Financial Supports

County & City Enterprise Boards (CEBs) provide a range of financial supports designed to assist with the establishment and/or growth of small scale business employing up to ten people.

There are a number of financial supports available including:

• Priming Grants
• Business Expansion Grants
• Feasibility/Innovation Grant
• Refundable Aid

General Conditions

The general conditions for grant support are as follows:

• A business employing up to 10 employees;
• A manufacturing or internationally traded services business;
• A domestically traded service business with the potential to trade internationally;
• A domestically traded services business being established by a female returning to the workforce or unemployed persons where the potential for deadweight and displacement does not exist.
• The enterprise must be in the commercial sphere;
• The enterprise must demonstrate a market for the product/service;
• The enterprise must have a capacity for growth and new
• job creation;

Priming Grants (Start-Up Businesses) & Business Expansion Grants

Up to a maximum of 50% of the cost of the investment up to a maximum amount of €80,000 can be considered. Eligible costs can include a mix of capital items; Salary costs; Rental /Accommodation costs; Utility costs; Marketing costs; Consultancy costs and Business Specific Training.

Grants over €80,000 up to €150,000 may be awarded in exceptional cases with clear potential to graduate to the Enterprise Ireland portfolio/export internationally. (i.e. Turnover over €1million within 3 years, employing ten staff and exporting). A maximum grant of up to €15,000 per full time job may apply to high value jobs attracting over €40k salary.

Feasibility Study Grants

Up to 50% of the cost of undertaking a feasibility study on an innovative new product or service may be considered subject to a maximum of €20,000. This intervention is not for R&D but for developing a final product suitable and ready for market.

Applying for Funding

Each application must be accompanied by a Current Business Plan with Projected / Historical Financials, Evidence of Funding, Quotations for all Items of Expenditure and a Completed Enterprise Board Application form. Other details required include a Tax Clearance Certificate and any necessary statutory permissions. It is advisable to contact your local Board first to discuss your business idea and your application. They can assist you in putting together your application for funding.

Please note: Primary Processing, Retail / Import, Professional Services (Accountants, Solicitors) & Consultancies, Tourism related businesses, Local service businesses (i.e. Restaurants, Pubs, Cafes, Plumbers, Hairdressers, Construction etc..) or mobile assets (cars / vans) are not eligible for financial assistance in accordance with various EU / State Rules for funding.

 

FORMS

Download the Application for Priming / Business Expansion Grant Assistance

Download the Application for Feasibility / Innovation Grant Assistance