A Priming Grant is a business start-up grant available to micro enterprises within the first 18 months of start-up. Please read FAQs.
A Priming Grant may be paid to buy new equipment, help with direct business costs such as salary, rental costs, utilities, marketing, consultancy costs, and so on. Grant assistance is not available for the purchase of a building, land or mobile assets.Grant expenditure may be considered under the following headings:
Micro enterprises (Limited Companies, Designated Activity Companies, sole traders, co-operatives and partnerships) can apply for a Priming Grant to help them get the business started within the first 18 months of startup. Themaximum Priming Grant payable is 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is less. Grants between €80,000 and €150,000 are the exception. However, only enterprises that clearly demonstrate a potential to graduate to Enterprise Ireland can be awarded grants of this size. In all other cases, the maximum grant is 50% of the investment or €80,000 – whichever is less.Priming Grants are subject to being 30% refundable to the Local Enterprise Office i.e. if approved €10,000, this comprises €7,000 in direct grant aid and €3,000 in refundable aid (this €3,000 is to be repaid to the LEO over a period of 36 months). Eligibility Criteria
Priming 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.
If you want to apply for a Priming Grant, you need to contact your local LEO. They will assess your eligibility. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and the level of funding will be decided after the assessment.The assessment will examine:
the merits of providing grant support to your proposal;
your need for financial support;
Any individual or business who wishes to apply must submit a completed online Priming Grant application form along with the following:
- Business Plan
- online Application Form
- Audited accounts – for existing businesses - 2 years if trading or current trading figures to date.
- Projected monthly cash flow & P&L accounts – 2 years
- Quotations (3 for any outsourced capital/marketing spend items over €5k, Public tendering or 5 quotes for items over €50k)
- Evidence of matching finance
- Tax Clearance Certificate
If an individual or business wishes to make an application they will be requested to submit a completed online Priming Grant Application. Additional information may be requested following this. When the LEO receives all the necessary information your application will be evaluated at the next available meeting of the LEO’s Evaluation & Approvals Committee. You will then be informed of the decision. Please note that there is a short 1 question (2 minute) video interview as part of the online application.
Expenditure incurred prior to an application being uploaded will be considered ineligible for grant aid purposes. The official acknowledgement 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 & Approvals Committee of the Local Enterprise Office.
A staff member of the LEO will be in contact you to discuss the application. However, it is advisable to contact your LEO prior to submitting an application to discuss your individual details.
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
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:
Please note that you cannot use your grant to pay for any expenditure incurred before you make the application.
Please note that there is a short 1 question video interview as part of this application (2 Mins).
Interview Questions
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your business, and why you are looking for funding?
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:
Within the above eligibility criteria there are certain priorities and restrictions:
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