Rural Micro Grant Capital Scheme Now Open For Applications
Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots MLA has announced that a new £750k tranche of the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme (RMCGS) opened for applications on Friday 1 October 2021.
The key aim of RMCGS 2021 is to provide small capital grants of between £200 and £1,500 to rural community-led, voluntary organisations for projects tackling issues of local poverty and/or social isolation. The Scheme is funded from DAERA’s Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) Programme.
Minister Poots said: “The Micro Capital Grant Scheme has been one of the success stories of recent years and I am very pleased to announce it reopens on Friday 1 October 2021. It has made a considerable difference to rural communities across Northern Ireland and is an extremely good-fit with our TRPSI programme.”
The Minister continued: “Last year, 628 projects were awarded almost £800k benefitting an estimated 132,000 rural dwellers to improve infrastructure to address a locally identified poverty or social isolation issue.
The 2021 programme will again focus on the three key themes identified as contributory factors to poverty and social isolation;
- Modernisation (of existing premises / assets);
- Information and Communications Technology,
- and Improvements to health and wellbeing.
- Also, in the context of COVID-19 recovery, support will be available to assist groups to reopen and recover.”
Minister Poots noted: “I urge local community / voluntary groups to consider the Scheme and make an application to address the need they identify. For further information about the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme 2021, please contact your local Rural Support Network for your council area.”
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