In summary
The penultimate newsletter of 2024 and hopes for finishing the year with lots of activity! Things to note this month include the new FSBNI Business Bank Survey (please complete), the recording of our Maximising Profitability for SME webinar which is available on our social media, our forthcoming NI Small Business Conference in Newry on 14 November and our other monthly events marking Trade Week and Talk Money week. Visit the FSB website for all details.
Featured news and events
Up to £25 million available to fund innovation projects
Innovate UK has opened applications to another round of its Smart Grant funding for game-changing and commercially viable R&D innovations.
Innovations must be genuinely new, with significant potential for a rapid economic return to the UK.
Proposals must be business-focused, with deliverable, realistic, adequately resourced plans to achieve return on investment, growth and market share following project completion. Applications can come from any area of technology and be applied to any part of the economy.
Projects of 6 to 18 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £500,000 and can be single or collaborative. Projects of 19 to 24 months must have total eligible project costs between £100,000 and £1 million and be collaborative.
More details available here. Closing date for applications 13 November.
Northern Ireland In-Person Networking
Join us on Thursday 5 December at 10.30am for our Festive at 50 Networking event. This is our last in-person networking event for this year, so why not join us at The Kelvin in Belfast for some festive catchup with other small businesses.
Register here for this free event.
In other news
DAERA announce rural micro business grants
Grant aid for rural micro businesses of 50% up to the value of £4,999 for the purchase of capital equipment to remain sustainable
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has launched the Rural Business Development Grant Scheme 2024/25. The scheme aims to provide grant funding to help rural micro-businesses (employing less than 10 full-time equivalent employees) improve sustainability or lead to growth opportunities, creating employment and strengthening the rural economy.
Rural businesses can get 50% capital assistance, up to £4,999, for equipment purchases.
Find out more
DAERA is responsible for the delivery of the programme. Individual councils are responsible for managing projects in their council area.
Note closing date Friday 8 November.
FSB networking marking DBT’s International Trade Week
From 11 to 15 November 2024, International Trade Week will include a series of events designed to help businesses of all shapes and sizes maximise their global potential.
International Trade Week will:
- Develop your exporting knowledge and skills
- Showcase the wide-ranging support available from DBT and its partners
- Highlight global opportunities and how to seize them
- Explain the benefits of trade deals the UK has signed
- Enable you to hear from, and speak to, experts in international trade.
Highlights will include:
- The Changing Face of Global Skills
- Exporting to Eastern Europe and Central Asia Markets
- Maximising Your Export Potential Through Cross-Border Trade
- Exporting to France and the EU
- Boost your export potential with UK Export Finance
FSB Northern Ireland will hold an in-person Export Networking event hosted by DBT’s NI trade team at their Erskine House premises on Monday 11 November. For more details on how to book, click here or view all Trade Week events here.
Still in the news
New Cluster Acceleration Programme for SMEs announced
Cluster Acceleration Programme will fund five clusters and 50 studies, providing financial support for SMEs to collaborate and grow.
The £11 million Cluster Acceleration Programme (CAP), designed by Invest Northern Ireland, aims to boost innovation and productivity among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Northern Ireland by supporting and funding the formation of business clusters over the next ten years.
What are clusters?
Clusters are business-led groups made up of industry, government, academia, capital investors, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs linked by their economic activities. They come together to collaborate on new products or processes, address challenges such as skills and employment gaps, or increase export capabilities and improve productivity.
Why join the Cluster Acceleration Programme?
Businesses will benefit from the programme on two levels:
- Phase One Feasibility Study - up to £60,000 for networks of 8-10 SMEs to explore innovative projects
- Phase Two Cluster Project - up to £1,000,000 for selected clusters from Phase One studies.
The programme will also deliver best practice events, cluster manager training, networking opportunities, and interactive workshops. Applications open 4 October 2024 and close 20 December 2024 .
More details on eligibility here.
AIB Support for SME Sustainability
As well as their useful SME roadmap to sustainability and sector guides, AIB are set to organise a streamed event for businesses to find out more about their path to sustainability. This conference will feature exceptional international and Irish trailblazers, each providing their unique perspective on the global transition to a more sustainable future. The full line-up and agenda will be announced in early course.
Embedding sustainability within corporate decision making is important to preserve and create value. Whilst business practices are beginning to move in the right direction, we know that the first step to take is not always clear. Our goal for this year’s event is to help demystify the transition, to share perspectives on the path ahead and support our customers on their sustainability journey, creating connections and providing practical advice. We hope you will find value in joining the conversation.
Registration is free and now open through the below link. Once registered, a link to join the live stream will be shared via email in the days leading up to the conference.
Event details:
Date: 25 November 2024
Time: 9:00AM – 1:00PM
Register here: https://aibsustainabilityconference.ie/register
More about FSB NI
- Find out more about activities in Northern Ireland
Get in touch
Your FSB Development Manager for Northern Ireland is Roisin McAliskey. If you'd like more information about the topics above, or if you have news about this area that you'd like to share, please get in touch.
- email: [email protected]
- follow us on x: @FSBNIRegion and @FSB_NI
- follow us on Facebook: FSB Northern Ireland
- connect with me on LinkedIn: FSB Northern Ireland