Ineligible costs and activities

What costs and activities are eligible?

Cost category

Description

Professional fees/Technical assistance.  

Professional fees for experts recruited specifically for the project (for example the cost of hiring engineering, ICT, financial, legal, marketing advisers). Any travel expenses incurred by the experts, including international travel where justified, must be included in their fees. 

Travel expenses 

Both international and local travel expenses related specifically to the innovation.  

Fees for external technical testing services 

For example, lab services for microbiology testing, analysis of materials or other types of testing 

Costs of prototypes 

For example, cost of CAD designs, development of 3D models, prototypes. 

Cost of capital equipment 

Costs of equipment to be used specifically for the innovation. If the equipment is not fully employed with the innovation, the % of use is also considered in determining the maximum to be allocated to the grant (% of the value of wear and tear calculated). 

Consumables 

Consumables may include tools, instruments, materials required for the implementation of the innovation and during the implementation period 

Costs of graphic design: identity, logo, packaging, brochures, social media. 

Graphic design costs associated specifically with the innovation.  

Costs of marketing material 

Marketing material costs associated specifically with the innovation - during innovation period. 

Costs of packaging material 

Packaging material costs associated specifically with the innovation - during innovation period 

Sales and marketing costs 

Costs associated specifically with the innovation during the project up to the launch. 

Certification and audit costs 

The costs associated with certification, including costs of auditors may be eligible provided the certification is specifically related to the innovation.  

Intellectual property 

Obtaining of intellectual property right or advice  

Raw material 

Raw material for testing, demonstration purposes and piloting of the innovation will be allowed 

Rent 

Rental of special equipment or a special facility that provides some required service (for example temperature control room or laboratory that requires separation) during the development of the project may be eligible. However, rental that is part of normal recurrent expenditure is not eligible 

Innovation hubs 

Services offered by innovation hubs (for example, laboratory, common user facilities, marker space among others) 

 

What costs and activities are ineligible?

 

The purchase of real estate; purchase of vehicles; payment of income and corporation tax; payment of recoverable VAT (if the company is VAT registered); bank charges; replacement or refund of any funds lost to fraud, corruption, bribery, theft, terrorist financing or other misuse of funds; contingency or risk premium; costs incurred prior to a formal agreement being executed, including those associated with preparing bid or grant proposals; and costs that are not directly related to the proposed project and/or which are not needed for successful outcome of the project's objectives.

 

See Selection Process