Calderdale Business Grants | Invest in Digital

Calderdale sits at the intersection of urban vitality and rugged Pennine beauty, with market towns like Halifax, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, and Brighouse forming a network of creative, industrial, and entrepreneurial hubs. The borough benefits from strong heritage in manufacturing, a thriving culture and tourism sector, and a growing reputation as an incubator for independent business.

Learn more about how Digital Enterprise can support your business through our Digital Accelerator and High Impact Grant.

High Impact Grant > Digital Accelerator Grant >

The Need for Support in Calderdale

The area is already home to over 8,500 businesses across a highly diverse economy, from advanced manufacturing and financial services to creative industries and visitor economy. But many local firms still face barriers to adopting new technology or scaling digitally.

Calderdale’s economic strength lies in diversity. Manufacturing (especially advanced manufacturing) remains more prominent here than in many comparable areas. Still, many SMEs and microbusinesses in Calderdale report digital skills or infrastructure as a growth constraint. In a local survey, improving digital capability and access to modern systems was flagged as a priority among businesses.

That is where Calderdale Business Grants come in; these funds help bridge the investment gap, letting companies adopt ecommerce, automation, CRM, data analytics, or integrated platforms without shouldering all the cost. The grants reduce risk for businesses and accelerate growth throughout Calderdale’s towns and villages.

How We Helped The Piece Hall: A Business Transformation Story

A powerful example of what Calderdale business grants can achieve can be seen in the transformation of a major cultural and events venue in the region. The organisation needed to update its internal networking infrastructure, much of which had reached end-of-life and was no longer reliable during high-demand periods. At large events, particularly during the summer concert programme, network dropouts had directly affected bar operations; a serious issue for a venue that now operates primarily cashless.

With support from Digital Enterprise, the venue secured funding and guidance to completely overhaul its digital backbone. The project included the installation of new firewalls, upgraded access points, and a streamlined network designed to handle high visitor traffic. These improvements have delivered:

Reliable connectivity across the entire site, even during peak events
Faster, frictionless card payments at bar and retail points
Reduced downtime and staff workload, thanks to stronger monitoring and management tools
Greater appeal to major promoters and touring acts, thanks to improved technical reliability

This case demonstrates the practical value of Calderdale business grants: they enable organisations to invest in the technology that supports growth, resilience, and long-term sustainability. Whether you’re improving customer experience, integrating front-end and back-office systems, or preparing to scale, the right digital funding can make that next step achievable.

Our Calderdale Business Grants: Digital Accelerator & High Impact

To help Calderdale and wider West Yorkshire firms embrace digital innovation, Digital Enterprise provides two types of match-funded grants, designed to suit different business growth ambitions. Each is paired with impartial advice and support from a Digital Growth Advisor to guide you through planning, procurement, and execution.

High Impact Grant

For ambitious projects, this grant supports projects ranging from £25,000 to £100,000, with up to 50% match-funding, and a maximum grant value of £35,000.
It is intended for transformational digital projects that can reshape how a business operates, for example, large-scale system integrations, new digital platforms, or major automation/AI implementation.
Because of the scale, the application must undergoe more rigorous procurement and appraisal process. Your Digital Growth Advisor will provide impartial support and advice throughout your application.
Important caveat: a business cannot apply for a High Impact Grant if it has already received one previously (though receiving an Accelerator Grant does not disqualify you).

Digital Accelerator Grant

Designed for projects costing up to £25,000, with up to 50% match-funding (maximum grant value of £10,000).
Ideal for investments such as CRM systems, enhanced e-commerce, or efficient automation systems.
Applicants must be West Yorkshire based, trading for at least 3 years, employing 5–100 FTEs, operating predominantly in B2B sectors, and meet turnover thresholds.
Note: a business that has previously received a Digital Accelerator Grant under the earlier DE3 programme may not be eligible for a second one.

Eligibility Criteria for Business Grants Calderdale

Before applying, please take a moment to review the revised eligibility requirements to ensure your organisation meets all conditions.

Your business must be based in the West Yorkshire region and have been operational for at least three consecutive years. Only organisations that mainly trade business-to-business (B2B) are eligible; those that focus on business-to-consumer (B2C) activities will not be considered. In addition, your company should have a minimum of five full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, and up to approx. 100 employees, with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more.

Applicants should clearly demonstrate active engagement in digital adoption, showing how technology is being integrated to boost efficiency, productivity, and growth. Proposals must include specific project aims with measurable deliverables, and applicants must also be able to contribute match funding to support the project.

If you wish to apply for a High Impact Grant, you cannot have previously been awarded one, although past recipients of an Accelerator Grant remain eligible. For those applying for an Accelerator Grant, your business must not have received any prior grant funding from DE3 which ran from 1^st July 2023 to 31^st March 2025.

Ready to Start Your Digital Journey?

Apply today for one of our Business Grants for Calderdale SMEs and take your next step towards digital growth.

High Impact Grant > Digital Accelerator Grant >

Our Success Stories

Here are just a few of the businesses we’ve helped — some in complex or challenging circumstances, others in urgent need of funding.

Haley Studios

Like a stunning butterfly, hand-painted mural brand, By Haleys, is spreading its wings and showing the world what its talented team can do. We sat down with Haley Studios’ Managing Director, Richard Haley, to hear how the company’s new custom Shopify tool ...

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Yarwood Leather

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the right technology infrastructure for your business. Although it may feel like a luxury at times, the benefits are far-reaching, from efficiency gains to peace of mind. Here, Kate Dixon, Managing Director of Yarwood Leather, shares ...

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Eden Repair Centre

In a world filled with technology it can be easy to lose sight of what it’s all for. But this hasn’t been the case for Directors of Eden Repair Centre, Andy Payne and Richard Kennedy, who have built their business on human connection ...

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Applelec Group

Applelec Group has been serving the signage and architectural lighting industry for over two decades, but now it’s changing the way it operates and does business. Here, Marketing Manager, Rachel Gould, shares how the recent introduction of a new digital system marks more ...

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Digital Enterprise Top 30

Over the past 16 months, DE3 has awarded grant funding to more than 450 businesses, and committed all of its allocated budget for the current programme phase (DE3), which is scheduled to conclude in March 2025. Since launching in 2016, DE has provided over ...

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Xerogrid

From farms in Spain to factories in Ghana, Xerogrid helps people harness solar, wind, and battery technology to power their off-grid lives and businesses. Using traditional methods to manage and optimise their renewable energy systems the business recognised the need for digital innovation ...

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TimberTight

Kirklees-based Timber Frame Construction company, TimberTight is experiencing a surge of growth, as demand increases for residential and commercial timber frame buildings. After recording 38 percent growth during October 2022 to 2023 - an increase from £3.75m to £5.2m - they have their ...

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TF Automation

TF Automation, a leading manufacturer of custom automation equipment in Bradford, is experiencing a surge in efficiency and positioning itself for significant growth thanks to a recent technology investment. The company caters to diverse industries like automotive, aerospace, and textiles, designing and building ...

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Powerrun

Powerrun Pipe-Mech, a company specialising in bespoke water industry pipework systems, has seen its growth plans accelerate after adopting 3D scanning technology. Since launching in 2017, Powerrun has relied on traditional, time-consuming site surveys involving tape measures and manual data collection. This not only ...

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VTR North

The development and improved capabilities of digital devices such as smart phones and tablets have, in recent years, removed the barriers to producing a range of media content, from photos to videos and voice recordings. Yet according to Spencer Bain, Managing Director at Leeds-based

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Involution

Digital transformation brings different benefits to businesses. One of the things that is almost universal is the time savings that come from introducing technology and building systems that automate day-to-day business processes. Having made some serious progress on its own journey into the digital ...

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Livewell

Digital technologies have broken down the barriers to innovation and enabled businesses of all shapes and sizes to reinvent themselves. For just a fraction of what it would cost without these tech tools, SMEs are now developing new products and services, accessing new markets, ...

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ShopAppy

Pre-pandemic, ShopAppy spent years promoting the importance of shopping local and supporting independent businesses. But as of 23 March 2020, their digital offering went from being optional to essential for retailers across the country. Huge numbers of businesses were forced to close their shops completely, ...

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XR Games

As a young boy, creating video games as a career seemed near-impossible for Bobby Thandi. But now, as the Founder of XR Games, he is bringing those dreams to reality for himself and others. Here, he discusses how the business now occupies a coveted ...

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