EU grants to small business-advice needed

POLAND . The Unofficial Guide

randompalThreads: 7 Posts: 431 Joined: Jul 10, 07 ♂	Edited by: randompal Apr 23, 08, 13:45 #1
Hello, does anyone know what kind of grants are available to small businesses, particularly in the lodging/services category? Any help or info appreciated....(obviously this topic pertains to small business grants in Poland)

ss13Threads: 2 Posts: 31 Joined: May 15, 08 ♀	May 16, 08, 13:54 #2
Hey randompal, This might be of use to you: http://www.eugrantsadvisor.ie/results.aspx?countryId=CPL&;

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,647 Joined: Mar 10, 08 ♂	May 16, 08, 14:18 #3
ss13: ss13 Hello, did you get a grant?

ss13Threads: 2 Posts: 31 Joined: May 15, 08 ♀	Edited by: ss13 May 16, 08, 14:23 #4
Hi SeanBM, No, but I know few people from other EU countries (not Poland) that have used this site before and it has helped them in their search. Cheers

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,647 Joined: Mar 10, 08 ♂	May 16, 08, 15:04 #5
Hello ss13, What kind of things did they get a grant for? I know people who have got grants for studies all over Europe, but nobody for business. It is of course interesting for people setting up their own company that might get some extra help. Best regards

♀

Edited by: ss13 May 16, 08, 16:56 #6

Hi SeanBM,

First: a common misunderstanding is that EU grants for small businesses are only “grants”. In many cases these subsidies can be also subsidized loans (fixed low APR financing options) backed by Euro funds or by the respective country itself. In the case of grants, it is usually very hard to get these, since they are pretty much “free money” and many people are competing to get them. Usually, really innovative projects and undertakings that would in some way have a direct positive impact on that country’s socio-economic or cultural development are awarded the grants. A much better option, and a much better chance of receiving a subsidy for small businesses are the subsidized loans.

Regarding the nature of business activity that the grants or loans are usually awarded for: That can vary greatly from country to country, but in general the following are quite common:

- A new business that would provide employment to people in a high unemployment rate area of that country (in this case, many countries also offer corporate income tax breaks for the employer);
- A new business in any of the strategic industries of that country [e.g. oil, energy (perfect example here is small size wind/solar energy farms), telecom, tourism (mainly in Southern regions of the EU or Eco Tourism in some of the CEE countries), etc]
- A new farming business
- A new business in the BFSI sector that would contribute in the improvement of the economic conditions in the country and improving the general economic welfare of the citizens of that country (good example is Micro Insurance/Banking/Loans or Rural Insurance/Banking/Loans)
- A new business in a developing for that specific country industry. These grants/loans are given mainly to reduce or offset the risk of opening such new businesses, since the level of uncertainty in a new industry is usually higher than the level of uncertainty in a mature industry.
- A new business in the field of education or culture (e.g. Folklore Dance School or Cinema that plays only movies from that specific country)
- A new business in the life sciences area. In this case, you have to have some pretty extraordinary idea/project to get the funding.
- A new business in the IT field (this is only true for countries where the IT industry is just starting up…while I wouldn’t say Poland is one of these countries, the EU recently decided to provide a good amount of money to some CEE countries for exactly that reason and Poland is among those countries)
- A new business that is taking over a troubled business (here, you have to have a very good, detailed plan of how you’ll take that troubled business out of the mud, and of course have realistic projections, etc)
- Any new business that will improve the movement of goods/services inside/outside of that specific country. I don’t know much about this….
- Any new “green” business (meaning businesses that are eco friendly)
- etc…..

There are many more probably, but these are the ones that I know people in or heard about.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

SeanBMThreads: 41 Posts: 8,647 Joined: Mar 10, 08 ♂	May 17, 08, 11:23 #7
ss13: ss13 Thank you for your time

Wroclaw Boy	May 17, 08, 11:30 #8
Getting money out of anybody in Poland is like trying to draw blood from a stone. You need to lie, scheme and plan your move carefully, every detail has to be covered extremely carefully if you were promised 50% you'll be lucky to get 5% and even then you need to scheme and lie your ass off. When in Rome.

jezmilliganThreads: - Posts: 4 Joined: Jul 16, 08 ♂	Jul 16, 08, 12:01 #9
That's pretty negative Wroclaw Boy - what do you base this theory on? We're talking about EU grants here - the money is there to be claimed and there's an EU standard process to go through. There are many different schemes suitable for different levels of business. The key requirement is that you will create jobs, and that your business idea is innovative.

♂

Feb 10, 10, 08:34 #10

I would like to bring this thread back to life, it is very old I can see...

I am interested in grants or funding of any sort for small businesses, I have a business currently and we are looking to expand from an internet store only to a traditional brick & mortar location (possibly 2 locations). We have some private equity to invest in our ideas, but we need more to make them work. Lets say it is in the restaurant industry, or gastronomy without being too specific here.

My questions would be:

1. does anyone know any grants or additional resources other than the website previously mentioned?

2. Has anyone worked with a firm that specializes in the application process for these grants? What are the costs? What are the typical results? Impressions generally?

dadesignThreads: - Posts: 12 Joined: Mar 5, 10 ♂	Mar 5, 10, 04:25 #11
TQs Ss13 for the sharing these information.

♂

Edited by: delphiandomine Mar 5, 10, 11:52 #12

jworlledge:

I am interested in grants or funding of any sort for small businesses, I have a business currently and we are looking to expand from an internet store only to a traditional brick & mortar location (possibly 2 locations). We have some private equity to invest in our ideas, but we need more to make them work. Lets say it is in the restaurant industry, or gastronomy without being too specific here.

In all honesty, forget it. There is some degree of funding available, but competition is fierce - and funds are scarce. You might have a degree of luck if you were based in economically deprived areas, but barely any money is going towards businesses in cities - they're just not a priority at all. The powers that be are also much more likely to fund manufacturing rather than services - partially because there's something tangible involved that can provide work for skilled, unemployed workers. A factory can also be bought and production carried on - whereas a restaurant that fails can have a black mark against it for years.

What qualifications do you have in running the kind of business that you're interested in? They do place emphasis on qualifications - just like Polish society as a whole.

jworlledge:

2. Has anyone worked with a firm that specializes in the application process for these grants? What are the costs? What are the typical results? Impressions generally?

Waste of money and time - if we're speaking EU money, there are funded (by the EU) organisations that deal with helping people apply for grants. Anyone claiming in Poland that they can obtain funding for a small business is a scammer - unless it's for general assistance. My business does help people apply for grants, but this is more to do with those inexperienced in business than those who already know and understand business. I'd also say that the chances of success are very very slim - everyone wants EU money, and many good projects aren't being funded.

Now - if you produce food, you're far more likely to obtain grants and funding.

Tony2462Threads: 2 Posts: 13 Joined: Mar 8, 10 ♂	Mar 9, 10, 13:24 #13
delphiandomine I have plans to start a small business in poland, at this point I don't want to give too much away however it is in the food production categorie. I would like to apply for EU funding can you offer any help or advice please.

delphiandomineThreads: 40 Posts: 9,585 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂	Mar 9, 10, 13:41 #14
Tony2462: I have plans to start a small business in poland, at this point I don't want to give too much away however it is in the food production categorie. I would like to apply for EU funding can you offer any help or advice please. Can you give me an idea of turnover and number of employees, as well as location?

Wroclaw BoyThreads: 56 Posts: 5,267 Joined: Jul 3, 09 MEMBER ♂	Mar 9, 10, 13:57 #15
jezmilligan: We're talking about EU grants here - the money is there to be claimed and there's an EU standard process to go through. The money is not there well it hasnt been for the last three times ive applied. They keep cancelling the application dates through lack of funds.

delphiandomineThreads: 40 Posts: 9,585 Joined: Nov 25, 08 ♂	Mar 9, 10, 14:12 #16
Wroclaw Boy: The money is not there well it hasnt been for the last three times ive applied. They keep cancelling the application dates through lack of funds. Likewise here - the money just isn't there. There is money getting wasted, but this is in terms of big infrastructure, not small businesses.

♂

Mar 9, 10, 17:44 #17

delphiandomine:

Can you give me an idea of turnover and number of employees, as well as location?

At the moment all is a bit sketchy as I have to find premises but hopefully in Krakow, to start with I would hope to employ up to 5 people as for turnover that all depends on whether the product will sell over there but I hope that after about a month of operating over in poland i will be making profits in the region of pln 6000 a month this is of course based on the assumption that the product will sell. I realise that this does not give you much to go on but I believe in the product and am reluctant to disclose too much on public forums at this time.

re: EU grants to small business-advice needed

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