Supports for small business presented by Ursula Donnelly

1. How to Raise Finance for your
Business

3. The Local Enterprise Office
• Local Enterprise Office – Est. April ‘14.
• 1993 – 2013 Donegal County Enterprise Board.
• Over 20 Years Experience in working with small
business sector.
• Part of the Local Authority, Service Level Agreement
with Enterprise Ireland and the Local Authority
• National Network of 31 Offices, each with a Local
Focus on needs, driven by the local enterprise
strategy

4. The Local Enterprise Office is the first point of contact for any person interested in
starting a business in Donegal or for established businesses employing less than 10
persons
• Management Development & Training
• Business Information Service ,
• Mentoring & Business Advice
•Grant aid to eligible businesses
• (roughly 20-30 grant aided projects per year)
• Sectoral Initiatives
• Schools Competitions
• General local economic development.
What do we do?

5. Grant Aid
• Feasibility/Innovation Grant Aid
• (60% to max €20,000)
• Priming Grant Assistance less than 18 months in
business (50% to max €80,000)
• Expansion Grant Assistance over 18 months in
business (50% to max €80,000)
• Clear Application and Evaluation Process.
• National eligibility criteria apply
• Jobs Related Funding
• Evaluation & Approvals Committee
• Chief Executive of Donegal County Council
• Enterprise Ireland.
• Independent Representatives X 5

6. Stats at a glance for Donegal LEO for 2015
Total Number of training
participants 1,417
- Business Week 294
- Start Your Own Business 81
- Irelands Best Y E 57
- Digital diploma & w/shops 155
- Trading Online Vouchers 200
- Management. Development 63
•Number of mentoring
assignments 30
•
•Number of Business Advice one to one
meetings 294
•Enterprise Promotion activities 2015
• Feile Na Tuatha,
• Blas Na hEireann,
• Donegal Food Festival,
• Homegrown Food Festival,
• Ploughing Championships,
• Showcase Ireland,
• Client Case Study Videos,
• St. Patrick’s Day - Nottingham
2015 Grant Aid €222,302
Spend €222,302 & RA €21,000
2015 Training and Soft Supports Budget
€224,662 – Spend €274,662
Employment survey 2015 –
777 full time jobs 355 p/t

7. Contact Details
Local Enterprise Office
Donegal County Council
Enterprise Fund Business Centre
Ballyraine
Letterkenny
Tel: 074 91 60735
Twitter@donegalleo
email: info@leo.donegalcoco.ie
www.localenterprise.ie/donegal