Step Change Fund (SCF) Application Form 2015

Marketing Assistance Programme (MAP) and

Step Change Fund (SCF) Application Form 2015

This form covers applications for both the MAP and SCF

Applications for the MAP are open to companies with a turnover in the range €100k - €3.5m

Applications for the SCF are open to companies with a turnover in the range €100k - €5.0m

Applications can be made for both the MAP and the SCF, where a company’s turnover falls within the range €100k to €3.5m. No more than one grant per company will be awarded.

Eligibility does not confer an automatic entitlement to aid. The selection process is a competitive one.

The SCF is aimed specifically at companies demonstrating significant new activities or a major new project which involves a substantial step change or departure for the company.

Approvals under the SCF will be limited to a maximum of 8 (eight) applicants in 2015.

Important

SECTION A: To be completed by all applicants

SECTION B: To be completed by applicants applying only for the MAP

SECTION C: To be completed by applicants applying only for the SCF

ALL SECTIONS to be completed by applicants applying for both the MAP and the SCF

APPENDIX 1 & 2: To be completed by all applicants

• Please type in the spaces provided, save the application form as a MS Word document, and return it by e-mail as soon as possible, and no later than Friday 06 Feb 2015

• There is no limit on word count, so provide as much information as you feel is appropriate. It is up to you to make a strong case for your company.

• The application form should be accompanied by a copy of your latest available full set of accounts. These may be e-mailed with the application or posted separately.

• The application form should be e-mailed to

Please read the General Conditions and Guidelines before completing the application.

SECTION A

To be completed by all applicants

1. Company Details

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided.

Company/ Business Name

Trading as

Address

Contact Person

Phone

Are there any associate or partner companies within the group?

* An FTE is the equivalent of one person working full time. For example: 1 person working full time = 1 FTE:

2 people each working 4 hours per day, 5 days per week = 1 FTE

2. Business Overview

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided.

Establishment Date

Brief business history and background:

What are your business’s strengths?

What are your business’s weaknesses?

What opportunities exist for your business?

Potential threats to your business?

Products

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided

What are your products?

Brief description: pack sizes, positioning (premium/ budget, etc.)

What is unique or innovative about your products, your marketing or your production process?

What quality standards are in place?

Are you registered for the Bord Bia Origin Green programme?

If so, have you attended a workshop? Have you submitted your sustainability plan yet?

Do you produce any own label products (for example, Tesco Finest) or brands for third parties? If so, for whom and since when?

Do you outsource your production? If so, to whom and since when?

Markets

Provide as much information as possible by typing into the space provided.

Domestic Market Channel: Where are your products currently available? Provide examples of some key customers.

What is the percentage breakdown between retail, foodservice, on-line sales and direct-to-consumer (from your own outlet, at farmers markets and events)?

Export Markets: Where are your products available overseas? Provide examples of key customers.

What is the % breakdown between retail, foodservice and on-line sales?

Exports as a % of turnover

Planned marketing activity for 2015

See pages 4 and 5 for activities that are eligible for support

Product: What new product development, modifications to existing products/ packaging, or new quality measures will you be undertaking?

Please elaborate

Place: What are your target markets for 2015 – Geographic (domestic, export) and Market Channel (retail, foodservice, direct)?

What activities will you undertake to help you meet these new targets? Trade Fairs, Market Visits, etc.

Please elaborate

Promotions: What activities will you undertake to support both current and new listings (in-store promotions, samples, consumer events, etc)?

Other grants

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Marketing Assistance Programme (MAP) Application Form 2015

SECTION B:

To be completed by applicants for Marketing Assistance Programme

MAP Programme Activities

Please include all eligible activities that you will undertake in 2015

1) Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

Activities eligible for grant aid are as follows:

• Space rental, stand construction, installation of services, telephone connection
• Transport of exhibits to and from the exhibition, samples
• Design and display costs, origination of Point-of-Sale material (but not printing)
• Photography, interpreting, stand valeting, catalogue entry, insurance expenses
• Economy airfare, subsistence (set rate of €200 per person per night for duration of event)

2) Marketing, Design and New Product Development

Activities eligible for grant aid are as follows:

• Market research visit: economy airfare and subsistence (set rate of €200 per person per night)
• Marketing consultancy costs
• Design of a website, including development of E-Sales/Marketing and On-Line activities
• Design and origination of POS material, packaging, labels and brochures (but not printing)
• In-store promotions and tastings, including the cost of samples
• Purchase of published reports and market information
• Marketing training, courses and seminars
• Samples used in product development

3) Quality Measures

Activities eligible for grant aid are as follows:

• Quality Research – including airfare and subsistence (set rate of €200 per person per night)
• Quality Consultancy Costs – costs linked to the feasibility, introduction and application of recognised quality schemes (HACCP, ISO, BRC, etc.)
• Quality Training and Audit Costs
• Nutritional Analysis
• Origin Green – formal application fee and annual participation fee
• Mentoring/ Consultancy costs with regard to sustainability plans

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Marketing Assistance Programme and

Step Change Fund (SCF) Application Form 2015

SECTION C

To be completed by applicants for the Step Change Fund (SCF)

The SCF is aimed specifically at companies demonstrating significant new activities or a major new project, which involves a substantial step change or departure for the company.

Approvals will be limited to approximately 8 (eight) applicants in 2015.

Step Change Fund

Project Overview:

Describe the project that you wish to undertake with support from the SCF, referring to

• Project Goals
• Project Capabilities, Potential Impacts and Business Opportunities
• Project Challenges

Highlight any underlying research in the above regard, and outline the main steps required to bring the project to fruition. Please be specific and include milestone dates and relevant measures.

Project Planning

Date to be completed

Project Resourcing

Product(s) with regard to to the SCF project

Capacity for Growth

SCF Project Costs

Eligible costs include those relating to trade fair participation, market research visits, marketing consultancy, design of packaging and POS material, design of a website, new product development, product samples and quality measures.

Costs that are not eligible include advertising, printing, personnel and capital expenditure.

Funding

Provide specific details below

How do you propose to fund the project?

For example: bank loan, shareholder/ director loan, additional equity, etc.

Additional Information

Provide specific details below

Please provide any further information in support of your application

Appendix 1 – Declaration

Checklist: make sure that you have:

Check [x]

Completed all the relevant sections above

Submitted your latest available set of year end accounts

Submitted up-to-date management accounts

Submitted your De-Minimis declaration – see Appendix 2 below

• It is a condition of every agreement of assistance that the amount approved will be cancelled or reduced if the beneficiary does not proceed with the proposed activity or reduces its scale.

• Eligibility does not confer an automatic entitlement to aid. The selection process is a competitive one.

• Applications received are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1997.

I declare that the information contained in this application is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and that no request for a similar marketing grant from State or Semi-State sources has been made in respect of the proposals herein.

Applications to be sent by e-mail to:

Appendix 2

DE MINIMIS AID

The support in respect of the Marketing Assistance Programme and the Step Change Fund is provided in accordance with European Commission Regulation No. Reg. 1407/2013 on de minimis aid. Under this regulation, small amounts of aid, up to €200,000 over any period of three years to any one enterprise, are regarded as too small to significantly affect trade or competition in the common market. Such amounts are regarded as falling outside the category of State aid that is banned by the EC Treaty and can be awarded without notification to, or clearance by, the European Commission.

A Member State is required to have a mechanism to track such aid (called de minimis aid) to ensure that the combined amount of de minimis payments from all State sources to one enterprise in any period of three fiscal years (calendar years) does not exceed the €200,000 ceiling (€30,000 in the case of Seafood producers).

Please provide details of any de minimis aid which has been granted to your company within the past two fiscal years (calendar years) and in the current fiscal year (calendar year) to date. Note that a false declaration by a company resulting in the threshold of €200,000 (or €30,000 in the case of Seafood producers) being exceeded could later give rise to the aid being recovered with interest from the company concerned.

Declaration of de minimis aid

I confirm that:

1. No de minimis aid has been granted to my company within the last two fiscal years (calendar years) of 2013 and 2014 or to date in 2015.

Signed for Company:

Date:

OR

2. My company has been granted the following de minimis aid within the last two fiscal years (calendar years) and in the current year to date. (Details to be given of amounts granted in each of the years.)

2013

2014

2015 to date:

Signed for Company: Date:

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