Social Economy Incentive Fund

Social Economy Incentive Fund 2026

The Social Economy Incentive Fund is open to Belfast-based social enterprises and co-operatives. Our fund supports early-stage and established organisations that are working to address social deprivation and inequality in Belfast.

Through a competitive application process, we award funding to projects that demonstrate a clear pathway to long-term financial sustainability. Applicants must provide match funding and make a financial contribution towards their proposed project costs.

Eligibility criteria

To apply for the Social Economy Incentive Fund, your organisation must: 

• be based within the Belfast City Council area
• be actively trading for a minimum of three months at the time of application
• operate as a social enterprise or co-operative (social enterprises can include Community Interest Companies (CICs), charitable trading subsidiaries and other organisations that operate with a clear social purpose)
• hold a business bank account, or a bank account used solely for business purposes, and
• demonstrate how the proposed funding will contribute to achieving your organisational and business objectives.

Organisations that previously received SEIF

If your organisation previously received a SEIF grant and applies to SEIF in 2026, you must demonstrate:

• how the previous funding contributed to organisational growth and development, and
• how the current application differs from, or builds upon, previous funding support.

Funding priorities

 As our funding is limited, we will prioritise organisations that:

• did not previously receive significant financial support from public sector funding sources, and
• can demonstrate a clear, measurable impact in areas of social deprivation in Belfast.

As part of the assessment process, we will review an organisation's previous public funding awards through the Government Funding Database (link opens in new window).

Funding categories and grant levels

The Social Economy Incentive Fund (SEIF) offers two funding categories:

• Early Stage Award
• Growth Award

Early Stage Award

This award is for social enterprises and co-operatives that have been actively trading for less than three years on the date they apply to SEIF:

• maximum grant is £5,000 
• funding is provided on a 75 per cent to 25 per cent match funding basis 
• the fund will contribute up to 75 per cent of eligible project costs, and
• an applicant must provide the 25 per cent through cash match funding (in-kind contributions are not eligible).

Example of Early Stage Award

For a project with total eligible costs of £6,666.67, the applicant must contribute £1,666.67 and the fund will contribute 5,000. Applicants must demonstrate how the proposed investment will support business growth and generate increased income within 12 months of receiving the grant. Successful projects will be monitored through regular reporting.

Growth Award

This award is for social enterprises and co-operatives that have been actively trading for at least three years:

• maximum grant is £10,000
• funding is provided on a fifty fifty match funding basis 
• the fund will contribute up to 50 per cent of eligible project costs, and 
• an applicant must provide the other 50 per cent through cash match funding (in-kind contributions are not eligible).

Example of Growth Award

For a project with total eligible costs of £20,000, the applicant must contribute £10,000 and the fund will contribute £10,000.

Costs or activities eligible for funding

The Social Economy Incentive Fund is designed to support the growth and expansion of social enterprises and co-operatives. 

Funding must be used for activities that enable the organisation to develop new or enhanced commercial activities that would not otherwise be possible without financial support. 

Funding can cover:

• equipment needed to support business growth and development
• start-up or expansion costs associated with new products, services, or activities
• skills development and training that increases organisational capacity
• specialist mentoring or consultancy support (not available by another funded programme or service)
• new licences, software subscriptions, or digital tools that are not already available through another support programme.

Costs or activities not eligible for funding

This fund cannot be used to support existing activities or to maintain current operations.

You cannot use this fund for:

• core operational or running costs
• rent, rates, utility bills, staffing costs, or other overheads associated with existing premises and services
• transport or travel costs
• items intended for personal use
• attendance at conferences, exhibitions, events, or similar activities
• political activities, lobbying, campaigning, or awareness-raising initiatives
• grants, donations, or funding that will be passed on to charities, community groups, or other organisations.

If you apply for equipment or IT hardware, you must show how it will be used for business purposes.

Application process and closing date

You must apply using the online form. We don't accept applications by email or post. 

We will assess applications in two stages:

• Stage 1, we will assess online application forms
• Stage 2, we will invite shortlisted applicants to give an in-person pitch on Tuesday 8 December 2026 in Belfast. 

Applications close on Friday 27 November 2026 at 4pm.

Apply to Social Economy Incentive Fund 2026

Before you apply online, you should read the application notes on EU State Aid and UK Subsidy Control Act 2022 and our additional funding conditions.

Apply to Social Economy Incentive Fund 2026 (link opens in new window).

EU State Aid rules and UK Subsidy Control Act 2022

Under the Subsidy Control Act 2022, a subsidy is present when a public authority provides financial assistance (directly or indirectly) to an enterprise and that gives them an economic advantage over one or more other enterprises with respect to the production of goods or the provision of services. This financial assistance must also be capable of having, a foreseeable effect on competition or investment within the United Kingdom or on trade or investment between the United Kingdom and a country or territory outside the United Kingdom.  

This financial assistance could be:

• a grant
• a tax break
• a loan, guarantee or equity investment on favourable terms, or 
• the use of facilities below market price, amongst other kinds of support. 

This UK definition is broadly similar to that which is used in the EU’s State aid rules.  

Although the UK has now left the EU, as detailed in Article 10 of the NI Protocol and the resultant Windsor Framework, the EU State aid rules still apply in respect of financial assistance measures which affect trade in goods between Northern Ireland and the EU.  

Based on the beneficiary trading activities, applicants must confirm which sector the business operates within in order to determine if UK Subsidy Control Act 2022 or EU Regulation 2023/2831 (De Minimis Aid Regulation) applies.

When completing the EU State Aid Section of the application form in Section C:

• applicants with a business that only operates in services sector should select 'Yes' to UK Subsidy Control Act 2022 question
• applicants involved in manufacturing, production or trading goods should refer to EU De Minimis Aid questions
• applicants with a business that operates in services sector and in goods and manufacturing sector should select De Minimis Aid

When the EU de minimis rules apply

If you select 'yes' to answer question 3, the grant awarded will be deemed to be de minimis aid grant and EU Regulation 2023/2831 (De Minimis Aid Regulation) will apply. 

We will need information about the support you received.

Information on other grants, funds or support received in three last years

You must tell us how much support you have received from any public body over the last three-year period (from the date you complete the declaration). Maximum amount of de minimis aid that an undertaking can receive within a three-year period is €300,000 ( the total amount of de minimis aid granted in the previous three-years needs to be taken into account). 

For each support you received, you must include:

• Awarding body
  • For example, Belfast City Council
  • For example Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
• Type of aid
  • For example, Startup assistance for Social Enterprise
  • For example, Governance mentoring
• Date awarded
  • For example, 28 February 2025
  • For example, 5 March 2026
• Amount or value
  • For example, £3,750
  • For example, £5,000

If the amount of support you have received is over €300,000, we will contact you as this may make your business ineligible to receive the Social Economy Incentive Fund grant under EU ‘de minimis’ rules.

If you are unsure of the type of support you have received during this year and the last two full years of your business financial years, you should contact the relevant grant providers and request this information. Incorrect information could result in your business receiving too much funding which could later give rise to this being recovered with interest. We also advise that you get independent legal advice if you are unsure of your obligations under this legislation.

The declaration must be signed by the business owner, director or a person legally entitled to sign the declaration on behalf of the business owner or director.

EU Commission eAid (de minimis) Register

From 1 January 2026, we are required to upload all de minimis aid awarded to the EU Commission eAid (de minimis) register (link opens in new window).

We will upload a record of the Social Economy Incentive Fund 2026 grants to the EU Commission eAid (de minimis) Register.

Additional funding conditions

Applicants must comply with these funding conditions:

• You must include a clear breakdown of project costs, including your financial contribution
• All costs must be reasonable, necessary and directly related to your proposed project. 
• If an item costs £3,000 or more (excluding VAT), you must provide provide written quotations from at least three suppliers. 
• We might ask you for evidence that match funding is available, including bank statements demonstrating business-related transactions and sufficient funds to meet the your contribution. 
• If your application is successful, you must be ready to begin project delivery within three months of accepting your Letter of Offer and complete all expenditure within six months. 
• Expenditure incurred before a Letter of Offer is accepted is not eligible. 
• If awarded a grant, you must retain and provide evidence of expenditure, including invoices, receipts and bank statements, when we ask for this information.
• We might ask successful applicants to participate in promotional and publicity activities relating to the Social Economy Incentive Fund