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Irish small businesses should start with the free National Enterprise Hub (NEH) for a broad search of supports, then contact their Local Enterprise Office (LEO) for local advice, mentoring, training and possible grant guidance. A support listing is not an approval: eligibility, eligible costs and whether a scheme is open depend on its current rules and the administering body. EU tools can help with finance discovery, exporting, partners and advice, but there is no single grant that every small Irish business can claim.
Where should an Irish small business start?
Use the National Enterprise Hub to search government supports and get help identifying the right agency. The NEH is a free, all-of-government service operated by Enterprise Ireland on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Its FAQ describes a searchable catalogue and trained advisers available by phone and live chat. The FAQ lists more than 287 supports across 30-plus departments and agencies, while a separate government summary says over 250; the catalogue is large and changes, so a fixed count is less useful than searching for your situation.
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The NEH helps you find a route; it does not award grants or decide applications. As its official FAQ puts it: “The NEH does not make funding decisions, it guides businesses to the right agency and support.” For local startup advice, grant guidance, mentoring and training, contact your Local Enterprise Office. The relevant agency or scheme administrator decides whether an application qualifies.
What kinds of support are available in Ireland?
Irish business support is not all grant funding. Depending on your needs, it may include advice, training, mentoring, a grant for an eligible project, or a loan that must be repaid. Check which kind of support a listing describes before treating an amount as available cash.
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| Route | What it may provide | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|
| National Enterprise Hub | Support discovery and guidance to the relevant agency | It does not decide funding applications. |
| Local Enterprise Office | Advice, mentoring, courses and certain grants | Grant eligibility and terms depend on the business, project and current scheme rules. |
| Microfinance Ireland | Small-business loans; the NEH FAQ describes loans of €2,000–€50,000 | A loan is repayable debt, not a grant. Check current terms with the lender. |
| EU-level directories and networks | Finance discovery, trade information, advice, partnerships, training and other resources | A directory entry does not mean funding is open or that a business qualifies. |
What can a Local Enterprise Office offer?
LEOs can provide advice, mentoring and training, as well as grant support for some qualifying businesses and projects. The LEO FAQ describes several grant routes, but sector and activity exclusions apply and a business does not qualify simply because it is small or located in Ireland.
Priming Grant
The LEO FAQ describes Priming Grants for qualifying micro-enterprises in their first 18 months. Its page gives a headline of up to 50% of eligible investment and a typical maximum of €80,000; higher awards may be considered in exceptional cases. These figures are not a standard entitlement or a promise of an award. The LEO assesses the application, costs and scheme rules.
Business Expansion Grant
This route is described for eligible businesses beyond the initial startup stage. Check the current LEO criteria and application terms for the business’s stage, sector, activity and proposed costs.
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These are described as support for research, innovation and technical development. They are project-specific rather than general operating grants, so establish whether the proposed work and costs fit the current rules before spending.
Ask your local office which route, if any, fits your business. The scheme administrator’s current terms—not a headline amount—determine eligible costs, co-funding, application timing and award decisions.
Can I get a grant to make my business more energy efficient?
The NEH FAQ describes a LEO Energy Efficiency Grant covering 75% of eligible costs, up to €10,000. That is a scheme ceiling and cost share, not an automatic payment. The FAQ lists these conditions:
- The business has 1–50 employees.
- It is not already supported by Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland.
- It has completed a Green for Business or Green Start programme, or an SEAI energy audit.
The NEH FAQ also identifies SEAI as offering free energy audits. Check with the LEO or SEAI whether the programme is currently available, which audit or programme qualifies, and which purchases and costs are eligible before committing to equipment or works.
Is there help to get my business online?
The NEH FAQ describes the Grow Digital Voucher as covering 50% of eligible costs, up to €5,000, for software, IT configuration and training. It lists prerequisites: complete a free Digital for Business assessment first, have traded for at least six months, employ 1–50 people, and not already be an Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland client.
The FAQ separately describes Enterprise Ireland Innovation Vouchers of €10,000 for qualifying companies registered with the Companies Registration Office (CRO) as limited companies and collaborating with a publicly funded knowledge provider. It says sole traders are ineligible under that scheme description. Confirm current application windows and detailed requirements with the programme administrator; the quoted figures and conditions do not establish that a call is open now.
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What if a bank will not lend to my business?
The NEH FAQ describes Microfinance Ireland loans of €2,000–€50,000 for businesses that do not meet mainstream bank lending criteria, including early-stage businesses with limited collateral or credit history. These are loans, not grants, and must be repaid under the lender’s terms. The NEH also points to SBCI-supported products accessed through participating banks or other lenders. The Hub is not the lender, so ask the relevant lender about current products, eligibility, rates and repayment conditions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which EU tools can help a small Irish business?
The European Commission’s Your Europe SME directory groups resources around funding, information, training and partnerships, and advice. These tools help businesses find routes and information; they are not a promise of a grant or a substitute for checking programme rules.
- Access2Finance: find EU-supported loan or venture-capital options.
- Access2Markets: check trade information such as taxes, tariffs, rules of origin and product requirements for imports and exports.
- Enterprise Europe Network (EEN): seek business advice and introductions to potential business or technology partners. The Department identifies EEN Ireland as a route for tailored advice and partnership opportunities.
- European Digital Innovation Hubs: find resources for digital testing and skills.
- Other Your Europe SME resources: tools cover areas including intellectual property, public procurement and EU-rights disputes; Your Europe Advice can help with questions about individual EU rights.
For exporting, Access2Markets is a free, multilingual Commission tool for trade requirements. For partner-finding or tailored international-growth advice, EEN is the more relevant starting point.
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Can a small Irish business apply directly for EU money?
Sometimes, depending on the particular programme, applicant and project. The Department distinguishes between direct EU-managed grants or contracts and indirect support delivered through national or local intermediaries. Direct EU grants are generally tied to a defined project objective and a specific call; they are not a universal small-business grant.
Identify the relevant programme, read the current call documents and confirm the national contact point before preparing an application. Enterprise Ireland and EEN Ireland are among the routes the Department identifies for advice and connections. A listing in a finance directory or EU information portal does not by itself show that a call is open or that an Irish business is eligible.
How do I check whether my business qualifies?
Before contacting a scheme administrator or LEO, gather the details that commonly shape eligibility:
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- When it began trading and how many people it employs.
- Whether it is already a client of, or supported by, Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland.
- What the project will do, who will deliver it and which costs are involved.
- Whether it has an export or partner-finding objective, if relevant.
Ask the administrator to confirm the current eligibility rules, eligible costs, co-funding, application channel and whether applications are being accepted. A scheme’s maximum or headline amount is not a guaranteed award, and you should not assume a cost will be reimbursed before confirming it meets the rules.
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