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For the owners of start-up businesses, established small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and everything in between, securing the funding you need to grow your business is always going to be a key priority.
And for many small businesses and start ups, there is no better source of business funding than small business grants and start-up business grants.
If you’re a founder, side-hustler or entrepreneur based in Northern Ireland, the good news is that there are plenty of Northern-Ireland-specific small business grants and start-up business grants, which are open for applications.
Read on to find out more about start-up business grants in Northern Ireland and to discover what kind of funding is on offer for Northern Irish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) like yours.
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What is a small business grant?
A small business grant is normally a non-repayable sum of money given to a business in order for that organisation to complete a specific project or activity.
Start-up business grants tend to operate along similar lines, although the key difference is that most start-up business grants have been designed explicitly to help young firms cover some of the one-off costs associated with getting the business up and running.
Like small business loans, for example, small business grants can provide firms with an injection of growth capital when they need it.
But because they don’t generally need to be repaid – and since small business grants don’t require you give up any ownership of your business – small business grants are often very competitive.
Just bear in mind that small business and start-up business grants can sometimes be partially or conditionally repayable, so it is important to understand the details of the scheme before applying.
As well as funding specific to Northern Ireland, there is a wealth of small business grants and start-up business grants available across the UK as a whole.
You may also be able to find funding for certain demographics, such as small business grants for women, so it could be best to spend some time researching all your options before committing to a lengthy application process.
Start-up business grants in Northern Ireland
If you are looking to form a new business in Northern Ireland, then you may be eligible for a start-up business grant.
Below are some examples of Northern Ireland start-up business grants:
Business Start-Up and Seed Fund Mentoring Programme
Eligible regions: Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area
Sectors: Any
Amount: £1,000 (plus a package of support)
Details: This scheme is for people who are unemployed, economically inactive, or underemployed and who live in the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area. To be eligible for funding, you have to be planning to start your own viable business or become self-employed. On top of a £1,000 bursary, successful applicants will receive advice, training, mentoring and support to help turn their business idea into reality. The scheme runs annually, with the 2025 programme due to open soon.
From Student to First sale (FS2FS)
Eligible regions: Northern Ireland
Sectors: Graduates
Amount: £15,000 salary subsidy
Details: If you have graduated within the past six months, you may be able to apply for the From Student to First sale scheme, which provides a £15,000 salary subsidy to encourage graduates from the education sector into self-employment. To be eligible, you will need to meet the Invest NI new business criteria, which includes the ability to reach a turnover of £250,000 a year within five years, with at least 25% of those sales outside Northern Ireland.
Start Up Seed Fund
Eligible regions: Greater Ballymena area
Sectors: Start ups
Amount: £500
Details: If you are based in the greater Ballymena area, working a minimum of 16 hours a week at your business, and have completed the Go For It Programme, you may be able to apply for £500 in seed funding for your business. This grant is currently closed to applications, but interested founders should consider checking back soon to see if it reopens.
Small business grants in Northern Ireland
If you are looking to grow or expand your organisation, there are a number of small business grants on offer in Northern Ireland.
For an exhaustive list of options, you can use the Northern Ireland business support finder. Otherwise, check out our pick of some of the small business grants available to businesses based in Northern Ireland:
Acumen Funding
Sectors: Manufacturing or tradeable service SMEs
Amount: Up to £17,250/€21,562 to cover a full-time sales person’s salary in first year, or up to £9,200/€11,500 to cover the costs of a part-time sales person
Details: InterTradeIreland runs the Acumen programme, which aims to help businesses increase their cross-border sales by branching into new markets. The programme will support some of the costs of employing a professional salesperson who can help your business penetrate new markets and create an increased yet sustainable source of income.
Get into R&D
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Up to £100,000
Details: Businesses can receive this research and development (R&D) funding to translate an idea for a new product or process into reality. For example, it can contribute to the costs of investigating and researching an idea, creating and testing a prototype, experimenting, and developing and improving the result.
Go Succeed Business Support Grant
Sectors: Businesses receiving support through Go Succeed
Amount: Up to £4,000 (70% of costs)
Details: If your firm is already benefiting from support from Go Succeed, a business advice service led by Northern Ireland’s local councils, you may be able to receive a grant to help grow your business. Your small business could benefit from a grant of up to £4,000, covering 70% of costs for capital and/or revenue items, such as specialist machinery or computer software. To be eligible, your business must be actively trading, and you must have completed over half of your Go Succeed mentorship and identified a barrier to growth.
Innovation Boost
Sectors: Manufacturing or tradable services
Amount: £39,000/€47,400 for 12 month projects, £56,000/€67,900 for 18-month projects
Details: If you are an eligible manufacturing or tradeable services company, Innovation Boost can provide you with the funding to hire a science, engineering or technology project manager to help support your business with specific expertise. The 12-month projects typically focus on process improvement, while the 18-month projects are new product or services development.
Techstart Proof of Concept Grant & Concept Plus Fund
Sectors: SMEs
Amount: Up to £10,000 (for Concept Grant); up to £35,000 (for Concept Plus Grant)
Details: Your business can use funding from these grants to explore the commercial viability and potential of a new and innovative product or concept. Some of the activities that the grant can fund include: prototyping, market research, testing, assessment, and employment costs, among other related measures. Grants are not currently open for new applications, but interested small business owners should check back now and then to make sure they don’t miss the fund reopening.
Skills Advancement Grant
Sectors: Manufacturing or internationally tradable services (Invest NI customers)
Amount: £1,000 to £15,000 to cover 50% of eligible costs
Details: You can use funding from this grant to pay for external training, travel, and accommodation costs. This can help create a more skilled workforce and can bring multiple benefits to the business. The grant does not cover any mandatory training.
Regional small business grants in Northern Ireland
The following small business grant is only available in certain parts of Northern Ireland:
Vacant to Vibrant Capital Grant Scheme
Eligible regions: Belfast city centre
Sectors: All
Amount: £2,500 to £25,000
Details: Businesses looking to renovate or repurpose a vacant space in Belfast City centre or outside Belfast city centre can apply for a grant to help with the costs. This could be setting up a pop-up shop, taking up a vacant retail unit, or improving the facade.
Small business grants and start-up business grants in the UK
In addition to small business grants and start-up business grants just for SMEs in Northern Ireland, business owners should also consider applying for any relevant UK-wide small business and start-up business grants.
Meanwhile, founders and business owners based elsewhere in the UK could benefit from our guides to the best small business and start-up business grants in England, Scotland and Wales.
What other small business funding is available?
If you ultimately decide that grant funding isn’t right for your firm – or if you are unable to secure a small business or start-up business grant – then there are plenty of other small business funding options to consider.
For starters, there are always small business loans, which can be used to provide an up-front injection of growth capital in much the same way as a grant.
Just remember that business loans have to be repaid with interest, so make sure you understand exactly what you’re getting into before committing to anything.
Similarly, if you’re in need of funding to launch a wholly new business venture, you could consider a start-up business loan instead.
If you already run an established business and are looking for ways to ease pressure on your cashflow, then perhaps your business could benefit from invoice financing.
Business credit cards can also help you stay on top of your finances. Some business credit cards even come with rewards for regular spending or favourable rates when used overseas.
And for new businesses, you can also try thinking a bit more outside the box with a crowdfunding campaign or by seeking the support of angel investors.
» MORE: Sources of business finance
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