Fáilte Ireland launched on 29th August 2023 an open call for Expressions of Interest for the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private & Community SMEs as part of the EU Just Transition Fund Regenerative Tourism & Placemaking Scheme for Ireland’s Midlands 2023-2026.
This scheme will provide grant-aid to private and community-based micro enterprises and SMEs to help them improve the quality of the visitor experience with the ambition of attracting more visitors, increasing their dwell time, and securing overnight stays in the region. It will also provide supports to develop the digital capabilities of businesses to make the most of the opportunities offered by digitalisation and ensure an increase in the levels of inclusivity in tourism in the EU JTF Territory.
There are five main project categories that will be considered for funding:
- Category 1: Development or Enhancement of Sustainable Visitor Experiences
- Category 2: Development of Sustainable/Low Carbon Tourist Accommodation
- Category 3: Capital Project Planning & Design
- Category 4: Digital Transformation
- Category 5: Accessibility enhancements to provide a more inclusive visitor experience.
Geographical area covered:
EU Just Transition Fund territory. This includes the entire counties of Laois, Longford, Offaly, Roscommon, Westmeath, and municipal districts of Ballinasloe (Co. Galway), Athy and Clane-Maynooth (Co. Kildare), and Carrick-on-Suir and Thurles (Co. Tipperary).
Policy objective:
This call falls under the EU JTF programme Priority 1: Generating Employment for former peat communities by investing in the diversification of the local economy. The specific operation concerned is Action 1.1: Foster the economic diversification of the territory by supporting productive investments in micro-enterprises, SMEs and economic stakeholders in key sectors.
Co-funded by the Government of Ireland and European Union, the EU Just Transition Fund has a single specific objective, which is to enable regions and people to address the social employment, economic and environmental impacts of the transition towards the Union’s 2030 targets for energy and climate and a climate-neutral economy of the Union by 2050, based on the Paris Agreement.
Eligible applicants:
The scheme is open to private and community sector applicants. Applicants may be commercial, not-for-profit or charitable enterprises. The scheme is open to Small to Medium (SMEs) and Micro Enterprises.
The full terms and conditions are available in the Scheme Guidelines for Applicants available on the Fáilte Ireland website:
https://www.failteireland.ie/JustTransition.aspx
Total amount of support:
Up to €17 million total funding available under this scheme
Call start and end dates:
Application portal opened for Expressions of Interest on Wednesday 30th August 2023.
Closing dates for Expressions of Interest: The closing date submitting an Expression of Interest under Category 4 (Digital Transformation) is the 31st January 2024 at 12 noon. The closing date for submitting an Expression of Interest under Categories 1,2,3 and 5 is the 30th June 2024.
Closing date for Application Form: The closing date for submitting an Application form for Categories 1,2 and 3 is the 31st December 2024 at 12 noon.
Projects awarded funding must be completed by August 2026.
Application Process:
To apply, businesses should submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form via Fáilte Ireland’s online self-service portal. Fáilte Ireland will determine if the project is eligible for this Investment Grant Scheme.
If deemed eligible, information outlining the next stage of the process will be issued via email. This next step may include:
- submitting an Application form and Engagement Request Form (categories 1,2,and 3),
- invitation to embark on the Just Transition Digital Transformation Programme (category 4), or
- undertake an Accessibility Audit or proceed directly to the application for Investment Grant Aid (category 5).
Full details are available in the Scheme Guidelines for Applicants document at on the scheme page.
Further information:
If you have any questions about the call, you can email justtransition@Failteireland.ie or call the Customer Support Team on 0818 888800.
Full information is available on Fáilte Ireland’s page for this call.
