Invest Northern Ireland Grant for R&D
Discretionary contribution to eligible R&D costs; current public pages do not publish a universal per-project minimum, maximum or intervention rate · Invest Northern Ireland · rolling applications
Invest Northern Ireland Grant for R&D is a grant programme from Invest Northern Ireland for Northern Ireland companies undertaking eligible industrial research or experimental development with regional economic benefit Current lifecycle: rolling. Real economics: Discretionary contribution to eligible R&D costs; current public pages do not publish a universal per-project minimum, maximum or intervention rate.
Tier 3governmentnorthern-irelandgrantnon-dilutive
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Key facts
| Funder | Invest Northern Ireland |
| Amount | Discretionary contribution to eligible R&D costs; current public pages do not publish a universal per-project minimum, maximum or intervention rate |
| Deadline | Rolling — apply anytime |
| Decision time | Invest NI states it will confirm in writing within 10 days whether a submitted portal application is accepted for appraisal. No fixed appraisal-to-letter-of-offer duration is published. |
| Eligibility | Only Invest Northern Ireland client companies. The applicant must first discuss the project with an Invest NI representative and receive an individually referenced application form. The project must support a new or improved commercially valuable product, process or service and demonstrate Northern Ireland business and economic benefits. |
| Restrictions | Quarterly grant claims with progress reports and vouching against agreed eligible expenditure; support a post-project evaluation likely three years after completion. Evidence can include payroll, depreciation policy, arm's-length and funding documents. Eligible categories include internal labour, consultancy, subcontracting, materials, project-use equipment depreciation, SME IP, trials/testing and 15% labour overhead. Ineligible costs include VAT, in-kind contributions, application preparation, pre-start work, interest, land/buildings, marketing/sales, market research, production equipment and travel; outside-NI external labour/consultancy/subcontracting is generally capped at 20% of eligible cost. |
| Status | rolling |
Always confirm on the official page before applying — dates and terms change.
Application process
- Discuss the proposed R&D project with a Client Executive, Technology Executive or Innovation Advisor
- Receive an individually referenced Grant for R&D form
- Submit the portal application and nine-tab cost/project spreadsheet
- Receive an acceptance-for-appraisal decision within 10 days
- Answer technical, financial, ownership and additionality questions during appraisal
- If approved, receive and sign the letter of offer before starting work
- Submit quarterly claims and progress reports
- Support a post-project evaluation likely around three years after completion
Background
Invest Northern Ireland operates Invest Northern Ireland Grant for R&D. The official-source pass records the actual access gate, economics, constraints, application burden and current lifecycle instead of treating the umbrella headline as an unrestricted grant. Official pages publish company R&D case-study material The current portal guidance provides a measurable 10-day acceptance-for-appraisal service point Project Definition provides a separate precursor pathway before a larger R&D application
How the application really works
Discuss the proposed R&D project with a Client Executive, Technology Executive or Innovation Advisor → Receive an individually referenced Grant for R&D form → Submit the portal application and nine-tab cost/project spreadsheet → Receive an acceptance-for-appraisal decision within 10 days → Answer technical, financial, ownership and additionality questions during appraisal → If approved, receive and sign the letter of offer before starting work → Submit quarterly claims and progress reports → Support a post-project evaluation likely around three years after completion
Tips
- Show direct fit with new or improved products.
- Show direct fit with new or improved processes.
- Show direct fit with new or improved services.
- Show direct fit with industrial research.
- Show direct fit with experimental development.
Watch out for
- Current lifecycle is rolling.
- Quarterly grant claims with progress reports and vouching against agreed eligible expenditure; support a post-project evaluation likely three years after completion. Evidence can include payroll, depreciation policy, arm's-length and funding documents.
- Eligible categories include internal labour, consultancy, subcontracting, materials, project-use equipment depreciation, SME IP, trials/testing and 15% labour overhead. Ineligible costs include VAT, in-kind contributions, application preparation, pre-start work, interest, land/buildings, marketing/sales, market research, production equipment and travel; outside-NI external labour/consultancy/subcontracting is generally capped at 20% of eligible cost.
Track record
- Official pages publish company R&D case-study material
- The current portal guidance provides a measurable 10-day acceptance-for-appraisal service point
- Project Definition provides a separate precursor pathway before a larger R&D application
No application or award count is published; funding is client-gated and discretionary.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this actionable now?
- rolling. No fixed deadline is published. Invest NI clients begin by discussing the project with their representative and can apply only after receiving an individually referenced form.
- What is the real economic value?
- Discretionary contribution to eligible R&D costs; current public pages do not publish a universal per-project minimum, maximum or intervention rate
- Who is eligible?
- Only Invest Northern Ireland client companies. The applicant must first discuss the project with an Invest NI representative and receive an individually referenced application form. The project must support a new or improved commercially valuable product, process or service and demonstrate Northern Ireland business and economic benefits.
- How does selection work?
- Discuss the proposed R&D project with a Client Executive, Technology Executive or Innovation Advisor; Receive an individually referenced Grant for R&D form; Submit the portal application and nine-tab cost/project spreadsheet; Receive an acceptance-for-appraisal decision within 10 days; Answer technical, financial, ownership and additionality questions during appraisal; If approved, receive and sign the letter of offer before starting work; Submit quarterly claims and progress reports; Support a post-project evaluation likely around three years after completion. Invest NI states it will confirm in writing within 10 days whether a submitted portal application is accepted for appraisal. No fixed appraisal-to-letter-of-offer duration is published.
- What burden and restrictions apply?
- Quarterly grant claims with progress reports and vouching against agreed eligible expenditure; support a post-project evaluation likely three years after completion. Evidence can include payroll, depreciation policy, arm's-length and funding documents. Eligible categories include internal labour, consultancy, subcontracting, materials, project-use equipment depreciation, SME IP, trials/testing and 15% labour overhead. Ineligible costs include VAT, in-kind contributions, application preparation, pre-start work, interest, land/buildings, marketing/sales, market research, production equipment and travel; outside-NI external labour/consultancy/subcontracting is generally capped at 20% of eligible cost.
- What official evidence exists?
- Official pages publish company R&D case-study material The current portal guidance provides a measurable 10-day acceptance-for-appraisal service point Project Definition provides a separate precursor pathway before a larger R&D application No application or award count is published; funding is client-gated and discretionary.
Related grants
Sources
- www.investni.com/support-for-business/research-and-development-support/grant-for-research-and-development — Official current eligibility, accepted costs, gated application and contact (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.investni.com/sites/default/files/documents/static/library/invest-ni/documents/grant-for-research-and-development-project-definition-guidance-notes.pdf — Official November 2025 portal guidance: timing, materials, costs, claims and post-project evaluation (checked 2026-08-10)
- www.investni.com/support-for-business/research-and-development-support — Official current R&D support family and Project Definition precursor (checked 2026-08-10)