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.

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.

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).

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.

There are no call close dates. The process is not competitive and is approved by Enterprise Ireland management.

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:

Prior to applying you must do the following:

• Contact your assigned Enterprise Ireland Adviser to discuss your application.
• First time applicants will be required to register on the Enterprise Ireland Online Application System.
• Companies will be required to provide their organisational carbon footprint as part of the application process either through completion of the Climate Toolkit 4 Business Carbon Calculator, GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, ISO 14064-1 Standard or similar

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.