START-UP GRANT – WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND HOW CAN YOU APPLY?

How do you get a grant to set up a business? Where can you get funding to run a business? A grant for your own business is a significant boost for any budding entrepreneur. There are various options available on the market. Which grant is right for you depends largely on your situation in the labour market, whilst using a business incubator is worthwhile for most people.

What grants are available from the Job Centre for setting up a business?

To be eligible to apply for this type of grant from the Job Centre, you must be registered as unemployed.

If the Office has sufficient funds and you meet the eligibility criteria, you stand a chance of receiving a grant to set up a business. The amount cannot exceed six times the average wage.

A grant to set up your own business may be available to:

• an unemployed person;
• a carer of a person with a disability who is not in employment and is seeking work;
• a graduate of a social integration centre;
• graduates of a social integration club.

What should be included in an application for a grant to set up your own business from the jobcentre? You must include the following details:

• the amount of funding you would like to receive;
• the type of business you intend to set up;
• a breakdown of the costs involved in setting up the business, and the sources of funding;
• a breakdown of planned expenditure (this should be as detailed as possible);
• the proposed method of ensuring the repayment of the funds received.

You cannot apply for this type of start-up grant if you have already received a grant or have been running a business for more than 12 months.

Start-up loans – support for setting up a business

Loans for starting a business are provided by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. This is known as the ‘First Business – Start-up Support’ scheme. The maximum loan amount is 20 times the average monthly salary. Currently, this is approximately 100,000 zlotys. The interest rate on the loan is 0.01 per cent or 0.03 per cent per annum. A major advantage of this funding is that you do not have to pay any commission for the grant or for managing the loan. The maximum repayment period is as long as 7 years.

You can apply for this type of grant if:

• you are in your final year of a first- or second-cycle degree programme, or a single-cycle master’s programme;
• you are a school or university graduate seeking employment, up to four years after leaving school or obtaining your professional qualification;
• you are an unemployed person registered with the employment office, until you reach retirement age;
• you are a carer for people with disabilities, i.e. a family member caring for a child with a certified disability or a person with a disability, who is not receiving a care allowance or a carer’s allowance.

EU funding for starting your own business

EU funds finance projects that enable you to receive grants to start your own business. These types of start-up grants are usually intended for people who find it difficult to find their place in the current labour market or who are at risk of social exclusion.

Very often, the amount of the EU grant for starting your own business depends on your age. Different amounts are available for very young people under 30 and for those who are slightly older. Taking advantage of EU grants is extremely valuable, as they offer more than just financial support.

EU programmes usually also offer: the development of a personalised action plan, career guidance, direct assistance in finding work, high-quality training, and work placements and apprenticeships. All of this makes it much easier for you to start your own business and, later on, to establish yourself in the market.

These are just a few examples of funding available for starting your own business. They show that obtaining support is by no means difficult. All you need to do is meet the basic criteria and complete the relevant paperwork.