~ €10,000 prize fund on offer as applications close this Thursday, 1st October ~

Small businesses in Donegal with 10 or fewer employees that have received direct LEO support have until 5pm this Thursday, 1st October, to enter the Donegal Enterprise Awards 2026. The awards carry a total prize fund of €10,000, and the overall winner goes on to represent the county at the National Enterprise Awards 2027.

The finalists of last year’s Donegal Enterprise Awards

Organised by Local Enterprise Office Donegal as part of the National Enterprise Awards scheme, the awards recognise the achievements and success stories of the county's small business owners. Finalists will be announced ahead of the ceremony on Friday, 4th December, in Rockhill House, Letterkenny.

The top prize of €2,500 goes to the Best Established Award, for businesses trading more than 18 months. There are five further awards of €1,500 each: Best Start-Up (trading less than 18 months), Best Export Enterprise, Best Enterprise Innovation, Best Green / Sustainability Enterprise and Best Digital Enterprise.

Gareth and Ciara McGlynn of Niche SSP, who won the Donegal Enterprise Awards last December.

Qualifying LEO supports are grant aid (Feasibility, Priming or Business Expansion) and the Market Explorer Grant. Applicants need to submit a completed application form, their most recent financial statements and a short video telling their story to the judges. A profile video and photograph will be taken of each finalist.

Grace Korbel, Local Enterprise Office Donegal, said:

"Donegal has a strong record at national level. Last year's overall winner, Niche SSP, led by Ciara and Gareth McGlynn, went on to take the Regional Award for the Northwest at the National Enterprise Awards 2026. That's four years in a row a Donegal business has been recognised at the national finals, following Seabound, Living Green and Silver Strand Rope Works before them. Time is running out to enter, and we'd urge every eligible business in the county to put themselves forward. It only takes a short video and a few documents, and the exposure can be considerable. Thursday at 5pm is the deadline, so don't leave it too late."

Ciara and Gareth McGlynn of Niche Specialist Staffing Partners, receiving the northwest Regional Award at the National Enterprise Awards in Dublin earlier this year.

Find out if your business is eligible, and apply here: https://www.localenterprise.ie/donegal/enterprise-development/dea/