Deadline Date: Ongoing
The Waterford Local Enterprise Office is pleased to announce its Business Expansion Grant Program to support businesses as they move beyond the initial start-up phase and enter a period of growth.
This grant is available to enterprises that have completed their first 18 months of operation and are now seeking to invest further in expanding their activities, increasing capacity, and creating employment.
Funding under this scheme is provided at a rate of up to 50% of the eligible investment, subject to a maximum grant of €150,000. Grants above €80,000 and up to €150,000 are considered exceptional and are only awarded to projects that clearly demonstrate strong potential to progress to Enterprise Ireland support and/or to export to international markets. In most cases, the maximum grant available will be 50% of the investment or €80,000, whichever is lower.
Employment creation is a key focus of the grant. Subject to the overall 50% funding limit, employment support is capped at a maximum of €15,000 per full-time job created. This ensures that public funding directly contributes to sustainable job growth within the business.
To be eligible for support from Waterford Local Enterprise Offices, businesses must meet a number of general conditions. The enterprise should normally employ no more than 10 people, although in certain cases businesses with 10 or more employees may be considered eligible following consultation with a business advisor.
Eligible enterprises must be established, registered, and actively operating within Waterford City and County. The business must operate in the commercial sphere and be able to demonstrate a clear market demand for its product or service. In addition, applicants must show potential for growth in domestic and/or export markets, along with the capacity to generate new employment opportunities.
For more information, visit Waterford Local Enterprise Office.
