Business Expansion Grant
The Business Expansion Grant is designed to assist the business in its growth phase after the initial 18 month start-up period. Micro enterprises that have availed of a Priming Grant are ineligible to apply for a Business Expansion Grant until 12 months after the final drawdown date of the Priming Grant, except in exceptional circumstances.
Business Expansion grants may be available for sole traders, partnerships or limited companies that fulfil the following criteria:
Located within Offaly
A business which on growth may or may not fit the Enterprise Ireland portfolio
A business employing up to 10 employees
A Manufacturing or Internationally traded services business
A Domestically traded services business with the potential to trade internationally
The enterprise must be in the commercial sphere
The enterprise must demonstrate a market for the product/service
The enterprise must have a capacity for growth and new job creation
Subject to the 50% limit, a maximum grant of up to €15,000 per full-time job created shall apply in respect of any employment support grant aided.
In all other cases, the maximum grant shall be 50% of the investment or €80,000 whichever is the lesser.
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.
The maximum Business Expansion Grant payable must not exceed 50% of the investment or €150,000 whichever is the lesser.
Expenditure may be considered under the following headings:
- Capital items - These include fit out of workspace, equipment, machinery etc (Note acquisition of building and purchase of mobile assets are excluded from grant aid).
- Salary costs - For 1st year of employment. This is to be paid out in two instalments. The first instalment at the commencement of employment and the second instalment once the employment has continued in existence for a period of six months. The level of grant support should reflect the salary scale proposed for the employment being generated. It is anticipated that only quality jobs attracting salaries in excess of €40,000 will be eligible for the maximum €15,000 grant support with appropriately scaled-back grants offered in accordance with the proposed salary for lower-paid positions.
- Consultancy/Innovation/Marketing costs - Consultancy costs include design fees, architect, accountant and legal fees / Marketing costs include packaging, brochures, business cards, trade fairs, website design and development, and other marketing initiatives.
- 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
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'.
The closing date for business expansion applications is the 1st day of each month to be included in the following month's Evaluations & Approvals Committee Meeting (i.e - a full application submitted before the 1st of January will be evaluated at February's Evaluations & Approvals Committee Meeting.)
Please note there is no meeting in January or August
If you are interested in applying for this grant we would ask you to please complete the Grant Expression of Interest form.
Your completed Grant Expression of Interest Application Form will be reviewed and a member of our team will be in touch within 10 working days to advise if you are eligible to apply for grant funding.
