What is a Trading Online Voucher?

A Trading Online Voucher (TOV) is a financial incentive for small businesses with no more than 10 employees, less than €2m turnover and who have been trading for at least 6 months. This voucher is designed to stimulate the applicant business to develop their online trading presence. The voucher is administered through the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) and takes the form of co-funding where the maximum amount payable will be €2,500 or 50% of the eligible cost (whichever is the lesser), exclusive of VAT.

Changes to the Scheme:

• The introduction of a second voucher of up to €2,500 for businesses that have already availed of a voucher under the Scheme but who find themselves needing to upgrade their existing e-commerce capability. The second voucher would also have a requirement for co-funding of 50%.
• The first voucher must be fully drawn down before a second application can be made
• Subscriptions to low cost online retail platform solutions, are eligible expenditure under the scheme, is to allow applicants to quickly establish a retailing presence online.
• Additional project evaluation criterion - How will the project aid the business during the COVID-19 Pandemic?
• Information sessions for applicants to the Scheme can be carried out via telephone or video conferencing
• Apply Today!

What is the eligibility criteria?

The vouchers are targeted at businesses with the following profile:

• Limited or no e-commerce presence;
• 10 or less employees;
• Turnover less than €2m;
• Applicant business must be trading for at least 6 months;
• Business must be located in Limerick City or County.

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.
• Categories of business excluded from the Trading Online Voucher Scheme as defined by their NACE code. Please see the list of categories of business excluded from the Trading Online Voucher Scheme as defined by their NACE code HERE.

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)
• Photography: Purchase of Professional Photography (this expenditure cannot make up any more than 80% of all other 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 on-line trading activity

What the vouchers CANNOT be used for

• Development of brochure websites
• Purchase of non-internet related software
• Anything other than online trading related activity

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Applicants MUST attend  a TOV Webinar Before applying for a TOV. Details of upcoming Seminars are available on this website under Training Courses
• Applications must be Typed not handwritten and the De Minimis Declaration & Signature Pages must be signed as printed signatures cannot be accepted
• Fully completed  and signed application forms must be accompanied by 3 Quotations from Reputable web developers
• Please highlight your chosen supplier on the application form
• Applicants must be a registered company and submit evidence of Trading for at least 6 months. For sole traders, confirmation from an accountant must be provided.
• The project cannot commence until a letter of TOV Approval is issued. Work commenced before this is ineligible.
• If approved, the applicant has 6 months from the date of the letter of approval, to complete the project. The TOV grant must be drawn down within 6 months.

Information Webinar

Attendance at a training session is compulsory for all prospective applicants and a representative from your business must attend.

Information seminars are scheduled at regular intervals throughout the year. 

If you wish to be contacted with details of future Trading Online Voucher Scheme information session dates please email localenterprise@limerick.ie

Programme Objective:

The objective of the information session is to ensure that participants understand how to get the best out of an e-commerce website and how to make the most of the Trading Online Voucher Scheme application process

Information seminars are free of charge and only one person from each eligible business can attend.

Apply Today!