Financial Supports

The Board can award financial assistance to certain qualifying projects. The assistance is awarded in either refundable or non-refundable form.

The types of financial assistance available are as follows:

Capital Grants

A Capital Grant is a financial contribution towards the cost of purchasing a capital item. Capital Grant assistance may include a portion of refundable aid. The rate is as follows:
  - 50% of capital investment, with the maximum capital grant available being €75,000.

Employment Grants

An Employment Grant is a financial contribution towards the creation of a new job in a business. The grant is a once-off contribution towards the salary cost of an employee in the first year. The rate is up to €7,500 towards the cost of a new full-time job.

Feasibility Study / Technical Assistance Grants

A Feasibility Study / Technical Assistance Grant is a financial contribution towards the cost of investigating the viability of a potential business idea. The rate is as follows:
  - 60% of the cost of undertaking the study with the maximum grant available being €6,350.

Market Development Fund for Small Enterprise

1. Market Development Assistance
A support of 50% up to a maximum of €1500 towards:

(i) Trade Fairs Assistance - to enable small producers/services providers to attend and/or exhibit at relevant trade fairs to market their goods and services.

(ii) Market Visits - to enable promoters to travel abroad specifically for the purpose of making contact with new customers and/or suppliers, in particular to source suppliers within the Euro zone.

Counselling, Guidance and Mentoring

The Board provides an information and aftercare service to clients through a number of programmes. These include assignment of a Business Mentor, Business Linkages and Information Seminars. Staff of the County Enterprise Board also provide a business advisory service to existing / potential clients.

The service includes ongoing access to business management expertise for the client base.

The Board can allocate general business mentors to high potential start-up businesses under its Mentor Programme. The Board can also provide more specific assistance in areas such as marketing, finance, business planning, human resources management etc. for existing businesses under the Management Development Programme.

Introduction to Mentoring

Training

Sligo County Enterprise Board offers ongoing subsidised business training programmes to businesses in Co. Sligo.

Topics covered can include:
  - Enterprise Skills
  - Basic Bookkeeping
  - Financial Management
  - Human Resource Management
  - Marketing
  - Health and Safety
  - Quality
  - IT and Exporting, etc

For information on current training programmes please click here.

Promoting the Enterprise Culture

The Board works with local business, schools and colleges in raising awareness of the opportunities for employment in the business sector.

The Business Expansion and Seed Capital Schemes

The Business Expansion Scheme provides relief from income tax by way of a deduction from income to individuals who invest long-term risk capital in ordinary shares of unquoted companies resident in the state or resident in the European Economic Area with a qualifying establishment in the state and who are engaged in certain manufacturing and/or service industries in the State.

The Seed Capital Scheme is an extension of the Business Expansion Scheme and can provide a refund of tax already paid by an individual who sets up and takes employment in a new qualifying business.