Peter Carey, Chief Executive of Kildare County Council, has written a public letter outlining the Council’s support for local business.
In the letter Peter writes :
The ongoing pandemic has left many businesses in Kildare facing challenging and strenuous times. The last six months has proven the strength, resilience, innovation and courage of the business owners and communities across our county.
I understand this is a worrying time for you as Kildare business owners. No matter what stage you are in business you should not feel that you are handling these economic challenges on your own. Our priority remains to support the Kildare business community. Having worked with the Department of Business Enterprise and Innovation, I am happy with the announcement that further supports will now be available specifically for you, Kildare businesses. Details of these supports are included below.
We encourage all businesses regardless of sector and size to engage with us in the coming days via email at localenterprise@kildarecoco.ie. Please also visit our website localenterprise.ie/kildare to see our full level of support available to you.
Please remember we are here to support you whatever way we can,
Stay safe,
Peter Carey
Chief Executive Kildare County Council
Kildare County Council has listed the following support structures available for local businesses.
Business Mentoring
Kildare Local Enterprise Office continue to offer complimentary mentoring in HR and Finance for all existing businesses in Co. Kildare regardless of sector and size. This mentoring support will be delivered by a finance / HR / Health Safety consultant via Teams or ZOOM or Phone. Complete application form at localenterprise.ie/Kildare
Business Advice
For all early stage companies, the business advice service remains operational and all appointments will be dealt with via phone. Application form at localenterprise.ie/Kildare
Business Training to support Businesses through COVID
Kildare Local Enterprise Office runs a range of online interactive training programmes to support businesses through COVID 19. The courses are free to clients and are delivered online via ZOOM. Training schedule at localenterprise.ie/Kildare/training-events
Trading Online Vouchers
The trading online voucher is an initiative which aims to support small Irish businesses to enhance their online trading presence. Vouchers to the value of €2,500 (90% of eligible costs up to the maximum of €2,500) are now available through Kildare Local Enterprise Office. Clients must attend an information seminar in order to obtain an application form. You can book a place a localenterprise.ie/Kildare
Feasibility Study Grant, the Business Priming Grant and the Business
Expansion Grant – Eligible businesses (manufacturing or Internationally trading business under 10 employees) can also apply to Kildare Local Enterprise Office for financial assistance. More information at https://www.localenterprise.ie/Kildare/Financial-Supports
COVID 19 Business Loan from Microfinance Ireland
The COVID-19 Business Loan from Microfinance Ireland is a government initiative to support small businesses through the current period of uncertainty and protect job creation or sustainment in Ireland. The maximum loan available has been increased from €25,000 to €50,000.
If you require help with applying, Kildare Local Enterprise Office will work with you on your application to expediate the process. More information can be found here:
Shop County Kildare
Kildare County Council have launched Shop County Kildare – an online ecommerce platform providing Kildare businesses the opportunity to make the move to online sales in a free of charge, quick and user-friendly way. The aim of Shop County Kildare is to create hubs for local retailers and businesses to reopen their businesses
to the local community.
How to register:
If you would like a presence on the website and an opportunity to market your product and services, please follow this link to register https://shopcountykildare.ie/.
Restart Grant Plus
As of Friday 21st August, Kildare businesses will receive a further 20% top-up to the Restart Grant Plus, equivalent to a 40% uplift overall, bringing the new minimum grant
to €5,600 and the maximum grant to €35,000. The amount of grant payable is linked to a business rate demand for 2019.
The Restart Grant Plus scheme gives grants to businesses to help them reopen their premises and get back to work.
1. To Qualify
To qualify for the scheme, enterprises must have:
250 employees or less;
Turnover of less than €100,000 per employee; and
Reduced turnover by 25% as a result of COVID-19
2. How to Apply
Businesses eligible for the Restart Grant can complete the online application form at www.kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/
3. If you have already applied
If you have received a Restart Grant you do not need to apply again to receive the 40% top up. Businesses will receive a Declaration email in the coming days for completion. No other action is required.
The closing date for the Restart Grant Plus is the 30 September 2020 For more information please visit www.kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/
COVID 19 Waiver of Commercial Rates
A 100% waiver of business rates was applied for the 6-month period from 27th March 2020 to 27 September 2020. This will be automatically applied to all occupied rateable properties except for a small number of categories.
Businesses DO NOT need to apply for this separately. This waiver will be applied by Kildare County Council automatically onto ratepayer’s accounts where the occupying business is not in the excluded category.
Full details on the Waiver Scheme and a list of excluded categories are available on the Kildare County Council website here: www.kildare.ie/CountyCouncil/
Shopfront Grant Scheme
Grants are available under this scheme up to a maximum of €5,000 to assist and support independent business owners to improve the appearance of shop fronts or commercial properties.
The fund will consider support for businesses on a case by case basis where funding is required for outdoor dining facilities subject to accordance with planning guidelines. You can find an application here: localenterprise.ie/Kildare
Closing date: 31st October 2020
Enterprise Ireland Supports
Online retailers over 10 employees specific scheme
The purpose of this fund is to enable Irish-owned retailers to enhance their digital capability and to develop a more competitive online offer, that will enable an increase in their customer base and build a more resilient business in the domestic and global marketplace both online and offline. Successful applicants will be awarded funding to support a maximum of 80% of the project eligible costs with a maximum grant of €40,000.
Closing Date: Monday 28th September 2020 at 3pm
More information at https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-supports/Online-
Retail/Online-Retail-Scheme/
Sustaining Enterprise Fund for Small Enterprise
This fund will provide a €25k to €50k short term working capital injection to eligible companies to support business continuity and strengthen their ability to return to growth and be trading strongly in 3 years’ time. The purpose of the fund is to sustain eligible manufacturing and internationally traded services companies by providing support to companies: who have been impacted by a 15% or more reduction in actual or projected turnover or profit; and
require access to liquidity to sustain business continuity. More information and how to apply at: https://globalambition.ie/supports/innovation- support/sustaining-enterprise-fund/
Business Financial Planning Grant
This grant is available to Enterprise Ireland Clients (businesses with greater than 10
employees and who are exporting). This provides 100% funding of up to €5,000 to
enable companies access an approved financial consultant to draw up a robust
financial plan. More information here https://enterprise-ireland.com/en/funding-
supports/Company/Esetablish-SME-Funding/Covid-19-Business-Financial-Planning-
Grant.html
Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Supports
COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment
The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to employees and the self- employed who have lost their job on or after 13 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. New applications for this payment will not be accepted after 17 September 2020. For more information and to apply visit: www.mywelfare.ie or contact the INTREO Office Newbridge, on (045) 491 500
Enterprise Support Grant
The Enterprise Support Grant is available to assist eligible self-employed recipients who close their COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment on or after 18 May 2020.This will provide business owners with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to restart their business which was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can apply here: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/739f3-enterprise-support-grant-for-buisnesses-impacted-by-covid-19/#apply
COVID-19 Adaptation Fund
The COVID-19 Adaptation Fund has been designed to contribute to the costs incurred by tourism businesses in Kildare as they implement Fáilte Ireland’s Guidelines for Re-opening. The grants of between €500 and €15,000, are
for either the structural adaptations required for fixed, visitor-facing premises, or to cover the costs of things such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or sanitiser for those businesses which provide a visitor experience but do not have significant visitor-facing premises.
Eligible businesses include:
Accommodation listed on Fáilte Ireland’s Statutory Accommodation Register 2020 or
Non-Statutory Accommodation Listing 2020*
Pubs/ bars with a Publican’s Licence (opening under the Government’s Roadmap for
Re-opening Society and Business)
Restaurants or cafés with a Wine Retailer’s On-Licence or a Special Restaurant
Licence
Visitor attractions
Activity operators
Adventure centres
Cruise hire companies
Boat tour operators
Tourism equestrian centres
Tourism golf clubhouses
Tourism wellness centres
Eligible businesses can apply for adaptation grants from now until 8 October 2020.
For further information and to apply to this scheme please visit
www.failteireland.ie/covid-19-adaptation-fund You can also email customersupport@failteireland.ie
for further assistance.
Wage subsidy & Taxation
Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS)
The Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) will replace the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme (TWSS) from 1 September 2020. The EWSS is an economy-wide enterprise support that focuses primarily on business eligibility. The scheme provides a flat-rate subsidy to qualifying employers based on the numbers of eligible employees on the employer’s payroll. For more information visit https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/stimulus/employment-wage-subsidy-scheme.aspx
Find more supports available through the Revenue Commission at https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/twss/index.aspx
Find thousands of training courses and professional development courses nationwide here.
Comments