Prosper Business Support

Devon Elevation Fund

The Devon Elevation Fund, being part of the Community Renewal Fund, will provide grants of between £2,500 and £25,000 for projects that help businesses and community organisations

Join Prosper for free, transformative business support

We’re excited to launch our new, free business support programme for pre-start and trading businesses in Mid Devon, East Devon and Exeter.

This specialised support is designed to help businesses and entrepreneurs improve productivity, reach net zero goals, move into new markets, develop new products and more.

Partnering with digital agency and social enterprise, Cosmic, we’ll be delivering support under four categories:

Businesses looking to change & adopt new practices
Green business support
Start-up support
Businesses looking to employ staff.

Eligible businesses will receive an initial in-depth one-to-one diagnostic, followed by flexible, personalised support that fits with their business needs and goals.

With a strong focus on sustainability and digital solutions, the support that follows could include further one-to-one sessions, workshops, access to peer groups and a self-learning platform, depending on the outcome of your initial diagnostic meeting.

Every business is unique, and our 25+ years' experience means we are able to tailor our support specifically to you.

Eligibility

This support is available to businesses or entrepreneurs based in or looking to start up in East Devon, Exeter, and Mid Devon. If you're unsure, you can check by inputting your postcode into the Council Checker.

Start your growth and sustainability journey today. Take a closer look below at our four areas of support and how the programme works.

REGISTER FOR PROSPER

You can register for Prosper via the Heart of the South West Growth Hub here.

REGISTER

OR ASK A QUESTION

If you have a question, please enter your details below and one of our friendly team will contact you.

First Name*
Last Name*
Email*
Phone Number

Business Location*

Business Sector*

Postcode* Business Age*

What best describes the area you would like support with*

How can we help?*

Where did you hear about us?*

Would you like to join our email newsletter? We will send you updates on upcoming free workshops, small business related news and articles as well as local funding and support no more than twice a month.

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Choose from four areas of support

Business Change

Whether you're looking at taking your business into new markets, aiming to launch new products or services, if you need help with planning or managing finances, or if you want to improve your digital skills, this support is designed for businesses looking to change and adopt new practices.

One of our expert advisors will help you look holistically at your business and identify the primary issues you face and the areas for real growth and change. Together, you'll then create a clear, manageable plan of action that you can work through.

We could help you with:

Exploring new accounting packages to streamline your financial processes
Advice on Making Tax Digital and how to use accounting software
Streamlining your office processes through new software such as Microsoft 365
Looking at CRM systems to increase your sales and improve customer service

Social media training to help you reach new customers
Support with how to set up business website or online store
Developing a new or updated marketing plan to access new markets
Creating a strong business plan to help you launch a new product or service successfully
Look at options to improve your manufacturing processes to make them more efficient

And much more, depending on your business needs.

Green Business

Our green business support provides practical advice, guidance and inspiration on sustainable practices for businesses in Mid Devon, East Devon & Exeter.

We believe it's essential for every business to have a carbon Net Zero plan in place and we're committed to building sustainability into all of the support we offer. Whatever stage you're at on your Net Zero journey - whether you're yet to start or you've made some initial changes - the guidance we provide will be relatable, effective and led by your business needs.

Green business planning documents on a desk

We could help you with:

Understanding the key facets of sustainable business practice and practical ways to apply them
Engaging your team to think sustainably and drive a greener cultural change
Understanding which sustainable certification is right for your business and how it can support growth

Exploring ways to reduce your digital carbon footprint
How to promote your sustainable activities without greenwashing
Free carbon audits
How to build an Environmental Management System.

Start-up Support

Starting a new business is a really exciting yet daunting task. There's a lot to consider, but with guidance from our experienced business advisors, you're in good hands.

Available to start-ups in Exeter, Mid Devon and East Devon, the support we provide is interwoven with digital strategy which is essential for the success of any new venture in today's world. Give your new business the best possible start with Prosper.

We could help you with:

Business planning
Building confidence
Market research
How to identify resources
How to avoid common mistakes
Legal structure
Registering your business

How to manage, organise, run, market, finance & grow a new business.

Employment Advice

Are you looking to expand your team or take on new staff for the first time? Our inspirational and practical employment advice for small businesses is designed to help you confidently and sustainably create a supportive environment and achieve the next stage of growth.

We could help you with:

How to take on a new employee
Employment legislation & requirements
Self-employment
Inclusive employment
Setting wages
Recruiting & hiring
Alternatives to redundancy.

How it works

The first step of the Prosper programme is a one-to-one session with one of our experienced business advisors. Every eligible business receives this. It's a chance for you to discuss the challenges you're facing, and the goals you're looking to achieve.

You'll take a holistic view of your business with your dedicated advisor during this in-depth meeting. You'll then create an action plan and decide on which type of support best suits your needs. This could be in the form of further one-to-one mentoring, information workshops, peer support networks, access to our new self-learning platform or a combination of any of these.

Sit down, either online or in-person and work through your business challenges with a dedicated advisor.

Sometimes it can be hard to see the wood from the trees when you're running the daily operations of your own business. Being able to get an outside, impartial point of view and having the time to step back and focus on your business goals can be a truly valuable experience.

Our advisors have worked with thousands of businesses and have a wealth of experience and knowledge to help guide you through whatever your challenges or aims. They are also there to hold you accountable and keep you on track with your goals.

Learn new ways to grow and manage your business through our comprehensive workshops.

Delivered by our experienced advisors, our information workshops tackle a broad spectrum of business challenges and provide valuable guidance and insight. Areas covered include how to access funding and investment for business expansion, sales planning, identifying new markets or products, understanding pricing, digital strategy, sustainable business practices, carbon reduction, marketing & social media, growing your team, hiring for the first time and much more.

Following your initial diagnostic session, your advisor will work with you to decide which workshops are best suited to you and your business' progression.

Build lasting connections with other businesses to share and discuss challenges, knowledge and business insights.

Having someone who can relate to your challenges is always reassuring, especially if you find owning and running your business isolating at times.

Prosper Peer Support connects you with like-minded business owners so you can share ideas, opportunities and insights, and collaboratively work through common business issues.

It's a trusted network of connections to support you not only while you're involved in the Prosper programme, but also in the future.

Learn and enhance your skills at your own pace with our innovative self-learning platform.

If the day-to-day running of your business gets in the way of in-person or online sessions or workshops, your business advisor can point you to relevant areas of our self-learning platform. On-demand, you can access expert videos, how-to guides, quizzes to embed your learning and links to further handy resources so you can expand your knowledge at a time and pace that suits you.

Your advisor will then follow up to help you work through how to apply your learning to achieve the best outcomes for your business.