Trading Online Voucher

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Up to €2,500 grant available

Grow your business with help from this Government grant scheme, designed to assist small businesses. It offers financial assistance of up to €2,500 along with training and advice to help your business trade online.  Participating in this scheme can make the process of trading online much easier for you.

Making informed decisions is vital for all business, so the free help and training provided by your local enterprise office puts you in a position to decide what is best for your business.

Cutting the cost of developing your online trading capacity by up to 50% can make the investment very affordable for many small businesses out there. 

Information sessions cover various topics, including developing a website, digital marketing, social media for business and search engine optimisation. The information provided is impartial and will help you decide on what trading online options, are right for your business.     

Eligibility Criteria:

• no more than 10 employees;
• less than €2m in turnover;
• be trading for at least 6 months and
• be located in the region of the local enterprise office to whom they are applying (Gaway City and County excluding the Gaeltacht).

(additional T&Cs apply).

What are ineligible projects for this scheme?

• 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.
• Voucher approval must be gained prior to incurring any expense
• Own labour is not an eligible expense (Third party costs only will be considered)
• All third party/supplier invoices must contain proper business details (e.g. Tax and Business Registration details).

• Check here to see if your business is eligible.

The Trading Online Voucher Scheme is a competitive process, so eligibility does not guarantee approval.

What the vouchers can be used for:

• IT consultation
• Development or upgrade of an e-commerce website
• Implementing online payments or booking systems
• Purchase of internet related software
• 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)
• Developing an app (or multiplatform webpages)
• Implementing a digital marketing strategy i.e. Social media marketing
• Consultation with ICT experts for early-stage adopters of online strategy
• Training/skills development specifically to establish and manage an online trading activity
• Professional Photography costs (this purchase cannot make up any more than 80% of other approved voucher costs) i.e 80% of web development costs

What the vouchers cannot be used for:

• Development of brochure websites (i.e websites with no e-commerce facility) 
• Purchase of non-internet related software
• Anything other than online trading related activity

How To Apply

1. All applicants must complete a webinar to qualify for the support and provide evidence that this was completed as part of their application to progress for evaluation for this support. Please ensure your business qualifies for this support under the qualifying criteria in advance of attending the webinar. Evidence that the compulsory training webinar was attended must be uploaded with your application.

2. Applicants must obtain three quotes from three different suppliers. It is important that applicants for this support are aware that it is not the policy of the LEO network to endorse or approve in any way any individual providers of service or work required for completion of trading on line voucher projects. Applicants should beware of any false claims of such an endorsement and carry out their own due diligence of suppliers and quality and value for money of their work and services. Quotes must be uploaded with your application. 

We are inviting any qualifying businesses to apply via the link below:   

Only applications submitted via the link attached will be evaluated.  

Over 2,000 businesses, just like yours, have already benefitted from the scheme. Don’t get left behind. Your Local Enterprise Office can help and support you throughout the process. Voucher numbers are limited so contact us today at 091-509090 for more information and application details.

Businesses that participated in the scheme reported that, on average they saw their sales increase by 20%, with an 80% jump in sales leads and 3 in 5 exporting for the first time.  

For many businesses, the question is not whether to trade online, it’s how to start.  At least 2,000 small businesses have found answers to that question and a helping hand to take that step through the Trading Online Voucher Scheme. Some of them are your competitors.

Download the Trading Online Voucher brochure HERE.

You can also check out our website development brief. This is a guide to help you identify what you need to consider for your website.