Deadline: October 30, 2025
The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs as part of the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme, provides capital grants to support the sustainability and growth of rural micro-businesses across Northern Ireland by offering matched funding through local Councils after mandatory pre-funding workshops.
The Scheme aims to support the sustainability and development of existing micro businesses based in rural areas by providing small capital grants for the purchase of new equipment, machinery, or setting up e-commerce websites to foster business survival, growth, and recovery.
The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme is available exclusively to rural micro-businesses across Northern Ireland that employ fewer than ten full-time equivalent employees and are actively trading commercially. Eligible applicants include registered private businesses and social economy enterprises that operate primarily in rural areas. Additionally, sports clubs and community groups engaged in commercial trading activities can apply, but the grant applies only to their commercial elements.
Interested applicants must attend a pre-funding workshop; failure to attend results in ineligibility. All projects must be fully operational, with grant claims and supporting documentation submitted to local Councils no later than midnight on March 23, 2026.
The Scheme provides grants covering up to 50% of capital item costs, with a maximum award of £7,500 and a minimum grant of £500. The total project cost must range between £1,000 and £30,000, with applicants providing the remaining match funding. The funding process is competitive and merit-based.
Grant funding supports the acquisition of new capital items, including machinery such as scissor lifts and lawn mowers, IT equipment like computers and printers, and e-commerce website setups. However, certain items and costs are excluded, such as secondhand equipment, general maintenance, building works, vehicle purchases, and staff training costs. The Scheme strictly prohibits funding projects that have commenced prior to receiving a Letter of Offer.
Applicants must follow detailed procurement guidelines, obtaining two or three like-for-like quotes depending on item cost thresholds, and submit all required documentation through the online application system. The eligibility and assessment process involves scoring applications based on project need, economic impact, management strength, cost of living impact, and promotion of sustainability or innovation, with a minimum qualifying score of 65 out of 100.
Successful applicants receive a Letter of Offer and are required to attend a Letter of Offer workshop outlining administrative and financial procedures. Grant payments are retrospective, reimbursing applicants after full project completion, payment, and submission of claims with evidence such as invoices and photographs.
Unsuccessful applicants can access an appeals and review process or receive support to improve future applications. The Scheme emphasizes transparency and compliance, with audits conducted to verify quotations and payments to prevent fraud.
For those considering applying, comprehensive support and guidance are available via regional Council contacts, and data protection, equality considerations, and freedom of information regulations apply throughout the program administration.
For more information, visit Ards and North Down Borough Council.
