Index

Priming Grants

What is a Priming grant?

Looking to start a new business in Ireland? If so, you may be eligible for a Priming Grant, a government-funded initiative aimed at supporting small businesses in their early stages of growth. Specifically, Priming Grants are start-up business grants available to micro-enterprises within the first 18 months of their establishment. The funds may be granted to sole traders, partnerships, or limited companies that meet the eligibility criteria. The grant amount is typically 50% of the investment or €150,000, whichever is the lesser.

How Do I Know If My Business is Eligible for a Priming Grant?

The first step is to reach out to your Local Enterprise Office (LEO). They will assess your eligibility and determine the level of funding available for your business. The assessment will take into consideration several factors, such as the potential for employment and sales growth, the merits of your proposal, your need for financial support, and any previous funding received. The decision will be made on a case-by-case basis.

To be eligible for a Priming Grant, your business must fulfil the following conditions:

Operating within the geographic area of the LEO
Possessing growth potential that fits the Enterprise Ireland portfolio
Employing a maximum of 10 employees (with some exceptions – consult a Local Enterprise Office advisor for more details)
Being a manufacturing or a services business engaged in international trade
Being a domestically traded service business with the possibility of international trade
Requiring funding and taking into account deadweight and displacement

Note: A business that has received a Priming Grant will not be eligible to apply for a Business Expansion grant until 12 months after either the approval or drawdown date of the Priming Grant – unless the case demonstrates exceptional merit and the received amount was less than the maximum grant amount allowed under ‘De Minimis state aid‘ rules.

What Can a Priming Grant Be Used for?

The grant can be used for various purposes, including:

Capital items such as office equipment, machinery, and software
Salary costs for the first year of employment (split into two payments)
Rental/accommodation costs for the first year of the project
Utility costs like telephone and broadband installations
Marketing materials such as brochures, business cards, and website design
Consultancy fees for design, legal, and accounting services
Specialised training programs for management and key personnel

What are the Priming Grant Reimbursement Limits?

The Priming Grant reimbursed amount is limited to either 50% of the investment or €150,000, whichever is the smaller sum.
For projects that showcase significant potential for graduation to Enterprise Ireland or international export, grants ranging from €80,000 to €150,000 may be available.
For other cases, the maximum grant reimbursement would be capped at 50% of the investment or €80,000, whichever is the lower amount.
Employment support grants are eligible for a maximum reimbursement of €15,000 per full-time job created, subject to the overall 50% reimbursement limit.

260+ Businesses Choose Our Expertise

We specialise in helping diverse businesses secure government grants, slashing marketing costs effectively. With a proven track record of over 260 satisfied clients, we excel at boosting your online presence to Google’s top positions.

We Make The Process Effortless For You

Let The Roadmap team simplify the complex process of applying for a Priming Grant in Ireland. We’ll guide you through every step, from start to finish, ensuring you receive the support and information you need. Don’t struggle with the application process alone, let us make it effortless for you. Check out our testimonials to see how we’ve helped businesses just like yours.

“I had applied for the Trading Online Voucher with my local authority, John and Christina was extremely helpful with the whole process of the application. This was my first time working with a developer, and the whole team have been incredibly patient with me, helping me to clarify my project's vision and messaging and bearing with me patiently on numerous occasions when I asked for additional changes. The result? A website that I genuinely LOVE and have had loads of great feedback on from all corners. Recommended.”

“Great communication with their team, John and Christina made everything easy, with a clear plan from the start. They did our website and social media and made us visible on the first pages of google. They helped us apply for the Trading Online Voucher from the Local Enterprise Office that we had no knowledge about, so they saved us a good amount too. Highly recommend these guys as we would have gone ahead with the services without the voucher that they did not have to go to the trouble of helping apply for and get 2500 off. We are really happy that things have been working for our website and social media. I can't recommend these guys highly enough, especially if you don’t know what you should be doing online”.

“Dealing with John and Christina was a great experience. It was a completely opposite experience to the past two companies I worked with over the last 3 years. To start, they applied for a government grant that took half of the costs away. I didn’t even know about this, so that was done by them, and everything they promised to do actually happened. I’m kept in the loop with the reports they send, and my ranking is going up each month. I can definitely see the increase in new people booking appointments. Highly recommend these guys"

Get Started With a Free Consultation

Take the first step towards securing your Priming Grant by scheduling a free consultation. During our Zoom meeting, we will advise you on the best government grants in Ireland for your business needs, share our successful process, and showcase results from other businesses we’ve helped over the past 12 months.

Not Ready For a Call? Claim Your Free Report

Get a 100% human-made performance report. Gain actionable insights and expert advice tailored to your needs, covering everything from a comprehensive performance overview and areas for improvement to search engine ranking analysis, competitor benchmarking, user experience evaluation, and specific, actionable metrics.