The programme's investment priorities
The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) will work closely on the Integrated Settlement programme with Birmingham City Council and other Metropolitan Local Authorities in the West Midlands.
Through a “double devolution” arrangement, Birmingham City Council will deliver the £13.9m programme directly. This will mean much more local control, and use of local knowledge to shape local delivery.
The budgets and project activity are set out for the 2 priorities as follows:
|
Year |
Total |
|---|---|
|
Year 4 (2025 to 2026) |
£ 9,159,979.83 |
|
Total |
£ 9,159,979.83 |
|
Year |
Total |
|---|---|
|
Year 4 (2025 to 2026) |
£ 4,700,177.68 |
|
Total |
£ 4,700,177.68 |
Main areas (pillars) of support
Community and Place including People and Skills
Birmingham City Council will use funding from the Communities and Place pillar to support a broad range of programmes. These will strengthen local communities, improve public spaces, and encourage inclusive economic growth across the city.
Around £4m will be invested across the city through a dynamic programme of funding. The key areas of focus will cover:
- Sport and Participation Investment - supporting initiatives that encourage active lifestyles and increase access to sport and physical activity
- Local centre development - investing in local partnerships and places to help build sustainable, community-led social enterprises and improve local services and facilities
- Vibrant and Active City Programme - investing in our city’s cultural life (including music, film and tourism projects) to create opportunities and bring people together
- Night-Time Economy Support - providing grants to improve resilience of evening and night-time businesses.
- Talent, Skills, and Industry Growth - empowering local talent and creative industries through training, career development, and sector support
To find more information on the available funding opportunities and programmes supported by Birmingham City Council through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Communities and Place Pillar for 2025 to 2026 visit
People and Skills
We aim to help citizens by:
- rasing awareness about how to access support through our The PURE (Placing vulnerable Urban Residents into Employment) project. PURE helps disabled and disadvantaged people enter the job market.
- providing delivery of funding within Birmingham Employment and Skills Project (BESP) through internal services and partner organisations to support 2 themes in Birmingham:
- Strand A: Supporting NEET (mainly economically inactive) young people (aged 16 to 29 years) on their Employment, Education and Training (EET) pathway
- Strand B: Community locality based support to economically inactive adults (aged 18 years and over to retirement) on their Employment, Education and Training (EET) pathway
BESP supports economically inactive and some unemployed people. It offers targeted activities and intensive wraparound support to young people facing significant barriers - such as care leavers, ex-offenders, those at risk of offending, and people with SEND or additional needs. It also helps inactive adults who are NEET to develop career skills and improve their readiness for work.
The programme also addresses structural barriers to employment and training. It improves access to opportunities and connects people with specialist support from partner organisations.
For general support enquiries, email youthhub@birmingham.gov.uk
Supporting Local Business Pillar
We also support local businesses to develop and grow through the projects below:
|
SME Grants - West Midlands Grants Programme |
This aims to increase productivity by improving business confidence, stimulating business activity, attracting investment, safeguarding existing and creating new jobs within local communities. It offers grant funding of £2,500 to £100k. Find out more about the WM SME Grant Programme. |
|
SME Advice - The Growth Hub |
This project offers free business advice and guidance to small and medium-sized businesses. It supports business leaders and entrepreneurs with business reviews, advice on accessing finance and grants, and referrals to other business support projects we provide. Their business advisors cover all sectors and provide impartial, no-cost advice, online and in person, working with many specialist partner organisations in public and private sectors. You can find out more by emailing UKSPF@birmingham.gov.uk or you can use our . |
|
SME Advice - Start-up Support |
This programme builds on the current support available for entrepreneurs in Birmingham and Solihull. It extends both pre-start and post-start support, helping more early-stage entrepreneurs move into business start-up. The programme encourages entrepreneurial activity across the region. It supports early-stage businesses by helping them build the skills and confidence to set up and grow locally. It also aims to engage new participants, creating more opportunities for people to start and develop their own businesses. Once established, businesses can access further support through mainstream and specialist programmes to continue their growth. You can find out more by emailing UKSPF@birmingham.gov.uk. |
|
SME Advice - Export Support |
The programme provides grants of up to £6,000 that will help businesses:
Find out more about our Export Support Programme. |
|
SME Advice - Green Transition (CEBAS) |
This programme continues the work of the CEBAS project, which supports circular economy and resource efficiency. It works with small and medium-sized businesses to redirect excess materials between organisations - keeping them out of landfill and reducing harmful emissions. To protect the environment and save money through . For more information on how your business can make the journey to net zero, visit Climate change advice for organisations. |
|
SME Advice - Digital Transition |
This project helps businesses and third sector organisations make better use of digital technology. It supports growth by showing how digital tools can improve productivity, efficiency, and innovation. The project also aims to engage SMEs that don’t see themselves as ‘tech businesses’, helping them understand the benefits of adopting technology and how it can support their long-term development. It also encourages businesses to explore the benefits of advanced technologies. It supports innovation, growth, and access to new markets by helping organisations understand how digital tools can improve their operations. The project also creates the right conditions for innovation by improving access to digital and shared infrastructure - reducing the time, cost, and risk involved in developing new products and services. Find out more by emailing UKSPF@birmingham.gov.uk. |
|
SME Advice – Impact Coalition |
This project will create an online platform to improve transparency around grant funding for Socially Trading Organisations (STOs). It aims to help STOs move away from grant dependency by supporting the development of new income opportunities. The platform will also help us better understand and measure the social impact these organisations create. Find out more by emailing UKSPF@birmingham.gov.uk. |
|
SME Advice – Investment in the Night Time Economy |
A grant fund to support evening and night-time economy enterprises in Birmingham. The fund is open to businesses looking to start up or scale up in this important part of the city’s visitor and cultural economy. Investment will be targeted in key night-time economy destinations during this one-year funding round, helping to strengthen the sector and support long-term growth. Investment will be delivered alongside Growth Hub support, including business planning and advice. This will help businesses make the most of the funding. Birmingham recently hosted the Night Time Economy Industries Association National Summit, showing its commitment to the sector. You can register your interest by visiting . |
|
SME Advice – Community Enterprise Support |
This project supports social economy clusters and local centres with tailored business support. It offers diagnostics, advice on governance structures, and guidance on accessing finance. The project also builds peer networks to encourage ongoing support and shared learning between socially trading enterprises. It helps them explore new income opportunities and prepare for different finance models, including asset ownership - such as developing business and governance structures for owning buildings. Find out more by emailing UKSPF@birmingham.gov.uk. |
Read the privacy notice for businesses taking part in the provision of specialist business advisors and other specialist programmes funded through UKSPF and managed by the council.
Page last updated: 19 August 2025