Mayor’s Back to Business Fund – About
The Mayor’s £1m Back to Business Fund will offer up to £5,000 in match funding to small and
independent businesses through the Pay It Forward London crowdfunding platform delivered in
partnership with Crowdfunder UK.
Pay It Forward London enables businesses to raise vital funds and stay afloat, rebuild and recover
from the impacts of Covid-19 through crowdfunding. Since its launch in April, over 5,000 Londoners
have donated over £300,000 to support their favourite local businesses.
The Mayor will match every pound raised by a business up to a maximum of £5,000 – or 50% of their
campaign target – in sectors which rely on physical trading and have been badly affected by Covid-19
restrictions, including retail, hospitality, leisure, tourism, travel, creative and arts, entertainment and
recreation, and health and fitness.
To be eligible, businesses need to start crowdfunding on Pay It Forward London and reach 25% of
their campaign target. Once 100% of the target is reached, the funding is released to the business.
Businesses that are already crowdfunding on Pay It Forward London are also eligible to apply.
As well as supporting cash flow, the Mayor wants to help small businesses to invest in their future, so
the funding is being made available conditional upon recipients spending a portion of the funding to
support digital transformation and measures to enable safe re-opening and socially-distant trading.
Applications for the Mayor’s Back to Business Fund are now open:
https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund.
PR – announcing the scheme
The Back to Business Fund was announced by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan on Thursday 30 July at a
visit to Paper Dress Vintage in Hackney, a vintage clothing store which has benefitted from Pay It
Forward London and raised over £8,000. The GLA communications team issued the main press
release and is handling press queries. A second release is being issued from the Deputy Mayor for
Business Rajesh Agrawal to business titles and correspondents on Monday 10 August to announce
the opening of applications.
You are encouraged to share the announcement on social media and across your networks. Our goal
is to reach as many small businesses in London as possible – every business type from every part of
the city.
Social media content for sharing
Newsletter copy example
The Mayor’s £1m Back to Business Fund is offering up to £5,000 in match funding to small businesses
to help them survive through COVID-19 and adapt to do business through London’s recovery.
Through the Back to Business Fund, businesses will get financial help to expand their operation
online and to adapt to safe, socially distant trading. It could be used for such things as new Perspex
screens, contactless payment technologies or new equipment.
Start crowdfunding for your business now on Pay It Forward London and be eligible for up to £5,000
in match funding from the Mayor: https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
Twitter copy examples
● @MayorofLondon’s new £1m Back to Business Fund in partnership with @crowdfunderuk is
now open for applications.
This offers £5k in match funding to small businesses through the #PayItForward scheme.
Apply now: https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
● @MayorofLondon and @crowdfunderuk have launched a new Back to Business Fund
through #PayItForward.
Small businesses can apply for up to £5,000 in match funding from the Mayor:
https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
● Is your business on #PayItForward?
@MayorofLondon has just announced that every pound raised by small businesses through
the scheme will be match funded up to £5,000.
Apply now:
https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
● Start crowdfunding for your business now and get up to £5,000 in match funding from the
Mayor’s new Back to Business Fund:
https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
Facebook copy example
@MayorofLondon, in partnership with @crowdfunderuk announced a new £1 million Back
to Business Fund. This offers £5k in match funding to small businesses through the Pay It
Forward scheme.
Applications now open: https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
LinkedIn copy examples
● The Mayor of London’s new £1m Back to Business Fund will offer £5k in match funding to
small business through the successful #PayItForwardLondon crowdfunding scheme – apply
now: https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
● Through the @MayorofLondon’s #PayItForward crowdfunding initiative, businesses can
apply for up to £5,000 in match funding from the Mayor – applications are now open:
https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
The #PayItForward has seen huge success, with over 5,000 Londoners contributing over
£300,000 to small businesses across London. Start crowdfunding for your business now and
the Mayor will match 50% of your target!
● The Mayor will match every pound raised by a business on the #PayItForward crowdfunding
platform, up to a max £5k to help them with safe re-opening and socially-distant trading
#BacktoBusinessFund → apply now https://payitforward.london.gov.uk/fund
