The Black Industrialist Scheme funds manufacturing and industrial projects well above the scale of most small businesses. It exists to build black-owned industrial capacity rather than to support enterprises generally, which means the threshold is high and the requirements are specific.
Applicants who fit it are usually already manufacturing something and want to expand.
What the scheme is for
Establishing, expanding or acquiring manufacturing operations, typically involving significant capital: plant, machinery, buildings and industrial infrastructure, assessed on the capacity and jobs it creates.
It is not a start-up grant and not a general small business fund. A trading, retail or service business will not qualify, however successful it is.
Ownership and control requirements
Black ownership at or above the required threshold, and genuine operational control, meaning the black shareholders actually run the business rather than holding a passive stake.
Structures assembled purely to satisfy the requirement are specifically what the assessment looks for. Control is assessed on how the business actually operates.
What applicants must bring
A viable project with a market, a meaningful own contribution to the capital, a registered compliant entity with current annual returns at the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, tax compliance and financial statements.
Feasibility work, equipment quotations and evidence of offtake matter considerably, because the scheme funds capital against a project rather than against a plan.
If you are below the threshold
Most small manufacturers are, and the routes are different: agro-processing and manufacturing incentives for smaller capital projects, development finance through the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency, and corporate supplier development programmes.
Current criteria and open windows are published by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, and they are revised between cycles.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Black Industrialist Scheme fund?
Manufacturing and industrial projects at scale: plant, machinery and infrastructure, assessed on capacity and jobs created.
Can a retail or service business apply?
No. The scheme targets industrial and manufacturing capacity rather than trading or service businesses.
What ownership is required?
Black ownership at or above the required threshold with genuine operational control, assessed on how the business actually runs.
Do I need to contribute capital myself?
Yes. A meaningful own contribution is expected, alongside feasibility work and evidence of a market.
What if my business is too small?
Look at smaller manufacturing and agro-processing incentives, development finance and corporate supplier development instead.
Further reading
Originally published in May 2018. Updated September 2026 to explain what the Black Industrialist Scheme funds and who it is actually for.
