is not an issue either in terms of employee numbers or turnover. Indeed the majority of companies in the area have less than five staff whilst other have hundreds. You can be a sole trader or part of a large group.

Ideally entrants should have a track record of trading for a minimum of 12 months.

There are 13 categories including the Social Enterprise/Charity Award.

Entries close Friday 6th July 2012 and the Awards Dinner will be held Friday 28th Sept 2012 at Theatr Hafren, Newtown.

For more information go to:  http://www.powysbusinessawards.co.uk/

(Source:  Powys Business Awards 2012)

Smarta 100 Awards - 2012 Round Launched

The Smarta 100 Awards are an annual celebration of the most 'resourceful, original, exciting and disruptive' small businesses in the UK. Entrepreneurs who are involved with a face-to-face business, social enterprises or e-commerce ventures are invited to enter the awards, which carry a grand prize of £10,000 to boost operations.

Smarta differs from other business awards by championing not just the most profitable businesses, whilst unearthing a true cross-section of the UK's most enterprising small businesses.

Winners will benefit from publicity and PR as a result of being selected as successful candidates. In addition to the kudos and notoriety, winners will also receive a number of other benefits, including a financial reward and additional business support from industry experts.

2012 Prizes are as follows:

• Best Use of Innovation: iPad and mentoring from Smarta founder Shaa Wasmund.
• Best Use of Technology: £1,000 worth of Intuit products.
• Best Use of Resources: Up to £1,000 worth of business insurance.
• Best Use of Marketing: A three-hour PR and communications workshop worth £1,000 with founders Michael Hayman and Nick Giles.
• Biggest Social Impact: Prize to be confirmed.
• Best Use of People: £1,000 worth of training from NatWest Mentor.
• A £10,000 prize for the overall O2 Smarta 100 Business of the Year.

Entries are accepted from entrepreneurs running small social enterprises and businesses in the UK.

All Smarta 100 winners will be guests at an awards ceremony to be held in November, where overall and special awards winners will be announced.

The deadline for entries for the 2012 awards is 1 September 2012.

http://www.smarta.com/

(Source:  Grantfinder)

Money Advice Trust - Innovation Grants Programme - Open to Applications

Grants of between £1,000 and £30,000 are available to charitable organisations in the UK that provide free, independent, effective advice to clients on the strategies available to help them deal with their debts and financial circumstances.

Funding is available for work which will improve the quality and amount of money advice available in the UK, as well as work which creates resources and information which can be shared with other money advice agencies.

Projects must be innovative and look for new approaches to an old issue or the use of an established approach for new issues, needs or audiences.

The priority areas are as follows:

• Developing new information, resources and ways of delivering advice that can be shared with others, and replicated widely.
• Projects which combine money advice and financial capability for people who are usually excluded from society.
• Work which will assist those who are homeless or facing homelessness.

The deadline for applications is 11 July 2012.

http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/

(Source:  Grantfinder)

Welsh National Business Awards - 2012 Round Open

The annual Welsh National Business Awards recognise and honour the breadth of business achievements in Wales, across a broad range of sectors and activities. Entries for the 2012 round are now being invited.

The 2012 Awards will be made under the following nine categories:

1. Company of the (Turnover Less than £10 Million)
2. New Startup Company of the Year
3. Go Green Environmental Award
4. Creative Marketing Award
5. Best Use of Foreign Languages in Business
6. Training & Developing Staff Award
7. Young Achiever
8. Company of the Year (Turnover Greater than £10 Million)
9. Entrepreneur of the Year (Key Category for 2012)

Winners will receive an award to commemorate their success in business and will also benefit from extensive coverage in the Western Mail and on the WalesOnline.co.ukwebsite.

Businesses and individual entrepreneurs that are setting up or operating a business that is located in and operating in Wales may enter this awards programme.

The closing date for entries is 21 September 2012.

http://www.iwa.org.uk/

(Source:  Grantfinder)

Launch of the 2012 Santander Social Enterprise Development Awards

The Santander Social Enterprise Development Awards aim to recognise and support social enterprises and Community Interest Companies in the UK that are working to grow their business and improve their local community but require additional financial assistance to help them realise their ideas.

Launched for the 2012 round today, the Development Awards have been split into segments to make sure a range of enterprises benefit:

• Segment A provides a prize of £50,000 to social enterprises with a turnover of £250,000 - £500,000.
• Segment B provides a prize of £30,000 to social enterprises with a turnover of £100,000 - £250,000.
• Segment C provides a prize of £15,000 to social enterprises with a turnover of less than £150,000.

In addition to the cash prize the winning social enterprises will have access to a range of other opportunities:

• Monitoring and evaluation support so the success of the business can be measured.
• Access to bespoke university training courses.
• Opportunity to have a three month intern working in the business to help implement growth plans.
• Networking with other Santander Social Enterprise Development Award winners.
• The chance to showcase the business and the community supported by hosting a Development Award visit.

The types of costs that relate to the following are eligible:

• Improving Social Inclusion
• Supporting Disadvantaged People
• Creating a Greener Environment

The Development Awards are targeted at established social enterprises in the UK with two or more years of trading, which have ambitions to develop their business but need a financial boost to help them realise their ideas.

The deadline for receipt of applications is 2 July 2012.

http://www.santanderseda.co.uk/

(Source:  Grantfinder)

Gorsedd y Dreigiau (Bard of Dragons) Competition - 2012 Round Open

The Gorsedd of Dragons Competition is based on the popular television series, Dragons' Den.  It invites entrepreneurs to put forward business propositions to a panel of Welsh 'dragons' in a battle for investment and professional business advice.

The aim of the competition is to support new business ideas (start-ups) and existing new businesses that have a chance of succeeding and demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Wales during a difficult economic climate.

The competition offers two prizes in 2012:

• £5,000 for the winner to help establish or develop the business idea.
• A Young Person prize of £2,000 for people aged between 16 and 25 (who will also be eligible for the main prize).

Professional business advice will also be provided to help turn ideas into reality.

The competition is open to Welsh speakers who wish to live and work in Wales.  Any sort of business idea, invention, product or service is eligible.  Entries may come from individuals, partnerships or groups of people - but there must be one named contact person.

Entries may be from new businesses established during the last five years or from those that have yet to be established.

The closing date for entries to the 2012 competition is 6 July 2012

http://www.menterabusnes.com/

(Source:  Grantfinder)