Trading Online Voucher Scheme 2024 - Closing date 5pm on Friday 13 December 2024
The Trading Online Voucher scheme funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) is aimed at established microbusinesses, including sole-traders, with little or no trading online capability, operating in sectors where the market has not already compelled them to develop this capability. The scheme offers a grant of up to €2,500 (subject to match funding) to help micro-enterprises (10 or less employees) to develop their ecommerce capability, and in turn reap the positive enterprise impacts of online trading. Under the scheme a qualifying business may apply for funding to a maximum value of €2,500 or 50% of
eligible expenditure (exclusive of VAT), whichever is the lesser. A business cannot receive more than two Trading Online Vouchers.
Second vouchers:
Businesses that have already received a Trading Online Voucher can now apply for a second voucher, where upgrades are required. A business cannot apply for a second voucher until they have submitted their final claim for their 1st approved voucher. A business cannot receive more than 2 Trading Online Vouchers.
Please note:
- ONLY online COMPLETE applications submitted through our online application system will be reviewed.
- We are no longer accepting PDF applications submitted by email or post.
- Please make sure you know which Local Enterprise Office you should be applying to before making your online application.
Our catchment area for Cork North & West includes:
- Bandon, Bantry, Castletownbere, Charleville, Clonakilty, Dunmanway, Fermoy, Inishannon, Kanturk, Kinsale, Mallow, Mitchelstown, Newmarket, Rosscarbery, Skibbereen, The Beara Peninsula.
How to apply:
- You MUST partake in an information webinar before making an application. *If you have not partaken in an information webinar or seminar within the past 9 months, then you Must partake in one again.
- This scheme is closing date 5pm on Friday 13 December 2024
Funding Limits:
- Under the scheme a qualifying business may apply for funding to a maximum value of €2,500 or 50% of eligible expenditure (exclusive of VAT), whichever is the lesser.
- Previous voucher recipients may now apply for a second voucher, but must partake in an information webinar if they have not partaken in one within the past 9 months.
- You cannot apply for a second Trading Online Voucher until your first Trading Online Voucher approval is fully drawn down.
Eligible Businesses:
- Limited or no trading online presence.
- 10 or less employees.
- Turnover less than €2m.
- Applicant business must be trading for at least 6 months - applicant businesses must provide clear proof of trading for minimum of 6 months to their Local
- Enterprise Office prior to applying.
- Business must be located in the area covered by the LEO to whom they make their application i.e. LEOs cannot accept applications from businesses located outside their jurisdiction.
- Previous voucher recipients may apply for a second voucher
Ineligible projects include:
INELIGIBLE CATEGORIES OF BUSINESS
New rules in 2021 saw categories of business excluded from the Trading Online Voucher Scheme as defined by their NACE code.
A number of sectors are identified by their NACE codes in which exclusions apply in terms of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme.
The NACE code for a business can be checked via CRO registration.
Description of NACE code categories under which some sub-categories are excluded from the TOVs
• Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles
• Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products
• Air Transport
• Information and communications
• Financial and insurance activities
• Real estate activities
• Professional, scientific and technical activities
• Public administration and defence; compulsory social security
• Education
• Arts, Entertainment and recreation
• Other activities
Ineligible Applicants
- Companies with charitable status, commercial semi-state companies, trade associations and company representation bodies such as Chambers of Commerce are not eligible to participate in the scheme.
- “Not for profit” and social entrepreneurship applicants unless they operate in a commercial domain.
- Professional services specialising in IT type services who are already capable of trading online using existing in-house systems.
- Conferences and Seminars.
- Projects which are contrary to public policy.
- Duplication of support for projects which would be eligible for assistance from other State Agencies of EU funded Operational Programmes.
- Projects with employees in excess of 10 people.
- Projects deemed to be capable of proceeding in any event without scheme assistance i.e.deadweight.
- Projects essentially comprising importation and distribution.
Eligible Grant Expenditure:
- IT consultation.
- Development or upgrade of an e-commerce website.
- Implementing online payments or booking systems.
- Purchase of Internet related software.
- Developing an app (or multiplatform webpages).
- Development of a digital marketing strategy.
- Implementing a digital marketing strategy.
- Training/skills development specifically to establish and manage on-line trading activity.
- Purchase of online advertising (this purchase cannot make up any more than 30% of
- approved Voucher costs and can only be drawn down in one payment phase).
- Professional photography costs (this purchase cannot make up any more than 80% of other
- (excluding photography costs) approved voucher costs.
Ineligible Grant Expenditure:
- Development of brochure websites*.
- Purchase of non-internet related software.
- Anything other than online trading related activity.
*A brochure website is digital version of a printed brochure. They show the products or services your company provides. However, unlike an e-commerce website, they do not sell the product or service online or have an interactive booking function. With a brochure website, the goods and services are only displayed, so customers will have to contact the company to place an
order.
Terms and Conditions:
- From 1st January 2021, vouchers will be available to a maximum value of €2,500 or 50% eligible expenditure (exclusive of VAT), whichever is the lesser.
- The voucher claim period is 6 months from the date of approval
- Own labour is an ineligible expense
- Third party costs only will be considered
- 3 quotes must be provided for costs at application stage, otherwise an application may not be considered. 3 quotes are advised for your website development/e-commerce expenditure. However for additional suppliers including: photography, SEO, digital marketing etc 1 quote will be accepted.
- Project expenditure can only commence from date of voucher approval. Date of voucher approval is confirmed in writing to the company by the Local Enterprise Office. Any expenditure incurred by a company prior to this date is ineligible. There is no physical voucher. The letter of offer is the voucher.
- Case studies available here on how the Trading Online Vouchers have assisted small businesses, nationally.
- For queries please email: Mark Stratfold, Mark.Stratfold@corkcoco.ie