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.
Northern Ireland business grants – at a glance
| Grant | Type | Funding amount |
| Go For It NI | Startup | Support program |
| Seed Fund Programme | Startup | Up to £1,000 |
| Go Succeed | Startup | Up to £4,000 |
| Back in Business | Premises improvement | 50% discount |
| Heritage Enterprise | Premises improvement | Up to £5 million |
| Rural Shopfront | Premises improvement | Up to £12,500 |
| SWEF Enterprise Fund | Young entrepreneur | Up to £2,000 |
| From Student to First Sale | Young entrepreneur | £15,000 |
| Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme | Upgrading internet | Up to £4,500 |
| Innovation Vouchers | Innovation | Up to £5,000 |
| Techstart Proof of Concept Grant Fund | Innovation | Up to £30,000 |
| Invest NI Grant for R&D | Innovation | Not specified |
What startup grants are available in Northern Ireland?
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 use the knowledge learned from this support programme 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.
Can I get a grant to improve my business premises?
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.
Applications for the scheme close on 31 March 2026.
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.
Applications for this grant are assessed on a quarterly basis and in two stages (development and delivery).
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
Areas eligible for this grant include:
- Aghalee
- Annahilt
- Ballinderry
- Dromara
- Drumbeg
- Glenavy
- Maghaberry
- Milltown
- Moneyreagh
Royal Hillsborough and Moira are excluded from this scheme as they’re covered under the Heritage Shopfront scheme.
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).
Are there grants for young entrepreneurs?
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
Applications for this grant are assessed monthly. If you receive a grant from the SWEF Enterprise Fund, it must be spent within one month of receipt.
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
Are there grants for upgrading your 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. Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme
Grant amount: up to £4,500
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.
Eligibility for the Gigabit Broadband Voucher scheme is based on broadband speeds below 1 Gbps and areas not covered by commercial or government-funded broadband plans.
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.
Are there 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.
1. 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. For example, you can’t apply for Innovation Vouchers if you’ve received Invest NI’s Grant for R&D in the past five years.
There are four application windows for innovation vouchers each year. These usually close in February, May, September, and November.
2. 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.
It’s open to all business ideas, not just those in the technology space.
The Techstart Proof of Concept Grant offers:
- Concept Grants up to £15,000
- Concept Plus Grants up to £30,000
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)
3. Invest NI Grant for R&D
This grant can help Northern Irish businesses develop innovative products. As well as funding, there’s also business support available.
You could receive funding to cover costs for:
- labour
- consultancy and subcontracting
- materials and equipment
- intellectual property
- trials and testing
This scheme is only available to businesses that work with Invest NI. Businesses that qualify for this grant may also be eligible for HMRC R&D tax credits (which can lower your tax bill).
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.
Northern Ireland business grants FAQs
Do I have to pay back a small business grant?
You generally don’t have to pay back a business grant. Some grants are ‘match funded’, which means you have to provide a certain percentage of the investment yourself (e.g. paying 20 per cent of the costs while the grant covers the remaining 80 per cent).
How do I find local grants in my council area?
The best way to find region-specific funding is to visit your local council’s website or business support page.
Can I apply for more than one grant?
Yes, businesses can often apply for multiple grants, provided they cover different projects or costs. For example, you might use one grant for broadband upgrades and another for hiring staff. Always check the specific eligibility rules for each scheme to make sure you’re eligible.
More small businesses finance guides
- Small business funding and investment: how to grow your business
- How to budget: a budget calculator and guide for the self-employed
- Self-employed expenses – what expenses are tax deductible?
- What is business insurance?
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