Social Enterprise Grant Scheme-Call for Applications

17 Apr 2015

The Social Enterprise Grant Scheme is a ‘pilot’ scheme established by Inner City Enterprise (ICE), and drawn down under the Local Enterprise Office (LEO), Dublin.

The scheme currently has €45,000 at its disposal and is being set up to provide a small number of flexible grants for Social Enterprises, either at start-up or development phase.

 

Eligibility Criteria

  • Applicants must be a Social Enterprise i.e. A business that generates traded income with social outputs, in which all profit created is reinvested into the business
  • Applicants must be located within the Dublin City Council administrative area. ( see link for reference http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-your-council/your-area)
  • Applicants must be either a company limited by guarantee or a co-operative.
  • Applicants need a current Tax Clearance Cert in place.
  • Applicants need to provide evidence that public liability insurance is in place and/or will be in place before drawdown of funds
  • Applicants need to provide a Business Plan
  • Applicants need to provide 1 years Financial Accounts ( if Applicable) and 3 years projected accounts

 

Ineligible Projects

  • Projects will be deemed ineligible if they are regular commercial businesses whose sole aim is to generate profits for Owners/Directors/Shareholders.
  • Projects will be deemed ineligible if in debt or if threatened insolvency is an issue.
  • Projects cannot be in receipt of other statutory grants.

 

Evaluation Process

An ICE Evaluation Committee will assess the applications and supply a shortlist of candidates to the Social Enterprise Grant Committee for final selection and approval. A competitive process will be put in place to assist with the selection process. Selection of successful candidates will be based on the following criteria:

 

  • Number of direct/indirect jobs to be created.
  • Quality of proposal
  • Viability/Sustainability of project
  • Quality of promoter
  • Social return/impact on investment

 

 

Decisions will be recorded and a report made to overseeing Social Enterprise Grant Scheme Committee.

 

A number of shortlisted candidates will be invited to present their project/ social enterprise to the Social Enterprise Grant Committee. This will involve a 5 minute presentation and a 10 minute question and answer session. The Social Enterprise Grant Committee will then decide on the successful grant awardees.

 

To Apply

 Applicants can access the application form by going to Inner City Enterprise’s Website http://innercityenterprise.com/news/social-enterprise-grant-scheme-call-for-applications/

 

Applicants must email a completed application to Innercityenter@gmail.com and also, forward by post, a hardcopy of the application, signed by the proposer/s, to Inner City Enterprise, Unit G10 Spade Enterprise Centre, North King Street, Dublin 7.

 

Conditions of Drawdown

 

  • A Letter of offer will be issued to successful candidates and this will include terms and conditions of drawdown of the grant funds.
  • The Letter of offer will need to be signed and returned within a month of receipt.
  • Applicants will be required to submit a copy of their registration documentation from the Company’s Registration Office (CRO) and a current Tax Clearance Cert.
  • Public liability insurance will need to be in place and evidence provided.
  • All successful applicants must agree to work with a mentor assigned by Inner City Enterprise or the Local Enterprise Office.
  • Successful applicants must be willing to allow reference be made to them, for the purpose of case study materials or media reports, which may be used by Inner City Enterprise or the Local Enterprise Office to further promote the Social Enterprise Grant scheme .

 

Once all of the conditions of drawdown have been met grant funds will be paid to the successful applicants.

 

The closing date for applications is 30th April 2015. Inner City Enterprise reserves the right to extend this deadline.

 

All applicants will be notified by post of the success or failure of their application.