A Priming Grant is a business start-up grant, available to micro enterprises within the first 18 months of start-up.

Priming grants may be awarded to sole traders, partnerships or limited companies that fulfil the following criteria:

• The enterprise must not employ more than 10 people; In some cases, depending on certain criteria, businesses with 10 employees or more may be eligible, please contact the Local Enterprise Office for more information on eligibility.
• The enterprise must be established, registered and operate within the geographic location of the Local Enterprise Office Dublin City (Dublin 1-13, 17,20).
• 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.

The new employee may be the Promoter/founder, provided no previous funding has been received towards Promoter salary or salary drawdown from business before submitting an application. Staff recruitment costs may also be considered eligible for grant aid.

Eligible Costs:

The maximum Grant payable shall be 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is the lesser.

Expenditure may be considered under the following headings:

• Capital items
• Salary costs
• Consultancy/Innovation/Marketing costs
• General overhead costs

Grants over €80,000 and up to €150,000 shall be the exception and shall only apply in the case of projects that clearly demonstrate a potential to graduate to Enterprise Ireland and/or to export internationally. In all other cases, the maximum grant shall be 50% of the investment or €80,000 whichever is the lesser. Subject to the 50% limit, a maximum grant of €15,000 per full time job created shall apply in respect of any employment support granted.

All grants of a value greater than or equal to €50,000 or with a cumulative value of €100,000 over three years require Enterprise Ireland Approval.

Please Note

• You must meet the eligibility criteria
• You must meet with a Business Advisor before you submit an application form. To do so, please complete the Business Support Request form. Click here to find out about how to apply***

• A business that had availed of a Priming Grant will be ineligible to apply for a Business Expansion grant until 12 months after approval/drawdown date of Priming Grant whichever is the later except in cases of exceptional merit and where less than the maximum Priming Grant was drawn down, and subject to the provisions in respect of 'De Minimus state aid'. 

Is your business established more than 18 months? Check out our Business Expansion Grant

Take the 1st Application Step

You can read more about our financial supports in the new LEO flyer on Financial supports