Guide
Business support and grants in Northern Ireland
Key business support organisations and grant programmes available to businesses in Northern Ireland. Covers Invest NI, Go For It, Enterprise NI, InterTradeIreland, DAERA rural grants, and city deal programmes.
Northern Ireland has its own business support infrastructure, separate from the agencies and programmes available in England, Scotland, and Wales. The main organisations and their areas of focus are listed below.
Invest Northern Ireland
Invest NI is the main economic development agency and the first point of contact for most business support enquiries. Its online portal, nibusinessinfo.co.uk, is the official business information service for Northern Ireland.
Go For It programme
Go For It is a free business start-up support programme delivered by local enterprise agencies across Northern Ireland. It provides mentoring and helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop a business plan. The programme is funded by Invest NI and the Department for the Economy. Participants receive one-to-one guidance from a business adviser and can attend workshops covering business planning, marketing, and financial management. The programme is open to anyone considering starting a business in Northern Ireland, regardless of sector.
Enterprise NI
Enterprise NI is the membership body for local enterprise agencies across Northern Ireland. The network of enterprise agencies delivers local business support including the Go For It programme, workspace provision, and mentoring. Enterprise agencies are community-based organisations, each serving a specific council area or district.
InterTradeIreland
For businesses trading or planning to trade across the NI-Republic of Ireland border, InterTradeIreland offers targeted programmes.
Sector-specific support
| Organisation | Sector focus | Key support |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism NI | Tourism and hospitality | Marketing support, quality grading, tourism enterprise development |
| DAERA | Rural businesses and agriculture | Rural development grants, farm diversification support, agri-food programmes |
| Arts Council NI | Creative industries | Project funding, organisational support, creative business development |
| NI Screen | Film, television, and digital content | Production funding, skills development, studio infrastructure |
City and growth deals
Northern Ireland has several city and growth deals that provide investment and support for businesses within their areas:
- Belfast Region City Deal - investment in innovation, infrastructure, tourism, and employability across Belfast and surrounding council areas
- Derry City and Strabane Growth Deal - focused on digital innovation, health and life sciences, and tourism
- Mid South West Growth Deal - covering Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon, Fermanagh, and Omagh areas
- Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deal - targeting tourism, digital, and green energy sectors
UK-wide support also available in NI
In addition to NI-specific support, businesses can access UK-wide programmes including:
- Innovate UK grants and competitions
- British Business Bank finance programmes (Start Up Loans, Enterprise Finance Guarantee)
- UK Export Finance for international trade
- R&D Tax Relief (claimed through HMRC)
- Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)