LEO voucher offering a helping hand to business
DETAILS of a new initiative offering sole traders and small businesses a vital funding bonus have been unveiled by Cork County Council’s Local Enterprise Office (LEO).
The Business Continuity Voucher, worth €2,500, is available to enterprises employing up to 50 staff towards third party consultancy costs to assist with developing short-term and long-term strategies to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Announcing the scheme Minister for Enterprise, Heather Humphreys, said the Government was acutely aware that these were worrying times for business.
“The voucher will give companies access to contingency planning advice that will help them to continue trading through this crisis and to be ready for the recovery phase, when it comes. It will also help firms to prepare a business case so that they can apply for emergency financial interventions through the banks, the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland or Microfinance Ireland,” said Minister Humphreys.
LEO Cork North & West head of enterprise, Kevin Curran, urged eligible enterprises to apply for the voucher.
“For a huge number of small businesses, survival is the over-riding objective at this time so making the right decisions is crucial. This is where the new voucher can help,” said Mr Curran.
“The primary aim of the scheme will be to support companies make informed decisions on the immediate measures needed to continue trading in the current environment while securing the safety of all employees and future business viability through identification of remedial actions.”
To apply, companies or sole traders fill need out a short application form that can be downloaded at www.localenterprise.ieresponse and submit it directly to Local Enterprise Office Cork North & West by e-mail.
When a company is issued with a voucher for third party consultancy, they begin working directly with a qualified expert, selected from existing LEO and Enterprise Ireland panels.
“The kind of areas that the voucher will help will vary, depending on the needs of each local business, but it will include very important measures such as preparing a business case for application to emergency funding, developing a business continuity plan, reducing variable costs or implementing remote working procedures,” said Mr Curran.
For more details of the voucher and other LEO business supports available locally visit www. localenterprise.ie/CorkNorthandWest.ie.