Funding Opportunities

Apply Now for a Go Succeed Grant to Support your Business Growth

If you’ve previously received support or are currently going through the Go Succeed service, you may be eligible to apply for a grant of up to £3,000 to help take your business to the next level.

Delivered through Ards and North Down Borough Council, Go Succeed grants can fund up to 50% of eligible capital costs - whether that’s investing in new equipment, boosting productivity, or improving how you promote your business online. 

Examples of what the grant can support include:

• Specialist equipment or machinery to improve efficiency
• Digital tools, such as computers or business software
• Website development or e-commerce functionality

Who can apply?
To be eligible, you must:

• Be actively trading within your council area.
• Have completed at least 60% of your mentoring support through Go Succeed.
• Have identified a barrier to growth the grant can help address.
• Be an enterprise or social enterprise with at least one full-time employee (or potential to become one) and fewer than 50 full-time employees.

Important info:

• Applications opened on Thursday 1st May and will close on Friday 30th May 2025 at 12 noon.
• Grants will be awarded through a competitive process.
• You must not start your project until a formal Letter of Offer is received, signed, dated and returned within 14 days to the council.
• All grants are paid retrospectively, after satisfactory project completion and verification.

The Council is hosting online information sessions, please sign up here for a date that suits you.

To find out more and check your eligibility visit, go-succeed.com/grants or email us at gosucceedgrants@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

The DTFF is a demand led grant scheme aimed at establishing a Northern Ireland wide fund to stimulate digital innovation.

DTFF seeks to address the financial barriers to the adoption of advanced digital technologies to achieve business transformation amongst small and micro-businesses.

DTFF grants are worth between £5,000 and £20,000 ex VAT and are designed to help small and micro businesses accelerate their digital transformation ambitions.

Call 4 Expression of Interest Window closed on 14 March 2025 at 12 noon.

Click here to find out more about DTFF

Mind Body Business grants programme is now closed to applications.

Click here for further details about the Mind Body Business programme.

*This Scheme closed to applications on 8 November 2024.*

DAERA has launched the 2024 Rural Business Development Grant Scheme which will deliver £1.55million in capital grants to support rural micro businesses across Northern Ireland.

The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme is funded through the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs ‘Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation’ (TRPSI) Programme and is delivered in partnership with local Councils. 

Eligible rural businesses can apply for capital assistance of 50% up to the value of £4,999 for the purchase of capital equipment which will help their business to enhance sustainability or lead to growth opportunities and the creation of employment opportunities which in turn strengthen the rural economy.

Details of the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme are on the DAERA website at:  

https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/services/rural-business-development-grant-scheme-rbdgs

Only online applications can be accepted for this scheme. 

Please Note: Your business must be located in a rural area (This excludes the city of Bangor and the towns of Comber, Donaghadee, Holywood and Newtownards) & have less than 10 full time equivalent employees.

The Scheme closed to applications on 8 November 2024.

If you have any questions, please contact a member of the Regeneration Team: 

Telephone – 0300 013 3333 Ext 40918 or 40893

Email – rbdgs@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk