Business Plans, Grant & Loan Application Support
Have a business idea or growth plan, but need help putting it into words and figures?
Whether you are starting a business, planning your next stage of growth or seeking funding, you need a clear plan that explains what you want to achieve and how you intend to get there.
AA Compliance Compass Ltd helps SMEs, start-ups and sole traders develop practical business plans, financial forecasts and supporting information for grant and business loan applications.
I help you turn your ideas into a structured plan, with realistic figures and clear priorities.
Book your FREE 30-minute consultation
A Business Plan You Can Use
A business plan should help you make decisions, measure progress and explain your business to others.
I work with you to develop a plan that covers:
- Your business, products and services.
- Your target customers and market.
- Your experience and resources.
- Marketing and sales activities.
- Day-to-day operations and responsibilities.
- Costs, pricing and income assumptions.
- Risks and how you intend to manage them.
- Goals, actions and timescales.
Create a clear direction for your business and a practical route towards it.
Start-up Business Planning
Starting a business brings plenty of questions. What will it cost? How much do you need to sell? When will customers pay? What should you prioritise?
I help start-ups and sole traders work through these questions and build a plan around their circumstances.
Support can include start-up budgets, pricing reviews, cash-flow forecasts and an action plan for launching the business.
Understand what you need before committing your time and money.
Grant Application Support
Found a grant opportunity but unsure how to explain your project or prepare the application?
I can help you review the published criteria, organise the information requested and describe your project clearly.
Support can include:
- Reviewing how your proposed project fits the scheme’s criteria.
- Structuring answers around the application questions.
- Explaining the need for funding and intended outcomes.
- Preparing project budgets and delivery timescales.
- Identifying supporting documents, quotations and evidence.
- Reviewing the application for clarity and consistency.
Where a scheme requires match funding or reimbursement after spending, I can help you reflect this in your project budget and cash-flow plan.
Present a clear application that connects your project, costs and expected benefits.
Business Loan Application Support
A loan application needs a clear explanation of how the funding will be used and how repayments will fit into your business finances.
I can help you prepare:
- A business plan tailored to the application requirements.
- A breakdown of the funding requested.
- Sales, cost and cash-flow forecasts.
- Financial assumptions supported by the information available.
- Scenarios showing the effect of lower sales or higher costs.
- Supporting documents requested by the lender.
My role is to support the business planning, figures and application preparation. Decisions on lending and funding remain with the provider.
Financial Forecasts That Support Your Plan
Your written plan and financial figures need to tell the same story.
As a qualified bookkeeper with commercial and operational management experience, I can help you develop forecasts that connect your goals with the costs and resources needed to deliver them.
This can include:
- Start-up and project budgets.
- Cash-flow forecasts.
- Profit and loss forecasts.
- Break-even calculations.
- Pricing and profitability reviews.
- Planning for loan repayments and ongoing running costs.
Understand the assumptions behind your figures and what happens if circumstances change.
Review and Update an Existing Business Plan
Already have a plan, but your business has moved on?
I can review your existing document, update the figures and help you reassess your priorities. This can be useful before applying for funding, introducing a new service or committing to a larger project.
We can also turn the plan into clear actions and review points so it remains useful after the application is submitted.
Practical Support from Someone Who Understands Business
I’m Anne Ashman, founder of AA Compliance Compass Ltd.
I bring hands-on commercial, operational and business-management experience, alongside bookkeeping expertise, to help you build a plan grounded in how your business will work.
You bring the idea and knowledge of your business. I help you organise the detail, question the assumptions and present your plans clearly.
Turn Your Next Step into a Clear Plan
During your FREE 30-minute consultation, we will discuss:
- Your business or start-up idea.
- What you want to achieve.
- Any grant or loan opportunity you are considering.
- Your application deadline and existing documents.
- The planning and financial support you need.
Book your FREE 30-minute consultation
Funding approval cannot be guaranteed. Support focuses on preparing a clear, realistic plan and application.
Business Plans, Grants & Loans: Frequently Asked Questions
Who do you provide business planning support for?
I support SMEs, start-ups and sole traders. Whether you are launching a business, planning growth or preparing a funding application, support is tailored to your goals and circumstances.
Can you help if I only have an idea?
Yes. You do not need a completed plan before getting in touch. We can work through your idea, customers, costs, pricing and practical requirements, then identify the information you still need.
Can you write my business plan with me?
Yes. I work with you to develop a plan that reflects your business and the purpose of the document. Your input is essential, particularly when explaining your services, experience, customers and goals.
Do I need a business plan if I am not applying for funding?
A business plan can help you set priorities, understand costs and measure progress. It can also help you assess a new service, investment or growth opportunity before committing resources.
Can you help with a grant application?
Yes. I can help review the published requirements, structure your answers, prepare budgets and organise supporting information. If you have a particular scheme in mind, send me its guidance and deadline.
Can you help check whether my project fits a grant scheme?
Yes. I can help you compare your business and proposed project with the published eligibility criteria. Where something is unclear, it may need confirmation from the funding provider before you proceed.
Can you help prepare a business loan application?
Yes. I can support the preparation of your business plan, forecasts, funding breakdown and supporting documents. You remain responsible for choosing whether to borrow and agreeing any loan terms with the lender.
Can you guarantee that I will receive funding?
No. Approval depends on the provider’s criteria, assessment and available funding. My role is to help you prepare a clear, consistent application supported by realistic information.
Can you prepare cash-flow and financial forecasts?
Yes. I can help prepare cash-flow forecasts, budgets, profit and loss forecasts and break-even calculations. We will agree the assumptions together and make clear which figures are estimates.
What if my business has no trading history?
We can build forecasts using your expected prices, costs, sales activity and available market information. The plan will explain the assumptions and uncertainties rather than presenting estimates as established results.
What information will you need from me?
This may include details of your business, products or services, customers, prices, costs and objectives. For an existing business, accounts and current bookkeeping records are useful. For funding applications, I will also need the provider’s guidance, application questions and deadline.
Can you improve an existing business plan?
Yes. I can review the structure, wording, financial assumptions and consistency of an existing plan, then help update it for your current goals or a particular application.
Can you help with a short application deadline?
Let me know the deadline when you enquire. I will review the scope and available information before confirming whether I can complete the work within the time available.
Will my business information be treated confidentially?
Yes. Your business plans and financial information will be treated confidentially. We will agree what information is needed and how documents will be exchanged during the work.
How much does the support cost?
The cost depends on the complexity of your plan or application, the documents already available and the financial work required. I will provide a clear quote for the agreed scope before work begins.
How do I get started?
Book a FREE 30-minute consultation with Anne to discuss your business, your plans and the support you need.