It’s not easy being an SME. You’ve survived start-up and it’s time to build your business into a more viable, productive player in an increasingly challenging market. There’s a lot of potential to be tapped, a lot of things you need to fix, a lot of improvements needed to survive the challenges ahead. And to top it off, you’ve built a working team that depends on your leadership.

Develop A More Productive, Efficient, Streamlined Business

We are ready to help you make it happen, if you are ready. Ready to take a hard look at your business? Are you ready to use what you’ve got to improve your operation? Are you receptive to expert advice? If so, join the Productivity Challenge – a national programme that wants to help your small business do better; by funding, resourcing and advising you towards a more productive future.

The Scheme is a competitive funding initiative for a limited time only.

Productivity Vouchers Explained

WHAT IS THE PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE?

If you are an Irish SME with the potential to grow business productivity and are eager to be more efficient, this initiative is for you.

The Productivity Challenge is a national programme that supports Ireland’s small businesses and enterprises, by providing them with the right advice and training resources to enhance productivity and efficiency.

It aims to increase your business productivity in any of the following ways:

• Improve the quality of your products
• Reduce your delivery times
• Lower your costs of production
• Reduce waste in your business
• Increase your ability to generate more revenue

The initiative comprises a pilot productivity voucher scheme supported by €500,000 in Government funding. 

WHAT ARE PRODUCTIVITY VOUCHERS

Small Irish businesses or enterprises can now apply for one of 200 productivity vouchers valued at €2,500 each, to help them develop a more efficient and productive business operation. Your Local Enterprise Office will receive additional funding in order to pilot this competitive fund.

To qualify, you should examine your current operations and identify opportunities for addressing productivity gaps or improving efficiency in your business. There is a finite quantity of vouchers, so it is a competition to find the most deserving applicants. You must make a convincing case, demonstrating how your business could make the best use of this funding opportunity.

For example, you should identify:

• Ways you could improve margins either by lowering the costs of production or raising the quality of your products and subsequently pricing.
• Ways you could increase production by reducing waste, saving time, changing the way you do things, or training your workforce
• Ways to increase your revenue through better sales techniques, accessing new markets or developing new products. ​
• How Productivity Vouchers Help Your Business

In short, the Productivity Voucher aims to improve the quality of what you make, reduce the costs of running your business and help you deliver more, faster.

It will help you find new ways to implement more efficient processes, innovative production techniques, improved delivery systems or find new ways to streamline the organisational methods within your business.

Use it to improve the way your business works through the:

• Adoption of lean practices and principles• Identification of cost reduction initiatives• Identification of Green sustainable practices• Introduction of waste-reducing plans• Enhancement of customer experience• Enhancement of performance management

How to Use Productivity Vouchers

The Productivity voucher can be used by participating in small businesses to:

Engage and leverage experts, who can consult with you and help you assess your business’ value chain and operations. This process can cover supply chain management, internal business and production operations, right through to logistics and your distribution network.
Invest in training & capability development. It will support the development of a more effective, capable and efficient workforce through relevant training. ​Click on this link to see how this process will work in various sectors - ​ “Scenarios” (Case Studies).

WHO CAN APPLY

The programme is relevant to any domestically focused small business (across all sectors) with the focus and drive to succeed.

You must also have a turnover or balance sheet total of less than €10M and a workforce of fewer than 50 people. More information is available ​HERE​.

THE CLOSING DATE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IS 22ND NOVEMBER

HOW TO APPLY

More details are available on the application process here: ​How to Apply​ ​. Use our easy-to-use online application form to avail of a €2,500 Productivity Voucher.

Which Sectors May Apply?

If you are an SME based in Ireland, you are invited to apply for the productivity vouchers. If you represent a not-for-profit business or social entrepreneurship, you may also apply but must operate on a commercial basis.

Here are some of the sectors that may apply:

❏ Administrative Support

❏ Consumer Retail Products and Retail businesses

❏ Construction and Engineering

❏ Data centres

❏ Education

❏ Energy and Energy Products

❏ Environmental and Cleantech Products & Services

❏ Finance & Insurance

❏ Hospitality & Accommodation

❏ Marketing & Advertising

❏ Health and Beauty

❏ Transport systems

❏ Manufacturing

❏ Media and Entertainment

❏ MedTech & Bio Pharma Engineering

❏ Motor Trade

❏ Pharmaceuticals & Lifesciences

❏ Print and Packaging

❏ Public Sector Products and Services

❏ Real Estate & Property Management

❏ Software & IT Services

❏ Telecoms and Internet providers

❏ Trade Missions

❏ Travel & Tourism

❏ Wholesale Trade

These Sectors May Not Apply

Some types of business sectors are not eligible to apply for productivity vouchers. Your business must NOT be operating within the following areas:

❏ The Primary production of agricultural products, fishery and aquaculture

❏ The Sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages where consumed on the retail premises

❏ Activities relating to the gambling sector, including ‘gaming’ (as defined in the Gaming and Lotteries Act 1956),

❏ Activities relating to Adult entertainment

❏ Activities relating to Tobacco products