Sponsoring Agency: Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC)
Type of Fund: Grant
Deadline Available: Available
Deadline Date (mm/dd/yyyy): 05/28/2021
Size of the Fund: USD $50,000 to $500,000
The Circular Economy Innovation Grant Scheme (CEIGS) is a Government of Ireland initiative led by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC). The purpose of this grants scheme is to provide support to projects which work in the Circular Economy space, with the aim of advancing the Circular Economy in Ireland and raising awareness of the need to transition to a Circular Economy.
This grants scheme aims to support innovation and demonstration circular economy projects by social enterprises, voluntary and community organisations and small/medium businesses (defined here as those with less than 50 employees).
The projects funded shall incorporate at least one of the features of the circular economy described below. Projects should be at least demonstration scale with a clear vision for full-scale implementation and/or for sharing findings across collaborative clusters.
The circular economy in sustainable production, business and consumption models incorporates the following features:
• Eco-design, manufacture and use of products that are resource-efficient, durable, repairable, re-usable and upgradable.
• Reduces waste generation and the presence of hazardous substances in materials and products.
• Encourages remanufacturing, refurbishment and repurposing of products.
• Maximises preparing for re-use, valorisation of residuals, industrial symbiosis and recycling.
• Maximises the recovery of EU list of 27 critical raw materials and alleviates reliance on imports.
• Encourages repair and reuse of products / materials.
• Encourages new business models to optimise capacity utilisation and extend useful life of products and assets such as sharing / leasing platforms and take back services (product to service models).
• Encourages ICT tools to extend the life of products and assets.
• Ensures waste is valued and closes the loop.
Thematic Areas
Applicants may wish to refer to the following thematic areas which relate to priorities for the circular economy in Ireland: plastics, construction & demolition waste, food waste and resources & raw materials (electrical and electronic equipment, textiles, furniture).
Grant amount
The maximum Year 1 funding available is €50,000 per company/organisation and this is subject to compliance with State Aid De Minimis Rules.
Eligible & Non-Eligible Costs
Financial reporting is on the basis of the total costs of the project, so grant aid will be provided based on the full eligible costs
Eligible costs are the costs defined as direct or indirect costs as detailed below. They shall fulfil the following conditions:
• Be actual,
• Relate to expenditure on the project,
• Be reasonable and wholly necessary for the project,
• Be incurred and paid during the duration of the funded project (as set out in the grant agreement),
• Be incurred solely to advance the project or if any single item shall benefit both the project and other work then such costs shall be eligible only in the proportion that such costs bear to the proportionate benefit derived from them by the DECC funded project,
• Be determined in accordance with the normal accounting principles, based on historic costs and the usual internal rules of the Grantee, provided that they are regarded as being acceptable by DECC,
• Be recorded in the Grantees accounts and be separately identifiable and traceable,
• Exclude any profit (e.g. staff costs must be charged at actual salary rates and not charge-out rates),
• Where the company/organisation is VAT registered, costs should be shown at the
• VAT exclusive cost.
More information at: https://www.gov.ie/en/service/b3faa-apply-for-the-circular-economy-innovation-grants-scheme-ceigs/
