Strategic Consultancy

In challenging times, strategy is more important than ever. A strategy consultant can provide your business with unbiased insights to help you adapt to change, unearth new opportunities and develop a competitive advantage.

What can it be used for?

This grant can support the cost of hiring a strategic consultant to help with the development and/or implementation of strategic initiatives.  

  • Strategic Consultancy Grant for SMEs & Large clients 
    For SMEs, eligible projects must be new assignments of strategic significance to the company. 
    For large companies, eligible projects are limited to environmental studies or consultancy services directly linked to investments for improved levels of environmental protection including decarbonisation, increased energy and resource efficiency and renewable energy generation.
     

What is provided?

  • For SMEs & Large companies  
  • Up to 50% of the costs incurred in hiring a consultant to a maximum grant amount of €35,000

Who is it for?

Businesses looking to update their strategy for greater efficiency and growth.

How do I apply?

  1. Read the eligibility requirements
  2. Contact your Údarás na Gaeltachta Development Adviser to discuss further
  3. If you do not have an Údarás na Gaeltachta Development Advisor, please contact us at eolas@udaras.ie

When you have discussed the application with your Development Advisor and you are ready to apply , an application form can be sent to you for completion.

Eligibility information

Who is eligible?

Strategic Consultancy Grant

Eligible companies include:

  • Manufacturing or internationally traded services SME companies employing 10-249 people that are Údarás na Gaeltachta clients.
  • Large companies are eligible for strategic consultancy assistance for environmental studies.
  • Companies not eligible to receive this support from An Bord Bia or An Bord Iascaigh Mhara.

Receipt of other grants from Údarás na Gaeltachta may impact on your eligibility.

 

What costs are eligible and what is the maximum funding available?

Strategic Consultancy Grant

Up to 50% of the costs incurred in hiring a consultant to a maximum grant amount of €35,000. Applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and the level of funding will be determined following assessment of:

(a) the merits of providing grant support to the activity set out in the application
(b) the need for financial support
(c) previous funding provided to the company
(d) potential for employment and sales growth

Receipt of other grants from Údarás na Gaeltachta may impact on your eligibility for support under this initiative.

Eligible Expenditures Maximum Limits and Notes
Consultancy Fees
  • Costs of hiring a specialist consultant to input into or undertake the proposed project
  • Maximum consultancy rate is €900 per day
  • Daily rate to include travel and subsistence and all out-of-pocket expenses
  • Where more than one consultant is being used from the same firm, the daily rate applies to the firm.
  • Where there is more than one consultancy firm involved on the project, the rate applies to each firm separately

Acumen Consultancy:  Support of up to 50% of the cost of the consultancy at a maximum daily rate of €900 and up to a maximum grant of €5,000. The consultancy period can be spread over a six to twelve-month period.

Acumen Prospector:  Support of up to 50% of the cost of the consultancy at a maximum daily rate of €900 and up to a maximum grant of €10,000. The Prospector consultancy period can be spread over a six to twelve-month period.

Supporting documents

Strategic Consultancy Assignment Guidelines – Environmental Studies (.docx)

Strategic Consultancy – Environmental Studies Consultancy Plan (.xlsx)

 

Where can I find a suitable green service provider?

A listing of services providers is published on Enterprise Irelands  Green Service Providers Directory (.xlsx).

A company may select a service provider who is on this Directory or it may select a service provider not on the Directory, in either case, sufficient information must be provided to Údarás na Gaeltachta to show that the proposed service provider is qualified and has successfully completed similar assignments previously.

Any provider delivering services under this scheme must not be a direct or indirect employee or director of the recipient company.

Údarás na Gaeltachta makes no guarantees, either explicit or implied, about the qualifications or suitability of individuals on the list of service providers. Údarás na Gaeltachta will not be responsible for any losses or damages resulting from a company’s choice to hire such a service provider.

Legislation

Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) (2021-2026)

Under Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) (2021-2026), projects supporting the digital and climate transition of enterprise are being funded through the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility. This covers projects that will:

  • facilitate emissions reductions, or
  • support the digital transformation of the company, driving increased adoption and diffusion of digital technology

Environmental Compliance and Do no Significant Harm

Projects supported under the NRRP must comply with relevant EU and national environmental legislation and in particular with the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).

Specifically the following projects are not eligible:

  • activities related to fossil fuels, including downstream use1;
  • activities under the EU Emission Trading System (ETS) achieving projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not lower than the relevant benchmarks2;
  • activities related to waste landfills, incinerators3 and mechanical biological treatment plants4; and
  • activities where the long-term disposal of waste may cause harm to the environment.
  1. Except projects under this measure in power and/or heat generation, as well as related transmission and distribution infrastructure, using natural gas, that are compliant with the conditions set out in Annex III of the ‘Do no significant harm’ Technical Guidance (2021/C58/01).
  2. Where the activity supported achieves projected greenhouse gas emissions that are not substantially lower than the relevant benchmarks an explanation of the reasons why this is not possible should be provided. Benchmarks established for free allocation for activities falling within the scope of the Emissions Trading System, as set out in the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/447.
  3. This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in plants exclusively dedicated to treating non-recyclable hazardous waste, and to existing plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency, capturing exhaust gases for storage or use or recovering materials from incineration ashes, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.
  4. This exclusion does not apply to actions under this measure in existing mechanical biological treatment plants, where the actions under this measure are for the purpose of increasing energy efficiency or retrofitting to recycling operations of separated waste to compost bio-waste and anaerobic digestion of bio-waste, provided such actions under this measure do not result in an increase of the plants’ waste processing capacity or in an extension of the lifetime of the plants; for which evidence is provided at plant level.