Updated 31 October 2026

Business grants and funding in Northern Ireland

Every scheme open to a business in Northern Ireland today, taken from the funders' own published criteria and re-checked daily. Some are Northern Ireland only; the rest are UK-wide and open to you as well.

55 open today. Whether your business qualifies for any of them depends on your legal form, your size, your age and where you are, which is what the check does.

The 55 open today

• Grant

  DRIVE35 Scale-up Fund Drawdown 5

  Innovate UK

  Up to£20,000,000

  A competition offering grants to UK registered organisations that want to build or convert pilot-scale or demonstration-scale manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies and their supply chain. Grant requests must sit between £2.5 million and £20 million, with total eligible project costs above £5 million, and applicants must show they can unlock private co-investment worth at least twice the grant. Projects are expected to start from 1 June 2027 and finish by 31 March 2030.

  Closes 4 November 2026The funder’s page

• Mixed

  Investment Fund for Northern Ireland

  British Business Bank

  Up to£5,000,000

  A commercial finance fund delivering around £100 million to smaller businesses across Northern Ireland, including rural, coastal and urban areas. It offers debt finance of £25,000 to £2 million and equity investments of up to £5 million, aimed at supporting innovation and growth while embedding ESG and net-zero awareness.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Equity

  Investment Fund for Northern Ireland - Equity Finance

  British Business Bank

  Up to£5,000,000

  The Investment Fund for Northern Ireland provides equity investments of £250,000 to £5 million to ambitious, growth-focused small and medium-sized businesses based in, or with material operations in, Northern Ireland. It aims to increase the supply and diversity of early-stage finance in the region.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  International Bilateral Fund - Call 3

  UK Space Agency

  Up to£1,500,000

  The UK Space Agency is funding space sector projects that build international partnerships, with grants of up to £1.5m per project. Projects must be led by a UK organisation, must include an international partner, must provide matched contributions, and must start on 1 April 2027 and run for no more than 18 months. Only one application is allowed per lead organisation, and the call closes at 3pm on 4 November 2026.

  Closes 4 November 2026The funder’s page

• Grant

  Depot Charging Scheme

  UK Government (published on GOV.UK Find a grant)

  Up to£1,000,000

  A government grant that pays part of the cost of installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure at fleet depots, so operators can run battery-electric vans, HGVs and coaches. The first window (25 March to 30 June 2026) covered 70% of charge point and civil costs up to £1 million per organisation, with works to finish by 31 March 2027. A further window is expected to open on 28 October 2026 for projects running to 31 March 2028, but the page says terms and grant rates for that phase are not yet confirmed.

  Closes 29 January 2027The funder’s page

• Equity

  Co-Fund NI

  Clarendon Fund Managers

  Up to£250,000

  Co-Fund NI is an equity co-investment fund for Northern Ireland SMEs. It invests alongside private investors such as business angels in rounds typically between £150,000 and £1 million, taking up to 50% (typically around 35%) of the round, with an initial investment capped at £250,000.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Seedcorn Investor Readiness Competition

  InterTradeIreland

  Up to£130,000

  An annual investor-readiness competition for early-stage ventures on the island of Ireland, offering a share of an 800,000 euro prize fund across Business-to-Business, Business-to-Consumer and Deep Tech categories, plus expert feedback and investor exposure, without giving away equity.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Loan

  NI Small Business Loan Fund

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Up to£125,000

  The NI Small Business Loan Fund offers unsecured loans of £10,000 to £125,000 to small and micro businesses based in Northern Ireland that are in their start-up or growth phase. It is delivered by Ulster Community Finance Ltd and Enterprise Northern Ireland, as part of Invest NI's Access to Finance Strategy.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Loan

  NI Small Business Loan Fund

  Enterprise Northern Ireland

  Up to£100,000

  The NI Small Business Loan Fund provides business loans to companies and individuals trading for business purposes across Northern Ireland who have been unable to access mainstream finance. It is delivered through a partnership between Enterprise NI and Ulster Community Finance Ltd, and covers costs such as working capital, asset purchases, growth finance, start-up costs and match funding.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Innovation Boost

  InterTradeIreland

  Up to£56,000

  Innovation Boost is a grant from InterTradeIreland that pays for academic expertise and a project manager to help manufacturing and tradable services SMEs on the island of Ireland run new product/service or process-improvement projects. It covers 100% of academic partner costs and 50% of a dedicated project manager's cost, up to £56,000 over 18 months or £39,000 over 12 months.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Business Explorer: Academic and Specialist Support

  InterTradeIreland

  Up to£50,000

  Funded access to an academic or industry specialist to help an SME explore a technical challenge or new idea, and then develop a plan to implement a solution. The specialist is paid directly by InterTradeIreland, so the business receives the support in kind rather than as a cash award.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Innovation Boost: Business to Business Partnerships

  InterTradeIreland

  Up to£50,000

  InterTradeIreland funds collaborative cross-border projects where two or more businesses partner to develop a solution to a problem, a new product, or an improved process. Support of up to £50,000 per partner business is available, with the business providing 50% match funding. An academic partner can also be involved for additional technical support.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Business Explorer Programme (Explore / Plan)

  InterTradeIreland

  Up to£20,000

  InterTradeIreland's Business Explorer programme gives SMEs specialist one-to-one support, first through an Explore stage and then a Plan stage, working with an academic or industry specialist based in the opposite jurisdiction to investigate a business challenge or new idea and develop a plan to implement the solution.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  National Lottery Awards for All Northern Ireland

  The National Lottery Community Fund

  Up to£20,000

  Awards for All Northern Ireland funds community-led projects with grants of £300 to £20,000, lasting up to two years. It is open to voluntary, community, not-for-profit and Community Interest Company applicants (not to individuals, sole traders, or profit-distributing companies) whose project builds relationships, improves shared spaces, supports people at an early stage, or helps with the cost of living.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Acumen Programme

  InterTradeIreland

  Up to£17,250

  InterTradeIreland's Acumen programme puts money towards the cost of hiring a sales person to build cross-border sales between Northern Ireland and Ireland. A full-time sales resource for 12 months attracts up to £17,250, and a part-time resource for 6 to 12 months attracts up to £9,200. It is aimed at SMEs in manufacturing or tradable services that already have a sales track record.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Investment Programme

  Arts & Business NI

  Up to£15,000

  A recurring match-funding scheme that supports creative partnerships between Northern Ireland businesses and arts or cultural organisations. Successful partnerships can receive up to £15,000, and applications open five times a year.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Workplace Charging Scheme

  Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), administered by DVLA

  Up to£14,000

  A voucher-based grant that contributes towards buying and installing electric vehicle chargepoint sockets at workplace sites across the UK. It covers up to 75% of purchase and installation costs, capped at £500 per socket for installations completed on or after 1 April 2026, with a limit of 40 sockets per applicant across all their sites. Applicants apply online, receive a voucher valid for 180 days, and an authorised installer claims the grant once the work is done.

  Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page

• Grant

  Harnessing Heritage Programme - Project Viability Grants

  The Architectural Heritage Fund

  Up to£10,000

  Grants of up to £10,000 to help not-for-profit organisations in Northern Ireland explore early-stage options for finding a sustainable new use for a disused historic building. Funds viability work rather than the redevelopment itself.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Non-Executive Director Scheme

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Up to£10,000

  Invest NI helps eligible client businesses appoint an experienced independent Non-Executive Director to their board for a two-year engagement. The scheme part-funds the NED's fees to improve strategic decisions, board operations and leadership.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Mentoring scheme

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Up to£4,000

  Invest NI clients can get financial support to engage an external business mentor who helps accelerate growth and overcome specific barriers. The grant covers up to £4,000 or 49% of eligible costs, whichever is lower, over a 12 month period.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  SWEF Enterprise Fund Business Grant

  Community Foundation Northern Ireland

  Up to£2,000

  Community Foundation Northern Ireland, in partnership with SWEF Enterprise Fund, offers grants of up to £2,000 to young NI-based entrepreneurs who cannot afford to invest in their own business. The grant is aimed at early-stage sole traders, limited companies and CICs limited by shares, trading less than 2.5 years, and can go towards equipment, prototypes, a website/booking system or training.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Electric vehicle chargepoint grant for residential landlords

  Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)

  Up to£500

  Residential landlords and organisations that own or manage rented homes can claim support towards buying and installing electric vehicle chargepoints at their properties. The grant covers 75% of purchase and installation costs, capped at £500 per socket, for up to 200 sockets a year. Applicants must be registered at Companies House or VAT registered and must use an OZEV-authorised installer.

  Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page

• Grant

  SWEF Enterprise Fund Start-Up Grant

  SWEF Enterprise Fund (delivered by Community Foundation Northern Ireland)

  Up to£500

  A start-up grant for young people in Northern Ireland who are already taking practical steps to launch a business but cannot afford to invest in it themselves. Grants of up to £500 are available for pre-revenue or very early-revenue businesses, with the possibility of a further top-up to £1,500 after six months of progress. Applications are administered online by Community Foundation Northern Ireland and considered on a rolling basis.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  ApprenticeshipsNI

  Department for the Economy

  ApprenticeshipsNI helps Northern Ireland employers take on apprentices by having the Department for the Economy pay the training provider's costs for off-the-job training. The employer still pays the apprentice's wages for their contracted hours, including training days.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Tax relief

  Back in Business scheme

  Land & Property Services (Department of Finance, Northern Ireland)

  A Northern Ireland business rates relief scheme. Businesses that move into a retail unit that had stood empty for 12 months or more get a 50% discount on their business rates for up to two years. It is run by Land & Property Services on behalf of the Department of Finance and applications are open until 31 March 2027.

  Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page

• Grant

  CITB Northern Ireland Grant Scheme

  Construction Industry Training Board Northern Ireland (CITB NI)

  CITB NI offers grant support to Northern Ireland construction businesses that are registered with the board, helping fund training and qualifications. Support covers apprentices, industrial placements, training for existing workers, carding, becoming a trainer or assessor, travel and accommodation for courses unavailable locally, and short courses such as first aid and site safety. Applications are made online and must be submitted within three months of training starting.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  DATUM Programme

  Queen's University Belfast (QUB) and Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR)

  DATUM offers hands-on support to manufacturing SMEs in Northern Ireland and Ireland's border counties to help them adopt digital tools such as automation and modernise how they produce. The stated aims are to move firms from digital readiness to actual implementation, cut risk, build capability and improve competitiveness. Interested manufacturers submit an expression of interest and then have a 45-minute onboarding call to check eligibility and next steps.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  DfC Employer Services

  Department for Communities (DfC)

  The Department for Communities offers Northern Ireland employers free recruitment support rather than cash. This includes a dedicated account manager, help promoting and managing vacancies through JobApplyNI, interview and sifting support, bespoke recruitment events and signposting to other government programmes. Large and public sector employers contact Employer Services directly, while smaller employers go through their local Jobs & Benefits office.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Mixed

  Exhibitions and trade missions

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Invest Northern Ireland runs a programme of overseas trade missions and exhibitions that businesses can join to meet buyers and explore new markets. Alongside practical help such as market insight, meeting arrangement and market research, Invest NI says it can offer financial support for return visits between events and for additional in-market visits during missions. Support is only open to existing Invest NI clients, and each event on the trade calendar has its own additional eligibility criteria.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Extended Reality (XR) Hub

  North West Regional College

  A free, in-kind support service in Northern Ireland giving businesses access to XR/AR/VR equipment, facilities and expertise, for software training, product development and process improvement.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Feasibility Study Support

  Employee Ownership Ireland

  Funded, one-to-one advice for Northern Ireland company owners weighing up employee ownership as an exit or succession strategy. An adviser spends up to three days working through exit plans, ownership structures and, if it looks viable, produces a feasibility study - all at no cost to the business.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Get Exporting: Cross-Border

  InterTradeIreland

  A practical export-readiness programme from InterTradeIreland for smaller manufacturers and tradable-services businesses in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland who want to start selling across the border. It combines workshops, digital content and one-to-one advisor guidance rather than a cash award.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Go Succeed Business Support Service

  Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council

  Go Succeed is Northern Ireland's enterprise support service, promoted locally by Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council. It offers free one-to-one mentoring and business advice through three strands: Start for people with a business idea, Grow for existing businesses wanting to expand or innovate, and Scale for businesses with the potential to reach £1m+ turnover within three years. The page describes advisory support, workshops and resources rather than any stated cash award.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Grant for R&D

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Grant funding and advisory support from Invest Northern Ireland to help its client businesses plan, test and deliver R&D projects. Covers eligible R&D costs such as labour, materials, IP, equipment, trials, consultancy and subcontracting, and can be paired with Project Definition support of up to £100,000 for early-stage feasibility work.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Great British Energy (GBE) Supply Chain Fund: Offshore Wind and Networks

  Great British Energy

  A capital grant fund of up to £300 million to expand UK manufacturing capacity for components that are in short supply in the offshore wind and electricity networks sectors. Grants must pay for building new manufacturing facilities or extending existing ones in the UK, and the finished project must mainly produce one or more of the listed 'Critical Components'. Applications are assessed in rounds, with the window closing on 10 December 2026 unless the budget runs out sooner.

  Closes 10 December 2026The funder’s page

• Tax relief

  Hardship Rate Relief

  Land & Property Services (LPS), Department of Finance

  A Northern Ireland business rates relief that helps a non-domestic property recover from a temporary financial or other crisis caused by an exceptional, unforeseeable event outside the normal risks of trading. Land & Property Services assesses each application individually rather than using a fixed formula.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  ICT Advisory Services

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Invest Northern Ireland offers ICT advice and, for its existing customers, financial assistance towards one-off software costs for Management Information Systems plus associated setup, configuration and training, following a project appraisal.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Imagine It

  Women in Business

  A free one-day bootcamp from Women in Business, run at locations across Northern Ireland, to help people develop a business idea, build confidence and take practical first steps into self-employment. It also suits people already trading but not yet making much money.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Tax relief

  Industrial Derating

  Land & Property Services (Department of Finance)

  A business rates relief for Northern Ireland manufacturers. Qualifying factory premises pay only 30% of the normal occupied business rate, a 70% reduction, applied to the parts of the property used in the industrial process.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership scheme

  Invest Northern Ireland

  A subsidised partnership that links a Northern Ireland business with a graduate and a university or college to deliver an innovation or strategic change project. Both technical and management KTP strands are offered, with projects usually running for around two years. Invest NI states the subsidy covers 67% of costs for SMEs and 50% for large companies; no specific award values or deadlines are given on the page.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  InnovateUs

  Northern Ireland Regional Colleges

  InnovateUs is fully funded training for small Northern Ireland businesses that helps staff build the skills to run innovation activity and drive business growth, delivered through local further education colleges. It is backed by the Department for the Economy and aims to build ongoing partnerships between small businesses and colleges.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Leader Programme

  Invest Northern Ireland

  The Leader Programme gives the leaders of Invest NI client SMEs access to a business mentor and an executive coach, plus peer networking with other SME leaders, to help develop a strategic growth action plan. It is aimed at the managing director, CEO or owner-manager of an SME that already is, or could become, an Invest NI client.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Management Information System Grant

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Financial support from Invest Northern Ireland for its client businesses to implement Management Information Systems, covering one-off software costs and associated setup, configuration and training, aimed at improving ICT sophistication, innovation and productivity.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Marine Environment and Fisheries Fund 2026/27

  Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)

  DAERA's Marine Environment and Fisheries Fund 2026/27 is open for applications from Northern Ireland's sea fisheries and aquaculture industry, across six themed funding streams covering vessel investment, innovation, environment and conservation, aquaculture development, processing and marketing, and fishing ports infrastructure. Funded projects must be completed and a final claim submitted by 31 March 2027.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Music Export Growth Scheme

  Department for Business and Trade

  MEGS offers match-funded grants to UK-based music businesses, typically management companies or record labels that qualify as SMEs, to run marketing and promotion campaigns abroad, usually tied to international touring. It is aimed at acts that have already had commercial success in the UK and are trying to break into overseas markets. Grants cover no more than half of eligible costs and cannot pay for any activity in the UK. Applications go through the delivery partner, BPI.

  Closes 31 March 2027The funder’s page

• Tax relief

  Non-Domestic Vacant Rating

  Land & Property Services (Department of Finance)

  A business rates relief for vacant, unfurnished non-domestic properties in Northern Ireland that are not used for storage. Properties with a Net Annual Value under £2,000 pay no vacant rates at all; larger properties get a three-month rates-free period when they become vacant, followed by rates at 50% of the normal occupied rate.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  On Farm Business Support

  Rural Support

  On Farm Business Support offers free, confidential, one-to-one mentoring from an experienced agricultural business mentor to help farmers and farming families in Northern Ireland deal with financial or business difficulties, review realistic options for the future, and plan next steps.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Production Funding

  Northern Ireland Screen

  Northern Ireland Screen tops up the budgets of feature films, TV drama, factual and entertainment programmes, animation and interactive content projects that are almost fully financed. It favours commercially viable productions that bring economic benefit and jobs to Northern Ireland's screen industry.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Grant

  Protect Your Intellectual Property - Financial Assistance

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Invest NI offers financial assistance to help eligible businesses carry out an Intellectual Asset Management Audit and protect patents, trademarks, design registrations and licensing agreements. This support is only available to businesses that are already Invest NI clients.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Tax relief

  R&D Tax Relief: Enhanced R&D Intensive Support for Northern Ireland SMEs (NI ERIS)

  HM Revenue & Customs

  Loss-making, R&D-intensive small and medium companies with a registered office in Northern Ireland can claim an enhanced R&D tax relief (NI ERIS) instead of the standard merged-scheme credit, with fewer restrictions on overseas R&D spend. The extra benefit counts as de minimis State aid and is capped over a rolling 3-year period; eligible companies can opt out in specific circumstances.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Tax relief

  Residential Homes Rate Relief

  Land & Property Services (LPS), Department of Finance

  Land & Property Services in Northern Ireland offers a 100% business rates relief on properties used wholly or mainly to provide residential care, training, occupation or personal social services for people with an illness or disability. It is an application-based relief, not an automatic discount.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• In-kind support

  SEIS / EIS Specialist Support Scheme

  InterTradeIreland

  InterTradeIreland's SEIS / EIS Specialist Support Scheme gives eligible companies subsidised access to an approved specialist consultant to help secure Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) or Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) advance assurance from HMRC. This is support to help a company qualify for the tax-relief-based investment schemes, not the SEIS/EIS investment itself.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Mixed

  Supply Chain Solutions

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Invest NI's Supply Chain Solutions programme gives Northern Ireland manufacturers and internationally traded services businesses hands-on expert support to make their supply chains more resilient and competitive, through risk assessment, workshops, coaching, mentoring and improvement projects. Some businesses may also receive financial help towards the salary of a dedicated supply chain employee, depending on circumstances. Existing Invest NI clients can apply at any time; other eligible NI businesses apply during scheduled call windows.

  Closes 29 January 2027The funder’s page

• In-kind support

  Technical Advice

  Invest Northern Ireland

  Invest NI's technical advice service gives any Northern Ireland business access to specialist guidance on engineering, manufacturing, production quality, industrial standards, workplace health and safety, CE marking, intellectual property and environmental compliance. The service is part-funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

  RollingThe funder’s page

• Tax relief

  UK Investment Zones Tax Site Incentives

  Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade

  Businesses investing in one of 13 UK Investment Zones get access to a 10-year package of tax reliefs on designated sites plus support for skills, infrastructure and innovation. On designated tax sites this includes full Stamp Duty Land Tax relief, zero-rate employer National Insurance on new employees' earnings up to £25,000 a year for 36 months, a 100% first-year capital allowance on plant and machinery, an enhanced structures and buildings allowance, and full business rates relief for eligible new or expanding businesses.

  RollingThe funder’s page