Donegal County Council is inviting applications for support under the Increased Cost of Business Grant.
The council is managing the rollout of the grant on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Under the scheme, eligible businesses will receive a once-off grant payment, based on the value of the Commercial Rates bill the business received in 2023.
For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill less than €10,000, the ICOB grant will be paid at a rate of 50% of the business’s Commercial Rate bill for last year.
For businesses with a 2023 bill of between €10,000 and €30,000, the ICOB grant will be €5,000.
Businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rates bill greater than €30,000 are not eligible to receive an ICOB grant.
An online system is being developed to manage the submission of essential information, and Donegal County Council says it will shortly write to businesses with further details, including how to register and how to submit information online.
The system is expected to be available later this month, with May 1st the closing date for businesses to confirm eligibility and upload verification details.
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Statement in full –
Grants Available for Businesses in County Donegal
As part of Budget 2024, the Government signed off on a package of €257m for the Increased Cost of Business (ICOB) Grant as a vital measure for small and medium businesses. Donegal County Council, funded through Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE), will manage the rollout of the grant to qualifying businesses.
Eligible businesses will receive a once-off grant payment. The amount of the grant payable to eligible businesses is based on the value of the Commercial Rates bill the business received in 2023.
The grant is available to qualifying businesses as a contribution towards the rising costs faced by businesses.
How much is the grant?
The grant is based on the value of the Commercial Rates bill received by an eligible business in 2023. Further detail on business eligibility is available on our website www.donegalcoco.ie
– For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of <€10,000, the ICOB grant will be paid at a rate of 50% of the business’s Commercial Rate bill for 2023.
– For qualifying businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rate bill of between €10,000 and €30,000, the ICOB grant will be €5,000.
– Businesses with a 2023 Commercial Rates bill greater than €30,000 are not eligible to receive an ICOB grant.
How soon can businesses avail of the grant?
An online system is being developed to manage the submission of essential information. Donegal County Council will write shortly to businesses with further details, including how to register and how to submit information online. The system is expected to be available later this month. The closing date for businesses to confirm eligibility and to upload verification details will be 1st May 2024.
Where can I find out further information?
Further correspondence and guidance will be issued to each commercially rateable business in the County by post shortly. You do not need to do anything further until you receive this communication.
If you have queries regarding your Commercial Rates account including outstanding balances, contact Donegal County Council at 074 9153900 or commercialrates@donegalcoco.ie
