|
Q1.What are the objectives
of the City Enterprise Board?
Q2. Who are
the members of the City Enterprise board?
Q3. How is
the City enterprise Board funded?
Q4. What is
the role of the City Enterprise Board?
Q5. What sort
of projects are assisted?
Q6. If
a project does not qualify for grant assistance can it
avails of any other assistance?
Q7. Do projects
from the service sector qualify for grant assistance?
Q8.
If an enterprise is located outside of Waterford City can
it obtain assistance from the Board?
Q1.What
are the objectives of the City Enterprise Board?
A1.The principal objectives of the Board
are:
- to fill a gap identified in the existing range
of support services for local enterprise initiatives
- to develop and promote the development of viable,micro-enterprise
projects with direct or indirect enterprise support
back
to top
Q2. Who are the members of
the City Enterprise board?
A2.They are comprised of elected public representatives, state
agency personnel, social partners at local level, local business
and voluntary sector representatives.The latter group includes
representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, local enterprise
groups and people engaged in promoting enterprise.
back
to top
Q3. How is the City enterprise
Board funded?
A3. The EU and the Irish Government provide
funding under the
National Development Plan 2000-2006. The amount granted to each
Board is based on an assessment of it's enterprise plan and the
needs and opportunities of it's area.
back
to top
Q4. What is the role of the
City Enterprise Board?
A4. The City Enterprise board does the following:
- Provides direct and refundable financial supports
- Provides advice, counselling, and mentoring
help to
individuals, groups and new enterprises.
back
to top
Q5. What sort of projects are
assisted?
A5. Projects from a company, association,local
community
and individuals which have following characteristics:
- is commercially viable
- has job creation potential
- can demonstrate that labour shortages do not
exist
Target projects are those with the potential to
employ up to ten persons.
A project may not qualify for assistance:
- If it is already working with other agencies
e.g., Enterprise Ireland
- If it is covered by an existing EU grant scheme
A project, which can proceed without grant assistance
only by taking market share from existing businesses, cannot be
assisted financially. These conditions would exclude most retail,
professional services and most consultancies.
back
to top
Q6. If a project does not qualify
for grant assistance can it
avails of any other assistance?
A6. Yes, the introduction of a wide range
of non-financial supports represents
a significant improvement in National support for the micro enterprise
sector.
It is possible for a project to avail of non- -financial supports,
e.g., information,
mentoring etc., even when financial assistance would not be granted.
back
to top
Q7. Do projects from the service
sector qualify for grant assistance?
A7. Service sector projects may qualify
for financial assistance provided
they conform to the Enterprise Plan of the Board but are subject
to
displacement and dead-weight restrictions.
Service sector businesses should satisfy the following
criteria:
Have a real capacity to grow by identifying specific
niches that offer
genuine opportunities for expansion
The market served is one where there is a real
potential for a net
increase in employment growth, but not at the expense of businesses
already in the market i.e., no displacement
The service offered will foster innovation, either
within the supported
business or within the business to which the service is being provided
Service offered will improve the quality of the
service provision in the sector
Service projects promoted by unemployed or women
returning to the
work-force, may be assisted, but must demonstrate a market niche
which excludes displacement
It is an internationally traded enterprise.
back
to top
Q8. If an enterprise is located
outside of Waterford City can it obtain
assistance from the Board?
A8. No, an enterprise must be based within
the city boundary to avail of assistance
from the City Enterprise Board.There are 35 Enterprise Boards in
the state, each
catering for a specific geographic area. The board will advise you
to which board
you should make an application and by logging on to www.empower.ie
you will find
a comprehensive listing and location of all 35 boards.
back
to top
|
