Top small business grants in Northern Ireland

Access to funding can be what makes or breaks a business. And with so many finance options out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. Grants are a great place to start looking as, unlike loans, you often don’t have to pay the money back.

Another good trick to finding the right grant for your small business is by narrowing down the search to your local area. So if you’re a small business in Northern Ireland, keep reading for some of the top small business grants available to you.

Startup grants
Building revitalisation grants
Grants for young business owners
Grants to upgrade your energy and internet
Grants for innovation

Startup grants

Getting a cash injection when your business is just starting out can help your business get off to a good start. Here are three grants designed specifically to help new businesses in Northern Ireland.

1. Go For It NI

The Go For It Programme isn’t a traditional grant but does offer business advice and financial planning to businesses starting out in the Mid Ulster area. You can then use this new knowledge to go and apply for further grants and business funding opportunities.

2. Seed Fund Programme

Grant amount: up to £1,000

As well as a startup fund of up to £1,000, the Seed Fund Programme offers mentoring and training opportunities. It’s available for both full time and part time businesses covering a range of sectors, as long as you’re currently unemployed and based in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough.

3. Go Succeed

Grant amount: up to £4,000

Go Succeed offers mentoring for small businesses and startups. If you’ve completed more than half of your training with Go Succeed and have identified a barrier for growth, you’re able to apply for a grant to help with your business.

Building revitalisation grants

One way to find a business grant in Northern Ireland is to focus on grants for revitalising commercial properties. So whether you already have a business premise that could be eligible, or you’re searching for a grant to help you secure a property, keep reading to see if one of these grants could be for you.

1. Back in Business

The Back in Business scheme offers a 50 per cent rate discount for up to two years if your business premises were vacant for more than twelve months before you moved in. If you’re currently searching for your business property, it could be worth looking for vacant premises and evaluating their potential.

2. Heritage Enterprise

Grant amount: £250,000 to £5,000,000

You may also want to consider if a historic building could be right for your business. The Heritage Enterprise grant offers between £250,000 to £5,000,000 for those who can restore a neglected historic building while helping the local economy.

3. Rural Shopfront (Minor Works) Scheme

Grant amount: up to £12,500

If your business is located in a rural area and is one of the following, you could be eligible for funding that allows you to carry out minor repairs or alterations on your shopfront:

shop
hair and beauty salon
hospitality business
financial and professional service
community service

You can receive a grant of up to £12,500, as long as you can pay 20 per cent of the project costs. You can either own the property or be a tenant (as long as you have permission from the property owner).

4. Town Centre Shop Front Revitalisation Scheme

Grant amount: £500 to £4,999

If your business is located in the Town Centre Boundary of Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne, or Greenisland, you can receive a grant for between £500 to £4,999 to cover 80 per cent of the cost of improving your shop front.

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Grants for young business owners

Young business owners may face struggles, but there is financial and mentoring support available. Here are two options to consider as a young entrepreneur in Northern Ireland.

1. SWEF Enterprise Fund

Grant amount: up to £2,000

If you’re a young entrepreneur who has already started running their own business but needs additional financial support, you could apply for the SWEF Enterprise Fund.

You’ll need to meet the following criteria:

be between the ages of 18-30
be living in Northern Ireland
your business must have been trading for less than two years (if you don’t yet have a business, you must be planning to start your own business soon)
be from a low-income household or facing other financial challenges

2. From Student to First Sale (FS2FS)

Grant amount: £15,000

Recent graduates looking to start their own business can get a £15,000 salary subsidy to help as you get started. As this grant is part of Invest NI, you’ll need to meet their specific criteria, which includes:

a turnover of £250k a year within five years
achieve at least 25 per cent of sales outside of Northern Ireland

Grants to upgrade your energy and internet

Grants can be a powerful tool for upgrading the necessities of running your business that can be easy to forget about. Here are two ways you can ease the financial burden.

1. Energy Efficiency Capital Grant

Grant amount: up to £150,000

Reduce your energy costs with a grant to buy energy-efficient equipment for your business. You could use this grant to upgrade your lighting, heating, and renewable energy solutions. You’ll need to be:

registered in Northern Ireland
trading for two years minimum
registered for business rates with Land and Property Services
the owner of your business premises (or have a rental agreement from the owner)

2. Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme

Grant amount: up to £3,500

In an incredibly digital world, good internet is key to the success of your business. Provided by the UK government, this grant helps you to upgrade your business broadband to a high-speed capable connection.

Don’t forget to read our guide to the best business broadband deals for small businesses for even more information on getting the most out of your broadband provider.

Grants for innovation

If you’re an entrepreneur shaking up things in your industry, take a look at these grants for innovation that can help you grow.

3. Innovation Vouchers

Grant amount: up to £5,000

Funded by the UK government, £5,000 Innovation Vouchers are available for businesses looking for advice from industry experts to help them develop a product. There are some businesses that won’t be eligible for the vouchers, so make sure to do your research before applying.

4. Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund

Whatever your trade, if you’re developing a product and think it’s rooted in innovation, this proof of concept grant could be for you. The grant has been running for ten years and has awarded almost 500 businesses so far.

To be eligible for the grant you’ll need to be:

a sole trader, partnership, or limited company
a resident in Northern Ireland (if you’re applying as a limited company, then the company must be registered in Northern Ireland)

How to apply for business grants in Northern Ireland

If you’ve found a grant that matches your business goals and you meet the eligibility criteria for it, then your next step is to write a winning application. Our guide to small business grants can help you to write a great entry and in with a chance of winning.

Download your business grant application guide

You need a strong application to be in with a chance of securing a business grant.

Download our free guide on small business grant applications to help when applying for a business grant in Northern Ireland.

Download

There’s also funding opportunities available outside of Northern Ireland to consider. Business Boost runs each year, offering £25,000 to one small business owner looking to grow their business. Keep your eye out for when entries open.

Have you ever won a business grant? Tell us your best tips for writing a winning entry in the comments below.

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