Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters’Grant Funding Guidelines

The provision of Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters’ Grant will enableclients to explore and develop new market opportunities. 

Technical Assistance for Micro Exporters’ Grants will part-fund the costs that can beincurred in investigating and researching export markets, e.g. exhibiting atTrade Fairs, preparing marketing material and developing websites specificallytargeting overseas markets. These grants should increase the numbers of LEOclients developing new export opportunities.  

Grant Terms:

• Grant Covers 50% of eligible costs (net of vat) to amax of €2,500.
• Applications must be made prior to any expenditurebeing incurred'
• Payments will be made to approved projects on receiptof proof of payment of all qualifying and approved expenses.
• Successful applicants should consider using anEnterprise Ireland Mentor to develop an export/marketing plan.

Projects eligible for support include:

• enterprises not employing more than 10 people;
• enterprises located within the geographic location of the Local Enterprise Office
• enterprises operating in the commercial sphere
• enterprises must demonstrate a market for theirproposed product/service
• enterprises engaged in manufacturing or internationally traded services
• Innovative businesses with prototype products
• enterprises must not have received any funding forthis proposal from any other source
• enterprises can only avail of this grant once in a calendar year 

Eligible Expenditure categories

• Participation at trade fairs and shows covering Trade Show Exhibitor costs including rental/fees relating to space/stands; *
• Participation at international trade networking eventsorganised through the Enterprise Europe Network;
• Development of specific Marketing Materials aimed atexploring new export markets;
• Translation, e.g. of existing material (booklets,webpages, etc. for export markets;
• Development of export related websites; 
• Investigation of new internal or external processes to develop export business, e.g. new business model or the carryingout of non-regulatory technical requirements;

*Note -   Economy Flight Costs are eligible with othertravel and subsistence costs subject to the Local Enterprise Office maximum limits.

Schedule of Planned Expenditure;

Export AssistanceGrants are designed to assist business promoter(s) with exporting to newmarkets. The Grant covers 50% of qualifying expenses (excluding VAT), subjectto a maximum of €2,500

PLEASE NOTE:

• A Quotation must be provided in respect of each item of planned expenditure.
• Only Expenditure items that fall under the Category Headings listed below and that that are incurred after the Date of Application may be considered.
• Payments to StateBodies (including Local Authorities) as well as General Subsistence/Out-of-Pocket Expenses are excluded.

After you submit  your application

Your LEO will  acknowledge your application, and an executive from the LEO will meet with you to discuss the application. You may be asked to provide additional information.

When the LEO receives all the information they need, your application will be evaluated at the next available meeting of the LEO’s Evaluation and Approvals Committee. You will then be informed of the decision. Please note that you cannot use your grant to pay for any expenditure incurred before you make the application. 

Also note that your submission of an application or the official acknowledgement of your application is not an indication that the application is eligible or will be awarded grant aid. The final decision on grant assistance is with the Evaluation and Approvals Committee of the Local Enterprise Office.

For more information on financial supports available from the LEO including information on eligibility, please see www.localenterprise.ie

When can I access the grant funds?

If your application is approved, you can draw down your funding after you submit evidence of the expenditure detailed in your letter of offer. Also, any funding approved must be claimed within the time period on the letter of offer. 

To claim any financial assistance approved, you must submit the following:

• a signed acceptance of offer
• original invoices
• evidence of payment
• an auditor’s Certificate (if required)
• a claim form
• a current valid tax clearance certificate
• any other documents as set out in the letter of offer

Please note that you cannot use your grant to pay for any expenditure incurred before you make the application.

What is ‘De Minimis’ aid?

Technical and Market Assistance grants are provided under the European Commission Regulation on ‘De Minimis’ aid. De Minimis aid is limited amounts of State aid – up to €200,000 in any three-year period to any one enterprise. De Minimis aid is regarded as too small to significantly affect trade or competition in the common market. The amounts of grants are regarded as falling outside the category of State aid which is banned by the EC Treaty and, therefore, they can be awarded without reference to the European Commission. 

However, a Member State must track De Minimis aid and make sure that combined aid payments from all sources to one enterprise in any three-year period respect the €200,000 ceiling. 

Therefore, you need to provide details of all other grant aid that has been awarded to you or your company within the past three years. Please note that a false declaration to show a figure under the threshold of €200,000 could later mean that you would have to pay back the grant aid with interest.

LEOs can assist in the establishment and/or development of new and existing enterprises (limited company, individuals/sole trader, cooperatives and partnerships) provided that such enterprises/projects are capable of attaining commercial viability and subject to the following eligibility criteria:

•  The enterprise must not employ more than 10 people;
• The enterprise must be established, registered and operate within the geographic location of the Local Enterprise Office;
• The enterprise must operate in the commercial sphere;
• The enterprise must demonstrate a market for the product/service;
• The enterprise must have potential for growth in domestic and/or export markets and also potential for new job creation.

Within the above eligibility criteria there are certain priorities and restrictions:

• Priority must be given to enterprises in the manufacturing or internationally traded services sectors which over time can develop into strong export entities and graduate to the Enterprise Ireland portfolio;
• Salary support may be offered to unique tourism services projects that are focused predominantly on generating revenues from overseas visitors and which do not give rise to deadweight and/or displacement in the local economy;
• This grant aid does not support those areas such as retail enterprises, personal services (eg hairdressers, gardeners, creches etc), professional services (accountants, solicitors etc), construction/local building services, as this is considered to give rise to unacceptable deadweight (where the project would have proceeded anyway) and/or displacement (where the projects imply to displace business from other players in the market).
• The sector of the economy in which an enterprise is operating or intends to operate
• The size or proposed size of the enterprise
• Any expenditure incurred, prior to receipt of application form, will not be eligible for grant support.