Frequently asked questions

Grants from EU, national or regional funds, State aid schemes for investment, State-guaranteed loans and financial instruments. Some programmes fund investment (equipment, buildings, digitalisation, energy), others research and innovation. We start from your plans and tell you which sources fit.

It depends on the programme. Most conditions concern company size (micro, SME or large), location, the activity the investment is for, how long the company has existed, its financial situation and any State aid it has already received. We check eligibility before you start preparing anything, so you don’t waste time.

Grants usually cover only part of the costs, and the rest is your own contribution. The rate depends on the scheme, the company’s size and its location; for SMEs it is usually higher than for large companies. In Horizon Europe, for example, research and innovation actions are funded at 100%, and innovation actions at 70% for companies.

Small amounts of State aid that a company can receive without notification to the European Commission: at most EUR 300,000 over three years, counted per single undertaking, meaning together with linked companies. You declare the de minimis aid you have already received when you apply, so it is worth keeping track of it.

Evaluation takes from a few months to over half a year, depending on the programme. In Horizon Europe, the result usually comes about five months after the deadline and the grant agreement is signed about eight months after it. In many national and regional programmes the money is paid as a reimbursement, after you have spent it, so cash flow needs planning.

No, grants are not repaid, provided you meet the obligations in the contract: you carry out the investment, reach the agreed indicators and keep the investment during the durability period, usually three years for SMEs and five years for large companies. If the obligations are not met, the funder can ask for part of the money back.

In some national and regional programmes, yes, within the limits set in the applicant’s guide. In EU programmes managed directly by the Commission, such as Horizon Europe, preparing the proposal is not an eligible cost. We tell you from the start how this applies in your case.

The price depends on the programme, the complexity of the project and what you want us to take on. After the first call we send you a written offer with the fee and the payment stages. The first call is free.

For European research and innovation projects, ideally two to three months before the deadline, especially if a consortium has to be built. For investment projects, at least one to two months before, because quotes, technical documents and sometimes permits are needed.

Usually the financial statements, company and shareholder documents, tax certificates, quotes for the investment, technical documentation and a business plan. The exact list comes from the programme guide; we send it to you when preparation starts.

You receive the score and the evaluators’ comments. In many national programmes you can appeal, and a good proposal improved on the basis of the comments has a real chance in the next call. We go through the comments together and decide whether to resubmit.

Yes, for EU programmes we work with organisations from across the European Economic Area. For Romanian national and regional funding, we focus on companies in Romania, starting with the North-West and Centre regions.