Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Minister Andrew Muir has celebrated the awarding of £7.91 million in grants to over 2,350 rural community organisations and businesses over the past year.
The awards have been made through the department’s Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme and Rural Business Development Grant Scheme.
The minister stated that 1,048 offers of funding, amounting to a total of £1.74 million, had been issued to voluntary and community organisations throughout Northern Ireland via the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme.
A further £6.17 million was invested through the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme to 1,310 rural businesses.
Minister Muir said: “Both the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme and the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme are important contributors to my commitment to build strong, sustainable and diverse rural communities where people want to live, work and invest.”
He was speaking during a visit to Moneyslane Rural Community Organisation, the Co. Down recipient of a grant totalling £1,491 from the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme in 2025/2026 to modernise their community hub.
Source: DAERA
The Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme has been delivered through DAERA’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation Framework.
It is aimed at supporting rural community-led voluntary organisations in identifying and implementing projects that address locally identified poverty, isolation, loneliness and health and wellbeing issues.
“I was delighted to hear how Moneyslane Rural Community organisation have availed of the department’s Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme over many years to enhance their facilities for the local rural community,” Muir said.
“I express my sincere gratitude to the committee and to all voluntary and community organisations across Northern Ireland for their ongoing work in maintaining and developing a wide range of opportunities and facilities for people in local rural communities.”
Minister Muir also visited BWE Equestrian Ltd, a rural micro-business in Ballyward, Co. Down, where he presented their Letter of Offer of £5,850 from the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme to allow the purchase of a ‘shockwave’ linear soil decompaction machine.
“It’s been great to meet the staff of BWE Equestrian Ltd, a first-time applicant to the scheme, to hear how the grant will help their business’s sustainability and increase their potential for growth,” the minister said.
“This is exactly the type of support the scheme aims to deliver across Northern Ireland.”
