SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme

Companies Eligible for the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme

SMEs procuring external consultancy services to support the decision-making process, by assessing and evaluating:

• The potential for re-engineering the organisation, operations, processes and systems of the undertaking aimed at rendering it more efficient, resulting in the development of an organisation and operations review, or a process and systems review.
• The potential of the undertaking, to undertake proposed investments aimed at the future potential business growth of the undertaking and at rendering it more competitive through any of the following:
  • The economic exploitation of new ideas
  • Expansion in the capacity of the establishment
  • Diversification of the activity of an establishment
  • Diversification in the output of an establishment
  • Fundamental change in the overall production process of the establishment
  • Development and/or investment in new or improved products, processes and systems
  • Organisation and/or process innovation
  • The internationalisation of products and services
  • The entry, establishment and expansion into new markets
  • The introduction, upgrading and integration of e-commerce solutions enabling online selling by the undertaking

Exclusions from the SME Consultancy Services Grant Scheme

Exclusions include: agriculture, forestry and fishing; the processing and marketing of agricultural products; public entities not carrying an economic activity; manufacturing, processing and marketing of tobacco and tobacco products; energy generation, distribution and infrastructure; the steel sector; the coal sector; the shipbuilding sector; the transport sector; the synthetic fibres sector; financial and insurance activities; real estate activities; gambling and betting activities; investment to achieve the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from activities listed in Annex I to Directive 2003/87/EC; actions addressing training and mentoring activities; actions resulting in the decommissioning or the construction of nuclear power stations; actions resulting in investment in airport infrastructure unless related to environmental protection or accompanied by investment necessary to mitigate or reduce its negative environmental impact; undertakings engaged in an illegal economic activity.

Maximum Grant

80% of eligible expenditures up to €4,000.

Eligible Costs

Consultancy services procured from external consultancy service providers registered with the Intermediate Body under the scheme. The consultancy services covered by the grant are meant to primarily address services in relation to formulating and executing the business’ business plan and feasibility study support, including assistance with sourcing financing for such business plan.