The Digital Transformation Flexible Fund: what it will (and won’t) pay for

There’s a Northern Ireland grant that pays up to 70% of an AI or automation project, from £5,000 to £20,000. It’s called the Digital Transformation Flexible Fund, and the single biggest reason applications fail is misunderstanding what it will and won’t pay for.

What it funds

The fund backs genuinely new capability, not everyday running costs. That means artificial intelligence and machine learning, process automation, data and analytics, the Internet of Things, and immersive technology. The common thread is transformation: doing something your business couldn’t do before.

What it won’t fund

• Websites, e-commerce and SEO
• Laptops, desktops and other hardware
• Routine software licences and maintenance
• Standard CRM systems
• Advertising, social media and content

That line, new capability versus business as usual, is exactly where most applications go wrong.

The plan is where it’s won or lost

The fund won’t release money without a formal Digital Transformation Plan. “We’d like to use AI” doesn’t pass. A scoped, costed project tied to a concrete business outcome does. Writing that plan well is most of the work, and it’s the part we handle.

The honest bit

It’s competitive, it runs in rounds rather than being open all year, and you fund the remaining 30% plus VAT. We’ll tell you honestly whether you’re likely to qualify before you spend time on an application, and help you get application-ready so you can move the moment a call opens.

The grant rewards a clear plan, not a good intention. Getting application-ready before a call opens is the real advantage.

Funding rules, amounts and call timings change. Confirm the current position with us before relying on any detail here.