The University of Northampton is preparing to launch its next Help to Grow Northamptonshire cohort in November, giving SME leaders across the county access to a 12-week programme focused on leadership, productivity and business growth.
With a Government-commissioned evaluation published this summer, there is also fresh evidence about what participants gain from Help to Grow: Management — and whether it could be a worthwhile investment of time for local business owners.
Growing a business brings challenges that do not always have obvious answers.
How do you improve productivity without simply asking people to work harder? When is the right time to invest in digital technology? How do you develop your leadership as the team grows? And where will the next customers or markets come from?
These are some of the practical questions that Help to Grow: Management is designed to help SME leaders address.
The University of Northampton’s first cohort begins this November, offering business leaders a 12-week programme covering strategy and innovation, digital transformation, marketing, new markets, employee engagement, operations and financial management. Participants also benefit from peer learning and one-to-one mentoring while developing a Growth Action Plan for their business.
But what difference can a management programme actually make?
A major independent evaluation of Help to Grow, commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade and published in June 2026, provides some useful answers.
The evaluation found that participants who completed the programme were significantly more confident in their management and leadership skills and in their ability to achieve business goals despite obstacles, compared with eligible SME leaders who had not participated. It also found improvements in knowledge and understanding of management and leadership and the factors that drive productivity.
The benefits were not confined to the person attending. 90% of participants said they had shared what they learned with others in their business within six weeks of completing the programme. Participants also reported positive changes including improved employee engagement, stronger relationships between leaders and increased innovation.
There was also evidence of greater business resilience. The evaluation’s analysis found that participation in Help to Grow increased business survival rates, while participating businesses reported examples of improved cash-flow management, cost savings and accessing further business support.
So, is Help to Grow right for your business?
If you are leading an established SME and want to take a more structured look at how you lead, where your business is going and what could work better, the programme provides an opportunity to do exactly that alongside other business leaders facing similar challenges.
Help to Grow is open to eligible UK businesses employing between 5 and 249 people. The programme is 90% Government funded, with bursary support also available towards the remaining contribution.
The University of Northampton’s next cohort starts in November 2026.
Find out more and apply through the University of Northampton Help to Grow website
