R & D Grant Funding

Local Enterprise Office Grants

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​Priming Grants - for sole traders, partnerships, community or limited companies that fulfill the following criteria:
• Located within the CEB’s geographic area;
• A business which on growth may or may not fit the Enterprise Ireland portfolio;
• 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 being established by a female returning to the workforce or unemployed persons where the potential for deadweight and displacement does not exist”.

Eligible clients may be awarded a Priming Grant within the first eighteen months of setting up the business. The maximum Priming Grant payable shall be 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is the lesser. Grants over €80,000 and up to €150,000 shall be the exception and shall only apply in the case of projects that clearly demonstrate a potential to graduate to Enterprise Ireland and/or to export internationally. In all other cases, the maximum grant shall be 50% of the investment or €80,000 whichever is the lesser. Subject to the 50% limit, a maximum grant of €15,000 per full time job created shall apply in respect of any employment support granted.



​Business Expansion Grants
- may be awarded to businesses
• Located within the CEB’s geographic area;
• A business, which, on growth, may or may not have the capacity to fit the enterprise Ireland portfolio
• A business employing up to 10 employees
• A Manufacturing or Internationally traded service business
• A Domestically traded Service business with the potential to trade internationally.

The maximum Business Expansion Grant payable shall be 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is the lesser. Grants over €80,000 and up to €150,000 shall be the exception and shall only apply in the case of projects that clearly demonstrate a potential to graduate to Enterprise Ireland and/or to export internationally. In all other cases, the maximum grant shall be 50% of the investment or €80,000 whichever is the lesser. Subject to the 50% limit, a maximum grant of €15,000 per full time job created shall apply in respect of any employment support granted. A business that had availed of a Priming Grant will be ineligible to apply for a Business Expansion grant until 18 months after approval/drawdown date of Priming Grant whichever is the later.



​Feasibility Grants.
The maximum Feasibility / Innovation Grant payable for the S&E Region shall be 50% of the investment or €20,000 whichever is the lesser. The maximum Feasibility / Innovation Grant payable for the BMW Region shall be 60% of the investment or €20,000 whichever is the lesser.



 

​Microfinance Ireland.
Microfinance Ireland has been funded by the Irish Government to provide loans to newly established and growing microenterprises (turnover less than €2m; staff less than 10 across all industry sectors that do not meet the conventional risk criteria applied by banks. In the first instance, you should approach your bank for credit. In the event that credit is declined, you are eligible to apply to Microfinance Ireland for a loan. Microfinance Ireland works in partnership with the County & City Enterprise Boards who can assist with training and guidance in preparing your business plan.  They will also conduct an initial evaluation of the quality of your business proposal for a loan application.



​ELIGIBILITY
• Have you a commercially viable business proposal that has been declined credit by a bank?
• Are you a startup or growing microenterprise employing less than 10 people?
• Do you require less that €25,000?
If so you are eligible to apply for a loan

Step 1: Go to your County & City Enterprise Board (CCEB) and speak to an advisor who will assist you with the application process.

Step 2: Complete
• An application form
• A business plan
• A three year cashflow projection and give it to your CCEB advisor who will evaluate it and make a recommendation.

Step 3: The CCEB will send your application to Microfinance Ireland who will assess the proposition and contact you directly.