Energetic people should think seriously about starting a business thanks to a grant from the European Union. Admittedly, in 2017 it will be difficult to obtain a grant, but you can easily have the project written by a company specialising in writing applications.
The first step is to find a project and check the criteria
It is worth knowing that EU projects appear in the first quarter of the calendar year. The announcements should be searched for on the website of the Provincial Labour Office, which announces a competition for companies carrying out the whole project, which is connected with the subsidy. You have to be patient, sometimes even 3 months waiting for a decision. The winning company signs an agreement with the Office and then announces the recruitment for the project. The project has not only a name, but also allocation criteria. An example is the competition organized by the Poznań Academic Incubator of Entrepreneurship called "Start with Business".
The following criteria were used in this project:
- the notifier's age could not exceed 25 years
- The applicant must have lived in the Rybnik sub-region
- the statute of an unemployed or economically inactive person was valid
- It has also been impossible to do business in the last 12 months.
It is important to be aware that each project may have different criteria.
The second step is to recruit to the project
Patience is very important at this stage. You should report to the company that will run the project as soon as possible and ask it all the questions you have. It is worth remembering that the company will also conduct open meetings concerning the project. It is important to obtain a certificate containing information that you are applying for a grant. You should also not be allowed to lose your unemployment status.
You should be patient, as it can take several months to accept the procedures. You should submit the following documents during the recruitment process:
- declaration of participation in the project
- Recruitment form with a justification of the idea for a given business activity
- preliminary diagnosis of training needs
- a statement concerning residence in the designated area
- declaration of non-existence in the employment relationship with the beneficiary
Of course, all the documents will be downloadable, then you just have to print them out and write them out. Then you have to wait quietly for the results. Each participant will receive a number, which they will identify on the results page.
The third step is training, as well as writing a business plan and submitting an application
Once the completed application has been accepted, you will be invited to a training course and a meeting with an advisor. During the training you will be asked to write a business plan. It is worth knowing that only the business plan will be evaluated by an external Application Assessment Committee, which will decide who will receive the grant. Usually acceptance to the project gives 99% chance to receive a grant.
Before the training, a declaration of participation in the project should be signed. Of course, until then you have to maintain your status as an unemployed or inactive person. Trainings usually last one week, they deal with entrepreneurship, writing a business plan and marketing. After the training, you should write a business plan and then consult an advisor. Afterwards you have to submit an application and wait for a decision. The Application Assessment Committee.
The application for start-up support must include the following documents:
- business plan for 2 years
- statement of no criminal record,
- the material and financial schedule,
- a declaration of not being in arrears with contributions to ZUS and US (this applies only to persons who previously had companies),
- Confirmation of attendance at 80% of the training course,
- de minimis aid statement,
- a declaration of no liabilities due to court seizures.
- declaration and not using other means of assistance
Applications must be submitted in two copies in an envelope, which will be described in accordance with the guidelines. The documents may also be sent by courier or post.
The fourth step is to secure the grant
If you have passed all the stages, the most important document, the guarantee, awaits you. You cannot receive money without this document. It is recommended that you start looking for a guarantor almost immediately.
There are the following forms of securing the grant:
- bank guarantee
- ordinary surety
- bill of exchange with surety
- account blockade
- limited right in rem in real estate.
- pledge on rights or items
The same security will also have to be provided before receiving the bridging support. The guarantor must earn at least 2500 PLN gross and be employed on the basis of an employment contract of indefinite duration. If the guarantor is married or married, the consent of the spouse is required.
The fifth step is to sign the contract and pay the grant
Those who have found a guarantor only have to sign an agreement and wait for the transfer of PLN 40,000. For this purpose, a company account must be opened in a bank. It is worth not starting with 0 on the account, because the withdrawal of funds may sometimes be delayed. When spending money from the grant, you should stick to the material and financial schedule, which is attached to the application. You should also collect all accounts, invoices, or sales contracts. You should also find an accounting office.
The sixth step is bridge support.
Everyone can also apply for bridging support in addition to grants. This amount is paid once a month for six months. The bridge can be used to cover fixed costs. The bridging support must of course be included in the schedule. Here too, all kinds of bills and invoices must be collected.
