BUSINESS
Support

Find out how Sunderland’s BIDs can help support you and your business.

With our levy income funding each term, we’re able to make a substantial and positive impact on the strength and growth of the city, so we can help Sunderland’s businesses thrive.

Sharon Appleby at City Hall

BUSINESS BENEFITS

    • Sunderland Gift Card blue sky

      Sunderland
      Gift Card

      We launched the Sunderland Gift Card, the first of its kind in the North East, in 2020 as part of our ongoing commitment to boosting the local economy.

      Since then, over a quarter of a million pounds has been locked into our city.

    • Sunderland SR1 Street Rangers Ethan and Lee

      SR1
      STREET RANGERs

      Street Rangers provide an enhanced cleaning service within the city centre and offer a rapid response service to businesses.

      A welcoming face on the city’s streets, pivotal to knowledge sharing and communication, acting as the eyes and ears for the business community and more…

    • #happeninginsunderland hard copy newsletter

      Advertising
      Opportunities

      We offer plenty of free opportunities for businesses based in Sunderland city centre to shout out about their brilliant products and services.

      It’s very simple! You just need to tell us which opportunities you would like to take up.

    CITY IN
    NUMBERS

    Get in-depth data on our city centre

    Data is the cornerstone of every decision we make.

    As a Business Improvement District (BID), we depend on the insights gleaned from our city centre data to ensure we can effectively support our businesses through informed decisions and strategic campaigns.

    lots of people enjoying drinks outside of the Engine Room in Sunderland Fire Station

    FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

      • Social Enterprise
        Boost Fund

        You could be elligible if you:

        Want to start a social enterprise or are an existing social enterprise looking to grow.

        You could get:

        Up to £10,000 towards start-up and development costs.

        Entries close:

        Autumn 2025.

      • BIC
        Innovation

        You could be elligible if you:

        Are an eligible trading company that is physically based in commercial premises in Sunderland.

        You could get:

        40% contribution towards innovative projects valued between £5k and £25k.

        Entries close:

        31 July 2025.

      • Business Support
        Fund

        You could be elligible if you:

        Are based in the Sunderland City Council catchment area.

        Employ fewer than 250 people with either an annual turnover of less than £54 Million or a Balance Sheet Value of less than 27 Million.

        Are planning to grow (particular focus will be given to applications demonstrating job creation and/or the safeguarding of existing jobs).

        You could get:

        Up to 40% of eligible business spend on  projects costing between £3,000 and £6,000.

        Entries close:

        10 August 2025.

      • Karen Williamson speaking to businesses at the Retail Strategy Event

        Citylife
        Business Support

        You could be elligible if you:

        Are based within Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead or Sunderland

        Employ fewer than 250 people with either an annual turnover of less than £54 Million or a Balance Sheet Value of less than 27 Million.

        Are planning to adapt to new challenges, increase business resilience, create and safeguard jobs.

        You could get:

        BIPC North East’s Citylife Experts are available to provide twelve hours of free advice tailored to individual needs. This could be one-to-one advice and support, delivered online or in person, or it could be a project or piece of work that they would carry-out on your behalf.

        Tailored workshops.

        Events and webinars.

        Entries close:

        Ongoing.

      • Festival & Events
        Grant Funding

        You could be elligible if you:

        Are a charitable organisation, community interest company or social enterprise, partnership, or constituted community group.

        Have a bank account in the name of the organisation.

        Are planning a festival or event to take place between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026.

        You could get:

        Temporary staff costs, equipment hire, marketing costs, performers’ fees and travel costs, venue hire, licensing and road closure costs, picnic boxes and other forms of event catering if offered at subsidised or no cost to the public – and the wholesale costs of these purchases from local businesses is reduced, consultancy support around public health & safety, and risk management, website costs and customer relationship management costs if they are related to event promotion, public health advice and updates, sustainable travel options, and regional tourism and shop local campaigns.

        Entries close:

        September 2025.

      • Business Growth
        Fund

        You could be elligible if you:

        Have a project which couldn’t proceed without grant support.

        Are planning capital investment of at least £67,000.

        Are expanding or establishing in the areas of Gateshead Metropolitan Brough Council, North East Combined Authority, Sunderland City Council.

        You could get:

        Up to 30% expenditure.

        Entries close:

        Ongoing.

      • Copyright: Georgi Mabee

        Boiler
        Upgrade Scheme

        You could be elligible if you:

        Own the property you’re applying for.

        Be replacing fossil fuel heating systems – such as oil, gas, electric or LPG (liquefied petroleum gas).

        You could get:

        £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops) or £5,000 towards a biomass boiler

        Entries close:

        Ongoing.

      • EV Chargers &
        Infastructure grants

        You could be elligible if you:

        Own or manage the property you’re applying for.

        You could get:

        £350 or 75% off the cost to buy and install a socket, whichever amount is lower

        Up to £30,000 or 75% off the cost of things like wiring and posts. The amount depends on how many parking spaces the work covers

        Entries close:

        Ongoing.

      • The Stobart
        Sustainability Fund

        You could be elligible if you:

        Are a community group, educational facility or small business.

        Are planning a project benefiting the environment which is of a green, ecological or sustainabile nature.

        You could get:

        Grant to deliver a community-led sustainability project or initiative lead by non-profit organisations, community groups and educational facilities, such as schools and colleges, to help transform the local community through projects that tackle climate change, reduce carbon emissions or that protect and enhance the environment.

        Entries close:

        Ongoing.

      IN
      SUNDERLAND

      Inclusive campaign launched to shine a spotlight on independent shops, restaurants and businesses in Sunderland to support, promote and champion.

      There is a thriving community of independent businesses, which bring originality, variety and character to Sunderland’s High Street.

      It is easy for their voices to get lost. Working together we hope to create one, sizable community that will generate strength in numbers.

      Woman making coffee in a coffee shop coffee at the bothy

      SKILLS & GROWTH

        • Learning
          Opportunities

          Enhance the skills of your workforce and bring great benefits to your business.

          University of Sunderland’s Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme (SSIP) includes a range of consortium partners.

        • Innovate
          & Grow

          A range of complementary activities to catalyse and support innovation and business growth in the city.

          This project between the University of Sunderland and Sunderland City Council consists of four main sections.

        • Procure Smart team inside the Software Centre

          SAVE
          SMARTER

          We all know it’s best practice for businesses to switch suppliers regularly to access new deals and reduce costs.

          But when is the best time; what is the best contract length; and what does a good deal look like?

        ENERGY
        EFFICENCY

        Reducing energy costs and cutting carbon emissions is important for businesses of all sizes.

        By installing energy-efficiency improvements into business premises the average company could reduce its energy bill by up to 25%.

        The savings generated by reducing energy bills could pay back the upfront cost of the improvements in just one to three years.

        a green mug between two grey socks

        A SAFER SUNDERLAND

          • SUNDERLAND
            SHOPWATCH

            A partnership where retailers unify as an independent group to pre-empt theft in retail premises.

            The Shopwatch organization works closely with local authorities and intends to reduce retail crime and antisocial behaviour and to help make shopping areas safer for customers and staff.

          • SUNDERLAND
            PUBWATCH

            A voluntary group with the key aim of achieving a safe, secure and responsibly led social drinking environment in all licensed premises throughout Sunderland city centre and thereby reduce alcohol-related crime.

            A partnership of local licensees, Northumbria Police and the Local Authority, working as an independent group, to share intelligence and pre-empt crime and anti-social behaviour in licensed premises.