What Projects Can We Help?
What Projects Can We Help?
What Grant Aid Is Available?
How To Apply For Grant Aid
Application Form For Financial Assistance .pdf file
County & City Enterprise Boards operate schemes aimed at assisting, through standard grants and refundable aid (capital, employment or equity participation) the establishment of smallscale economic projects with the central objective of facilitating the creation and maintenance of sustainable jobs and the development of economic infrastructure at local level.
The Boards seek to:
- Maximise the employment and value added potential of micro enterprises,
- Contribute to national competitiveness,
- Reduce dependence on traditional or declining economic sectors,
- Support greater participation of the unemployed and women in the promotion and development of enterprises,
- Provide employment opportunities in less developed and remote areas so as to achieve more enduring and value-added balanced regional development.
New and existing small enterprises in the qualifying sectors of manufacturing and internationally traded services may benefit from a capital, employment or feasibility study grant from their local County or City Enterprise Board. Eligible enterprises include those employing fewer than 10 full-time staff. Capital grants can be made available towards the purchase of new machinery and equipment, the construction of new or the extension of existing workspace while employment grants may be offered towards self-employment or the recruitment of additional full-time staff. Feasibility study grants apply where the promoter wishes to assess the viability of a new business venture, undertake a market survey, engage in product or prototype development or indeed buy in outside consultancy to assist in the evaluation of a new product or venture diversification.
Q. What are the criteria for assistance?
A. Projects seeking financial support must have less than ten employees, be in the commercial sphere and demonstrate a market for the product /service and most importantly have a capacity for growth and job creation. In particular, project promoters should be able to demonstrate that:
- There is market for the proposed product or service
- Adequate overall finance will be available to fund the project
- They possess the management and technical capacity to implement the proposed project.
Projects to be assisted should add value so as to generate income or supplement income for those involved and should have the capacity to create new direct employment either full/part time/seasonal or should at a minimum contribute directly to the maintenance of employment in existing enterprises.
Q. How do the Enterprise Boards select projects for grant assistance?
A. The County & City Enterprise Boards pursue a systematic appraisal of all project proposals. The initial application is assessed by the Evaluation Committee and a recommendation is made to the Board on the level and form of assistance having regard to the other sources of finance available. An overriding requirement is the avoidance of displacement or dead-weight. The key selection criteria are as follows:
- The quality of the project proposal and its local relevance and economic benefits
- The commercial viability of the enterprise and of the project proposal
- Availability of matching finance/current funding position of the enterprise and proposed sources of funding
- The cost effectiveness of the proposition
- The contribution of the proposal to the development of the enterprise in terms of internal capacity
- Potential for deadweight or displacement
- Impact on poverty, equality, rural development and the environment.
Priority must be given to manufacturing and internationally traded services, which over time can develop into strong export entities and graduate to the County & City Enterprise Boards operate schemes aimed at assisting, through standard grants and refundable aid (capital, employment or equity participation) the establishment of smallscale economic projects with the central objective of facilitating the creation and maintenance of sustainable jobs and the development of economic infrastructure at local level. Enterprise Ireland portfolio; tourism projects aimed predominantly at overseas visitors and locally provided services promoted by the unemployed or those recently made redundant and also women re-entering the workforce.
