Northern Ireland Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme 2024/2025 – Tranche 2 Opens for Applications

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir MLA has today announced that a new £1.1million tranche of the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) has opened for applications.

Capital grants of between £500 and £2,000 are available to rural community and voluntary organisations and Social Economy Enterprises for projects tackling local issues of poverty and/or social isolation, provided evidence from their application, constitution and accounts proves they meet all the criteria. The Scheme is funded from DAERA's Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme.

Projects must focus on one of the following themes:

• Modernisation (of premises / assets).
• Information Communication Technology.
• Health and Wellbeing.
• Energy Efficiency / Environmental Improvements.

Launching the Scheme at an event in the Long Gallery to celebrate and recognise the role of the Rural Support Networks in supporting rural community development, DAERA Minister Andrew Muir commented: “I am delighted to announce the opening of Tranche 2 of the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme 2024/2025. In Tranche 1 grant aid totalling £1.4m has been invested in 896 projects delivered by rural voluntary and community sector organisations for projects tackling local issues of poverty and / or social isolation.”

Minister Muir continued: “I wanted to attend this event to acknowledge the key role of the Rural Support Networks in providing much needed support and assistance to rural voluntary and community organisations across a range of key rural matters including support for organisations applying to the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme. Since the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme was introduced in 2015, grant aid totalling £6.1m has been invested in 4,717 projects. This investment has made a considerable difference to rural voluntary and community organisations and the communities they serve across Northern Ireland.”

Applicants to the Scheme can apply for a minimum grant of £500 up to a maximum grant of £2,000, with a minimum of 15% match funding required from those organisations applying. The scheme is being delivered by Rural Support Networks on behalf of DAERA.

Applicants can apply here.

The Scheme closes for applications 12:00pm midday on Thursday 5 December 2024.

For further information on the 2024/2025 Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme please contact the Rural Support Network in your local council area. Rural Support Network contact details.  

Notes to editors: 

1. The Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme is funded through the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme.
2. This Scheme is open for applications from Monday 11 November 2024 until 12.00pm midday on Thursday 5 December 2024.