Business Grants in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland offers unique business funding opportunities through Invest NI, local councils, and cross-border programmes with the Republic of Ireland. Belfast and other NI businesses can access support for innovation, exports, and growth.
Invest NI Funding
Invest Northern Ireland is the main business development agency for NI. They provide grants, loans, and support for businesses looking to grow, innovate, or export. Their programmes cover R&D, capital investment, skills development, and market entry.
Local Council Support
Northern Ireland's 11 councils offer their own business support programmes. Belfast City Council, Derry City and Strabane, and other councils run grant schemes for local businesses, particularly SMEs and startups.
Cross-Border Programmes
NI businesses can also access cross-border funding programmes with the Republic of Ireland and EU-funded initiatives. InterTradeIreland supports cross-border trade and innovation projects.
Northern Ireland Business Grants
151 grants found
BBSRC Brazil pump-priming award (FAPPA)
Pump-priming awards supported by BBSRC and FAPESP for BBSRC-supported researchers and consortia of academics to collaborate with Brazilian counterparts.
Sector Bodies Programme (Music Growth Package)
Supports music industry sector bodies to deliver activities that help the specific subsectors of the music industry they represent to develop their workforce and/or grow their businesses.
Knowledge Transfer Partnership
Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) are open to businesses, research organisations, and graduates to work on an innovation project. Partnerships last between 12 and 36 months, with funding provided to support the total cost of the project.
2445: DRIVE35: Scale Up Fund
UK registered organisations can apply for a share of up to £150 million, to create scale up manufacturing facilities for zero emission vehicle technologies.
Apprenticeship grants
Grants provided by CITB for registered construction employers who directly employ apprentices on approved Level 2 and above construction apprenticeship standards. The grant covers off-the-job attendance and achievement of the apprenticeship.
Pre-announcement: Enhancing resilience to wildfires in the wildland-urban interface
Apply for funding to deliver collaborative research projects with partners from the US, Canada, or both to improve understanding of and resilience to wildfire occurrence and impacts in the wildland-urban interface.
Pre-announcement: Doctoral focal award plus: innovating in data-driven research
A grant opportunity to commission one doctoral focal award plus to develop a cadre of social scientists across career stages with the skills needed to use data-driven research approaches in innovative ways, delivering both doctoral training and targeted training and capacity-building activities.
ESA Business Incubation Centre United Kingdom
Support and funding to commercialise space technology for UK‑registered companies, including new or existing companies less than 5 years old with a demonstrable space connection.
Hi3 Network Research Collaborations
A fully-funded business support and research programme providing small and medium enterprises with access to experimental studio spaces, co-working spaces, and academic collaboration to develop new products, services, and processes in moving-image, screen-based, and creative technologies.
Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) - UK
Grant contribution to pay towards upgrading business broadband to a high-speed capable connection.
Enterprising Ashfield
Advice and guidance for people starting or growing a business.
Enterprise programme for young people - UK
The King's Trust helps young people aged 18 to 30 years who want to set up their own business in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about business grants in Northern Ireland