Derry City & Strabane District Council: Rural Business Investment Scheme

Overview

This scheme is open to rural:

• Micro and small enterprises
• New and existing businesses
• Farmers (for farm diversification)
• Social enterprises

SCHEME AT A GLANCE:

• For micro, small and social enterprises in rural areas.
• For non-agricultural/non-food activities.
• Primary objective is to create new jobs.
• Primarily capital grants with some resource funds for marketing and bespoke training.
• 50% funding available.
• Grants between £500 and £90,000 depending on activity and size of enterprise.
• Only one application per business per call.
• Replacement investments are not eligible (e.g. like-for-like equipment)
• Potential applicants must attend a pre-funding workshop and be ‘investment ready’ (e.g. business plan, planning permission, match funding and quotations).

Examples of Eligible Costs:

• Improvements / upgrade/ expansion of business premises/infrastructure;
• Purchase of fixed capital plant and equipment;
• Acquisition or development of computer software and acquisitions of copyrights, trademarks etc.

What Types of Activities Might be Supported?

• Rural tourism activities, including some types of rural accommodation*, tourism service provision, craft retail unit in front of a production unit, restaurants.
• Construction, re-construction or establishment of workshops, factories, plants, premises and facilities for various activities such as repair of machinery; production and/or processing of non-agricultural goods and materials, plastics, sewage and refuse disposal, sanitation and similar activities.
• Processing and marketing of some agricultural products where the output is non-food, not fit for animal consumption or not a processed wood product.
• Social service provision including construction, re-construction and/or modernisation of premises and area for carrying out the activities childcare, eldercare, healthcare, care for disabled people, educational farms etc.).
• Development of crafts and handicraft activities.
• Investments in leisure, recreational and sport activities developed by private businesses or social economy enterprise as an economic activity. Any projects relating to sport must fit with DCAL’s investment strategy on sport.
• IT activities, computer-based and electronic activities, e-commerce, online warehouse, etc.
• Provision of services e.g. architectural and engineering activities, accounting, book keeping and auditing services, technical services, industrial cleaning, veterinary and animal welfare activities etc.
• Marketing element which would include website development and information leaflets/ brochures.
• Bespoke training i.e. any training not currently provided by a statutory body such as colleges, Invest Northern Ireland, Local enterprise Agencies or other council funded scheme.

Grant levels (up to 50% funding)

Capital Grant - new micro enterprise £5,000 - £30,000

Capital Grant - existing micro enterprise £5,000 - £50,000

Capital Grant - existing small enterprise £5,000 - £90,000

Technical support and bespoke training £500 - £5,000

Marketing support non web based £500 - £5,000

Marketing support web based (e-commerce) £500 - £10,000