CFAs: Rural Business Development Grant Scheme 2024-25 (UK)

Funding Information

• The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme will deliver £1.55million in capital grants to support rural micro businesses across Northern Ireland.
• The Scheme can provide funding of up to 50% of costs for capital items up to a maximum of £4,999.
• The minimum grant awarded will be £500.

Eligible Expenses

• This is a capital grant scheme to support the purchase of new capital items of equipment or machinery or to set up an e-commerce website. The minimum spend on one, or a combination of, eligible items is £1,000 and your project must not cost more than £20,000. If you are VAT registered, the lower and upper thresholds are based on net cost of items. If you are not VAT registered, the lower and upper thresholds are based on gross cost of items.
• The maximum number of items, or grouping of items that you can purchase under this scheme is six.
• Examples of eligible expenditure includes:
  • Computer equipment, eg computer, laptop, printer.
  • Computer software (outright purchase; ongoing license fees are not eligible).
  • E-commerce websites to allow online purchase capabilities.
  • New equipment/machinery.
  • Mobile machinery, such as scissor lifts, forklifts, ride-on lawn mowers.

Ineligible Expenses

• The following items cannot be funded under the Scheme:
  • Equipment or machinery costing less than £1,000 or more than £20,000. Individual items may cost less than £1,000, but you must have a minimum eligible spend of at least £1,000 through a combination of items.
  • Second hand equipment, including refurbished equipment.
  • Servicing of existing equipment.
  • General maintenance or refurbishment works.
  • Capital Improvements, building works, refurbishments of any property (commercial or residential) or any project that requires Building Control permission or planning permission.
  • Purchase of port-a-cabins, pods or any other building.
  • Labor costs not directly associated with the installation of purchased equipment or build of e-commerce websites.
  • Projects that have already started prior to a Letter of Offer.
  • Any resource items, such as marketing materials, information websites (with no online purchasing capabilities), training courses, feasibility studies.
  • Motorized vehicles, including vans, lorries, cars, boats, bikes, quads or any other form of motorized mobile vehicles that can used as a means of transport.
  • Any activity or action that is a statutory requirement of your business (e.g. for Health and Safety purposes such as Personal Protective Equipment) or the responsibility of another government department.
  • Business running costs, such as staff costs, rent, rates, electric, insurance, stock.
  • Bank interest charges, referral fees and foreign currency transaction charges.
  • Consumable items used by businesses that are replaced regularly because they wear out or are used up (for example, high-visibility vests for staff, printer ink).
  • Equipment related to the provision of additional bed space for existing accommodation providers.
  • Staff Uniforms or clothing, including personal protective items.

Eligibility Criteria

• The business is based in a rural area.
• The business currently employs less than 10 full-time equivalent employees.
• The business is an existing, registered private Business or Soical Economy Enterprise that is actively trading commercially; evidenced by provding your self-assessment number or Limited Company details and sales turnover details.
• Sports Clubs and Community Groups can only be considered if they are commercially trading and generate sales revenue from selling goods and services to customers who are not exclusively Club or Commercial Group members. The grant can only be used to support the sustainability, survival and/or development of this commercial element, and not for the club or community group of its own. Projects that can be supported from other funding sources, such as Sport NI, are not eligible to be considered under this scheme.
• The business is appropriately insured or prepared to obtain appropriate insurance if awarded a grant (building, contents or public liability insurance as appropriate).
• The applicant has a dedicated bank account used by the business.
• Two price checks or written quotes have been provided for items as required.
• The applicant is 18 or above at the application deadline.
• The applicant has attended a pre-funding workshop.
• The business can deliver the project, pay suppliers, and submit a grant claim in the given timeframe.
• Only one application can be accepted per business/legal entity.

Ineligibility Criteria

• The grant scheme cannot support:
  • Businesses based in urban areas.
  • New start businesses who have yet to commence trading (all business sectors).
  • Farmers, or anyone registered to a Category 1 DAERA Business ID, undertaking mainstream agricultural activity.
  • Farm diversification projects where the diversified activity has not started trading.

Assessment Criteria

• Every application received will be assessed to ensure the following:
  • To ensure that the business/social economy enterprise is eligible to apply to this particular Scheme.
  • To ensure each applicant’s capability to deliver the proposal, and
  • To determine how well the proposal meets the business’s needs and supports the business recovery, sustainability and growth.

For more information, visit Ards and North Down Borough Council.