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Capital grants of up to £4,999 are available to existing micro enterprises based in rural areas.

The grant is available for a range of capital items to support rural businesses recover, sustain and grow through DAERA’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme.

Please refer to programme guidance notes for full details of eligible and ineligible items.

Guidance notes available to download below.

Level of Grant

Grant aid of between £500 – £4,999 is available for projects costing up to £20,000.

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. The total cost of the capital project must be a minimum of £1,000 and must not exceed £20,000. Applicants must provide the remaining match funding towards the project.

This is a competitive process and all grants awarded will be determined on the base of merit.

Application dates

The scheme will be open for applications from Monday 3 August 2020.

The scheme will close for applications on Friday 11 September 2020 at 12noon.

No late applications can be accepted.

Stage 1 eligibility assessment will commence as applications are received.

Guidance Notes

Please refer to the programme Guidance Notes available here for further information on the application process, eligibility criteria, assessment criteria and claims process.

How to Apply

The application form can be downloaded here from Monday 03 August 2020

Fully completed application forms with supporting documentation must be submitted by 12 noon on Friday 11 September 2020.

Applications must be submitted via email to rdp.admin@nmandd.org.
Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted and will deem the submission invalid.

Summary of Eligibility – Please refer to guidance notes for full details on eligibility criteria

• Businesses must be based in a rural area within the Newry, Mourne and Down District Council area. A rural area is defined as an area with a population of less than 5,000 residents.  The programme cannot support businesses located within the urban settlements of Newry City, Kilkeel, Warrenpoint, Downpatrick, Newcastle and Ballynahinch.
• Businesses must be an existing, registered private Business or Social Economy Enterprise that is actively trading commercially
• Businesses must currently employ less than 10 full-time equivalent employees (based on full time 30 hours per week and part time at least 16 hours per week)
• After receiving a Letter of Offer (estimated November 2020) successful applicants must complete projects before 26 February 2021
• Applicants must be aged 18 or above at the application deadline
• Only one application can be accepted per business/legal entity

Funding

The Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme’s (TRPSI) Rural Business Development Grant Scheme aims to support the sustainability, survival and development of micro rural businesses across Northern Ireland by providing a small capital grant for the business.

The TRPSI Programme is funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, and this grant Programme is administered and managed by local Councils.