Fáilte Ireland has launched an open call for Expressions of Interest for the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private & Community SMEs as part of the EU Just Transition Fund Regenerative Tourism & Placemaking Scheme for Ireland’s Midlands 2023-2026.
€17m in Investment Grant-Aid
Fáilte Ireland has launched an open call for Expressions of Interest for the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme for Private & Community SMEs as part of the EU Just Transition Fund Regenerative Tourism & Placemaking Scheme for Ireland’s Midlands 2023-2026.
The purpose of the Investment Grant-Aid Scheme is to improve the quality of the visitor experience and SMEs across 8 counties in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands and Ireland’s Ancient East. The scheme aims to attract more visitors, increase dwell time, and secure overnight stays, while also creating new jobs in the sector and helping grow the visitor economy.
Must be an Eligible Project Type, as defined within the guidelines:
- Category 1 – Development or Enhancement of Sustainable Visitor Experiences
- Category 2 – Development of Sustainable/Low Carbon Tourist Accommodation
- Category 3 – Capital Project Planning & Design
- Category 4 – Digital Transformation
- Category 5 – Accessibility enhancements to provide a more inclusive visitor experience.
Must be an Eligible Applicant, as within the guidelines:
- This scheme is open to private and community sector applicants only.
- Applicants may be commercial, not-for-profit or charitable enterprises.
- This scheme is open to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Micro Enterprises only (applications will only be accepted from applicants with fewer than 250 employees and annual turnover below €50m or balance sheet below that does not exceed €43m).
- Must align with the objectives of The Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme;
- Must be completed by end of August 2026;
- Must operate in the JTF Territory;
- Must commit to improving accessibility;
- Must remain in operation;
- Applications must meet the criteria specific to the project category under which they are applying.
Grant requests above the De Minimis threshold (€200,000) will be assessed against the following evaluation criteria, in addition to the eligibility criteria:
- Meet the aims of the JTF Programme.
- Grow Economic Benefit through employment or tourism spend in the JTF territory.
- Represent Value for Money: Provide a sufficient economic impact in the view of Fáilte Ireland to the destination/ region based on the investment sought.
- Sustainability and Regenerative Tourism.
Further information can be found on the Fáilte Ireland website.
All information is accurate at the time of writing; however, we recommend visiting the individual websites of the funding organisations for the most current and up-to-date information on their specified schemes.