Here at the Bedfordshire Chamber of Commerce, we know that cash flow is one of the top concerns for our members. With late customer payments, seasonal slowdowns, weak invoicing and collection processes, it is a common challenge that has a significant impact on a business.
To help counteract this, we can help our members obtain additional finance to ease the pressure on cash flow and free up vital working capital – as well as provide funding for further investment in the business. How? By providingsolutions, advice and support on navigating the funding options available to find the right fit for your business – saving you time and stress – and by always being on hand to support our members.
Introducing Finance Finder
To support our members and transform their access to business finance, we have developed our Finance Finder platform.
It is an online tool that enables Chamber members to gain fast, easy access to all funding options potentially open to them, across loans, equity, and grants – all whilst simplifying and accelerating the application process.
Finance Finder is the result of a British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) partnership with Swoop Funding, and covers over 1,000 Government and non-Government funding providers. But it’s not just a search tool; the emphasis is very much on tailoring funding options to each business’s specific needs.
To this end, the platform comes with additional benefits including a dedicated Chamber Finance Finder hotline, which provides guidance in answer to businesses’ funding queries, plus a free financial health check. And once you’re ready to submit an application, the Swoop team contact you to guide you through every step of the process.
The platform is suitable not only for businesses wanting to improve their cashflow or grow their operations, but also for entrepreneurs looking for funding to support a new business venture.
Accessing Grants
Grant funding is another way of strengthening your cash flow or growing your business and comes with the extra benefit of not having to repay the grant!
Here at the Chamber, we work with our members to identify and obtain eligible grants suited to them. In addition, we can help our members access the Government’s new Find a Grant tool and advise on which grants are available, which of them you would be eligible for, and help guide you through the application.
Find a Grant is a great tool that enables you to search all available grant opportunities, grant types and eligibility criteria so you can easily match with the most suitable option for you and your business.
Again, this is all about saving time and effort, and simplifying the funding process, so that you can access the finance you need quicker to enhance your cash flow.
Join us to get help finding finance for your business.
By joining the Chamber, you will not only get help finding the right finance, but also benefit from our network of other members that you can connect to and do business with – after all, supporting businesses within our county is what we’re all about!
We regularly hold networking events, targeted Meet the Buyer programmes, webinar and workshops, to connect local businesses and help build the relationships they need to sell effectively – giving you the best possible chance of building your pipeline, growing revenues and improving cash flow.
For more information on how to become a member, please visit www.chamber-business.com or call our friendly team on 01582 522448.
