GreenStart
| 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 as part of a decarbonisation plan. |  |
Overview of GreenStart
The aim of the GreenStart assignment is to improve environmental performance through greater resource efficiency helping companies achieve competitive advantage and greater market share through enhanced credentials and cost savings. Projects may vary in scope from implementing a structured environmental management and reporting system to understanding the carbon or environmental footprint of products or services.
Companies can apply for grant support towards the cost of hiring a Green consultant/trainer to undertake a short in-company assignment.
Eligible assignments may include:
- Guidance with basic Environmental Management Systems,
- Guidance with developing a Sustainable/Decarbonisation Strategy and Action Plan,
- Guidance with aligning environmental practices to global/Irish sustainability reporting initiatives, e.g., United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, CDP, Origin Green etc.
- Guidance with Life cycle assessment and/or Circular economy thinking
- Guidance with a range of activities including Carbon Footprinting, developing a Metering roadmap, Green Procurement, Green Tenders, Sustainable Packaging, Sustainable Logistics, Plastic Management, Developing a Biodiversity action plan, Climate Adaptation, Sustainability Benchmarking, Communications, Employee and Customer Engagement.
Companies can apply for grant support towards the cost of hiring an Environmental consultant/trainer to undertake a short in-company assignment which will introduce environmental best practice systems and structures, achieve cost reduction targets and lay a foundation for future environmental improvement projects.
GreenStart is funded under the Climate Planning Fund for Business, which is operating under the Green Transition Fund. The overall objective of which is to accelerate the decarbonisation of Irish enterprise, as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Union.
Am I eligible?
GreenStart is open to HPSU's, SME’s and large companies that are Enterprise Ireland clients.
If you are interested in becoming an Enterprise Ireland client company, please click here.
If you are not a client of Enterprise Ireland and employ between one and nine employees, or between 10 and 50 employees, in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors, you should contact your Local Enterprise Office.
What costs are eligible and what is the maximum funding available?
The typical cost of undertaking a GreenStart assignment is €6,300.
The maximum grant funding available from Enterprise Ireland is €5,000. If the cost of the GreenStart assignment is less than €6,300 the company is still required to pay the first €1,300 in costs.
Eligible Expenditure is limited to the cost of hiring an Environmental consultant/trainer for a maximum of 7 days. Note that actual costs to the company are based on market rates and may be higher.
The maximum daily fee payable to a consultant/trainer is €900 inclusive of travel and subsistence and all out-of-pocket expenses.
For more information on eligible activities, download GreenStart Assignment Guidelines (.docx)
Note: Receipt of other grants from Enterprise Ireland may impact on your eligibility for support under this initiative.
Ineligible costs include;
- General Consultancy including Market research, IT implementation, financial review and planning, HR consulting or Health and Safety training.
- Consultancy for design, installation or commissioning.
- Capital equipment, materials or travel and subsistence costs.
- Energy audits mandated under the European Energy Efficiency Directive (SI 426 of 2014).
Note: SMEs with an energy spend >€10,000/annum that are not already mandated to get an audit are potentially eligible for €2000 voucher towards an SEAI Energy Audit
Environmental Compliance and Do No Significant Harm
All projects supported under the Climate Planning Fund for Business 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.
What are the call close dates?
There are no call close dates. The process is not competitive and is approved by Enterprise Ireland management.
How do I apply?
All applications for funding should be discussed with your Enterprise Ireland Adviser prior to submission.
You can apply via the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System:
Apply here
The online application forms provide a step-by-step guide on how to complete each tab.
Prior to applying you must do the following:
If you are not a client of Enterprise Ireland and employ between one to nine employees, or between 10 and 50 employees, in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors, you should contact your Local Enterprise Office.
If the company has already initiated a GreenStart assignment before submitting an application to Enterprise Ireland, the application and associated expenditure will not be accepted.
Where can I find a suitable consultant/trainer?
A directory of service providers interested in undertaking assignments under the Green Offer is maintained by Enterprise Ireland. The directory holds a profile provided by each service provider on their expertise and experience with environmental projects. A company may select a service provider from this directory, or it may select a consultant/trainer who is not. In either case, before the company applies for funding, sufficient information must be provided to Enterprise Ireland to demonstrate that the proposed consultant/trainer is qualified to carry out the proposed work and has previously carried out similar assignments satisfactorily. Service providers can apply for consideration to be added to the directory. Inclusion in the directory will be based on their experience and expertise.
Please ensure you carefully read the Guidelines for Use of Directory (.docx) prior to selecting from the list of service providers.
Disclaimer: Enterprise Ireland does not give any warranty, either express or implied, as to the qualifications or suitability of any of the persons on the list of service providers and Enterprise Ireland will not be liable for any loss and/or damage caused by a company’s decision to retain the services of such a service provider.
Claims Process
If you have completed a GreenStart project, details on the Claims process are available here
Key contact/more information
For more information, please contact your Enterprise Ireland Adviser.
If you are not a client, please contact your nearest Enterprise Ireland Regional Office.
For general enquiries about the Green Transition Fund, please email green@enterprise-ireland.com
GreenStart Assignment Guidelines (.docx) and Green Offer Reference Document - for more information on eligible activities, and the application and claims process- more information on eligible activities, and the application and claims process
GreenStart Application Form (.pdf) – this is for information purposes only, application is made on-line
More information on the Green Transition Fund is available here
