Rural Business Development Grant Scheme to open for applications on 1 July
29th June 2021
The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme will open for applications on Thursday 1 July 2021.
The scheme, funded by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) as part of the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Programme (TRPSI) and administered by local councils, aims to support the sustainability, recovery and development of existing micro businesses or Social Economy Enterprises in rural areas by providing a small capital grant for the business.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council will administer the scheme for the Fermanagh and Omagh district.
Speaking about the opening of the scheme, Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Councillor Errol Thompson, said:
“This capital grant scheme will support existing micro rural businesses and social economy enterprises to purchase new capital items of equipment or machinery or to set up an e-commerce website to help them to sustain and grow their business.
Since 2019, 115 micro businesses across the Fermanagh and Omagh district have received grant assistance of more than £316,000 through the Rural Business Grant Scheme.
It is anticipated that this programme will be equally well subscribed, and I would encourage as many businesses as possible to look at how they may benefit from this programme.”
Grants are available 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 will provide the remaining match funding towards the project.
The grant scheme is a competitive process with grants awarded based on merit.
The Scheme is open to existing, micro businesses or Social Economy Enterprises (employing less than 10 full time equivalent employees), based in a rural area.
Businesses that have previously received funding under the TRPSI Rural Business Development Scheme 2019-20 or 2020-21 are not eligible to apply for this round of application.
Online applications open on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s website at 9.00am on Thursday 01 July 2021 and close at 12 noon on Friday 30 July 2021.
For further information on the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme, please contact the Rural Development team at Fermanagh and Omagh District Council by telephone on 0300 303 1777, textphone at 028 8225 6216, by email on businesssupport@fermanaghomagh.com or visit the Council website.