LEO Wicklow Covid-19 business supports
COVID-19 is not a pandemic that any business owner could have ever predicted.
In these uncertain times, Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Wicklow is working to provide as many supports as possible through online training programmes, signposting financial supports available through other agencies, financial supports available through the Local Enterprise Office and non-financial supports.
A new Business Continuity Voucher is available through LEO Wicklow and is open to sole traders and companies across every business sector that employ up to 50 people. The voucher is worth up to €2,500 in third party consultancy costs and can be used by companies and sole traders to develop short-term and long-term strategies to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The goal is to help business owners make informed decisions about what immediate measures and remedial actions should be taken, to protect staff and sales.
The Voucher is available to support businesses to develop business continuity plans; assess current financial needs in the short term to medium term; reduce variable costs, overheads and expenses; review and explore supply chain financing options; implement remote working processes or procedures; leverage HR expertise; leverage ICT expertise; and prepare a business case for application to emergency financial interventions available through banks, Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland and Micro Finance Ireland.
To apply for the Business Continuity Voucher, companies should submit a short application form to LEO Wicklow. Forms are available to download from www.LocalEnterprise.ie/ Response.
In response to Covid-19, Microfinance Ireland is offering the Covid-19 Business Loan of up to €50,000. This loan is a government initiative to support small businesses through the current period of uncertainty and protect job creation in Ireland. The Covid-19 loan allows for a six-month interest free and repayment free moratorium, with the loan being repaid over the remaining term.
If you need additional support in completing a loan application please email enterprise@ leo.wicklowcoco.ie and they will arrange a call from a business advisor. If you already have an existing Microfinance Ireland loan you are also entitled to the six-month moratorium. To avail of this please email info@microfinanceireland.ie.
To help you with navigating your business through the challenges posed by Covid-19, LEO
Wicklow has put in place two new interactive online training programmes aimed at arming business owners with the best knowledge to survive this difficult period.
The ‘Leading your Business through Covid-19’ programme is specifically designed to support owners and managers of SMEs and micro enterprise clients through the current challenges and changes to the business environment. This online programme is interactive and will provide both structure to business owners’ weeks and help them to quickly assess the situation and move forward with a greater degree of certainty.
The programme will take place over five days on April 10, 14, 16, 20 and 21 from 10 a.m. to 12 noon on each day. The programme will be delivered through the online platform Zoom.us. There is a short instruction on how this works on the booking page.
A ‘Help with Cash Management Cash Management in a Crisis’ programme will focus on cash management as an imperative during this challenging time for business owners. LEO Wicklow is specifically running this programme to help SMEs respond quickly to financial pressures.
The programme will take place over five days from April 6 to April 10 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Optimum Training is facilitating this programme and the one-to-one mentor session. The programme will also be delivered through the online platform Zoom.us. There are limited places available and bookings are taken on a first-come first-served basis
Businesses under pressure from the Covid-19 crisis should make sure that they have a good website, their SEO optimised and an online payment facility in place. The Trading Online Voucher is a grant of up to €2,500 to help with this. Before you can apply, you will need to attend an online version of the Trading Online Voucher Seminar, facilitated by online trading guru Noel Davidson of the Entrepreneurs Academy.
A programme takes place on Tuesday, April 7, from 10 a.m. Businesses should note that there’s one voucher per business, so if you have already availed of a Trading Online Voucher you cannot apply again at this moment in time.
All training programmes will provide business owners with knowledge and know-how on how to react to the pressures that are now causing both stress and worry for their businesses and their teams.
All these online training programmes are free and can be booked online through www. localenterprise.ie/Wicklow/Training-Events/ Online-Bookings/