Launch of two additional schemes as part of the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Initiative

Two new schemes have recently been launched as part of the Business Enhance ERDF Grant Schemes Initiative: the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme and e-Commerce Grant Scheme. The overall budget allocated to the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme is €1 million, while the budget for the e-Commerce Grant Scheme is €5 million. Both schemes will be administered through open rolling calls with the first call closing on 28 February 2017. This brings a total of open ERDF schemes to four.

Overview of open schemes

The SME Diversification and Innovation Grant Scheme

The scheme will assist SMEs through non-repayable grants to:

• Part-finance investment to develop focused strategies;
• Implement an investment in favour of diversification; or
• Support investment that will create significantly improved and advanced products or services in addition to those already offered by the undertaking.

Eligible enterprises may receive assistance of up to a maximum grant value of €200,000 with aid intensity of 50% on eligible expenditure.

SME Internationalisation Grant Scheme

The Grant Scheme is intended to:

• Facilitate the process of the internationalisation of SMEs through active participation at international business promotion fairs;
• Internationalise the undertaking by means of introduction of its products or services to new markets and the strengthening of its international market presence.

The maximum grant of the scheme is €10,000, part-financing 50% of eligible expenditure.

SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme

This measure seeks to support SMEs through the provision of assistance in the form of a non-repayable grant to cover part of the costs incurred for external consultancy services. These grants can be used to engage external consultants to draw up business plans, feasibility studies, organisation and operational reviews, and process and systems reviews. The maximum grant value under this scheme is set at €4,000 part-financing up to 80% of eligible costs.

e-Commerce Grant Scheme

This measure seeks to assist undertakings through a non-repayable grant to part-finance investment for the development of e-commerce websites and/or mobile applications. The investment should enable online payments or booking systems through the integration of an online payment gateway. Upgrades to existing systems are also eligible. The maximum grant value under this scheme is set at €5,000 part-financing up to 50% of eligible costs.

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