Latest Business Support Updates from Invest Northern Ireland

Wednesday 24 March 2021

New grants to support Northern Ireland businesses

·The Finance Minister, has announced £177.9 million in new business support grants. Further details on the schemes can be found here.

·The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched a £1 million capital grant scheme to help existing micro food businesses to upscale production to secure new markets for their products. To find out more click here.

Supply Chain Resilience and Development Framework

The Supply Chain Resilience and Development Framework (SCRDF) is now open for applications from manufacturers and internationally tradeable service businesses who manage a supply chain as part of their business, or who are involved in the extended supply chain. SCRDF will primarily provide specialist advisory support to help businesses identify supply chain risks and appropriate mitigations, identify supply chain opportunities and develop supply chain capability. To find out more click here.

Covid-19: Skills Focus Programme
Skills Focus is a skills development programme funded by the Department for the Economy and delivered across Northern Ireland by the six further education colleges. It aims to help local businesses, with fewer than 250 employees, upskill their staff. To find out more click here.

EU Exit Advice Clinics
As a reminder, the next EU Exit Advice Clinics on 25 March and 31 March are now available for bookings. These events include the latest programme of webinar videos and allow businesses to book up to 3 x 20 minute appointments with advisors. Please also refer to the Invest NI website, NI Business Info, which provides all the latest guidance on changes to regulations and support as they emerge.

Potential Invest NI Support
If you are engaged with any businesses who may benefit from Invest NI support - please get in touch. The basic eligibility criteria to become an Invest NI Client is that the business must have at least annual sales of £250,000 with 25% from outside of Northern Ireland or have the potential to achieve these sales within three years. We are particularly interested in businesses with growth projects which will deliver higher levels of sales outside of NI and/or additional jobs.

Get in touch with Invest NI.

Wednesday 24 March 2021