DAERA Minister Muir celebrates £5.28million investment in rural areas

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has welcomed the award of £5.28million in grants to over 2,500 rural community organisations and businesses in 2024/2025.

The awards have been made through the department's Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) and the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme (RBDGS).

Minister Muir was speaking during a visit to Richmount Rural Community Association, the recipient of two grants totalling £3,841 from the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme in 2024/2025 to enhance their Community Centre and to improve the building's energy efficiency.

Minister Muir said: “I am delighted that 1,824 grants totalling £2.94million have been provided to voluntary and community organisations throughout Northern Ireland from the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme.

"The RMCGS is a key initiative delivered through my Department's Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Framework. It supports rural community-led, voluntary organisations in identifying and implementing projects that address locally identified poverty, isolation, loneliness and health and wellbeing issues. 

“Richmount Rural Community Association is just one such organisation to  have utilised my Department's Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme to develop their services over many years for their local rural community.  I express my sincere gratitude to the Association's committee and indeed to all voluntary and community groups across Northern Ireland for their efforts over the years in sustaining and enhancing a wide range of opportunities for people in their local rural communities.”

Minister Muir added: “I also want to take this opportunity to highlight the significant investment of £2.34million from my Department's Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Framework through the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme. 695 rural businesses availed of a grant aid opportunity to help them remain sustainable, grow and in many cases create employment opportunities.

“Both Schemes are important contributors to my commitment to build strong, sustainable, and diverse rural communities where people want to live, work, and invest.”  

Notes to editors: 

1. The Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme and the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme were funded through the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs 2024/2025 Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme budget.

2. Micro Capital grants between £500 and £2,000 were available through the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme to rural voluntary and community organisations to implement projects to address locally identified poverty and isolation needs.

3. The Rural Business Development Grant Scheme awarded capital grants from the TRPSI Programme budget of up to 50% of costs for capital items up to a maximum grant of £4,999 to provide support to encourage rural businesses to remain sustainable, invest in expanding their operations, provide additional services, innovate, enter new markets and in many cases create employment opportunities.