Depending on who you talk to its #Business AsUsual or #NotBusinessAsUsual but thankfully whatever boat you are in there are multiple supports for cashflow, resources and information.
Local Enterprise Offices in every Irish county have introduced the Business Continuity Voucher (€2500) and upgraded the Trading Online Voucher now available in two parts (€2500 for each voucher with only 10% matching funding required from your business).
The Restart Grant is open for applications. This offers a rebate of up to €10,000, based on last years created for businesses to help them reopen. Apply via Local Enterprise Office dlr, Dublin City Council, or any other LEO
Serious financing is available through the SBCI Covid-19 Working Capital Loan Scheme and Micro Finance Ireland’s Covid-19 Business Loan Scheme. There are also many alternative lenders to the banks including Linked Finance, Grid Finance and Flender.
The COVID-19 Online Retail Scheme by Enterprise Ireland awards funding to support a maximum of 80% of the project eligible costs with a maximum grant of €40,000. Deadline Wed 27th May.
An Post have launched their AdMailer direct mail grant which is worth €1,000. Sky Ireland have launched their AdSmart support worth €10,000 in TV advertising.
All the main business representative groups including IBEC, SFA, ISME, Restaurants Association of Ireland, Retail Excellence, Chambers Ireland, Family Business Network Ireland, have all put forward their recommendation to the government to get the economy started again. as well as listing supports available to their members. Some of these organisations have come together under the banner SME Recovery.
Mentoring
MentorsWork.ie by SFA and Skillnet Ireland is a free business mentoring support for businesses in any sector. This is now fully booked but Local Enterprise Offices deliver a heavily subsidised mentoring program.
Shop & Support Local & Irish
There is also a big push on to support local shops and business around Ireland now and when everything is reopened. Initiatives include Just Buy Irish, Shop Local Online, Shop Limerick, Bounce Back Ireland OneADay and Buying Online.
The American Chamber of Commerce has launched their #SupportYourLocalBusinessCampaign.
