Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC)

The Department of Enterprise Trade & Employment has recently launched the Small Business Assistance Scheme for COVID (SBASC) which is intended to target those businesses with operating costs that do not qualify for the COVID Restrictions Support Scheme (CRSS) operated by the Revenue Commissioners, the Fáilte Ireland Business Continuity Scheme, or the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Live Performance Support.  

As a first step if you have not applied for one of these relevant schemes already you should check the scheme requirements and ascertain if you do qualify for funding.  The CRSS scheme is available to a wide range of businesses and pays a  weekly grant to qualifying business. If you qualify for this scheme and have not made an application already it may be more financially beneficial for you apply under the CRSS scheme.  Details of all three schemes can be found on the following weblinks, and again remember if you receive a payment under any of these schemes you cannot qualify for the Small Business Assistance Scheme for Covid grant (SBASC)

CRSS (Covid Restrictions Support Scheme)

Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Live Performance Support.     

 * Fáilte Ireland Business Continuity Scheme   

*Note Phase 1 of this scheme is now closed and if you have received funding under this scheme you are not eligible to apply under the SBASC scheme. 

Eligible businesses will receive a payment of €4,000 for Quarter 1 of 2021. There will be a second payment of €4,000 for businesses continuing to meet the criteria, from May 2021.

Eligibility conditions:

• The scheme is available to companies, self-employed, sole traders or partnerships, with a minimum turnover of €50,000 and are not owned and operated by a public body. The Scheme is open to firms that currently employ less than 250 and with current turnover of less than €25m;
• the business is not eligible for CRSS, the Fáilte Ireland Business Continuity Scheme, or the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media’s Live Performance Support;  
• the business must operate from a building, or similar fixed physical structure on which business rates are payable (mobile premises, or premises which are not permanently fixed in place, do not meet the definition of business premises nor do premises on which no rates are payable);
• the business must have a current eTax Clearance Certificate from the Revenue Commissioners;
• the turnover of the business over the claim period is estimated to be no more than 25% of the average weekly turnover of the business in 2019; or the projected average weekly turnover of the business for 1st January to 31st March 2021, and 30th of June 2021 where applicable, for businesses that commenced after 1st November 2019, and the financial plans as of end of 2019 should be uploaded with the application;
• the business intends to resume trading in full once Government restrictions are eased.

Important Note: Please read the FAQ below in full before completing and submitting an application. Please also ensure that if you are submitting an application form that all relevant fields are completed, and all required documentation (Bank Header) is uploaded.

Failure to do so will result in delays in processing your application.

Applications open from March 11^th for the first round of the scheme, with a closing date of 21^st April, 2021. No applications for Q1 will be accepted after this date.

Please be mindful that it will take the Council a number of weeks to assess and process initial applications.

An additional payment of €4,000 will be available from May 2021 to applicants continuing to meet the scheme eligibility criteria.

Please click below for FAQ and online Application Form.  

https://submit.link/3d

Further information can be obtained from your local Collector whose details can be found on your recent 2021 Rate Demand or by telephoning the Council on 074 9153900 or by emailing sbasc@donegalcoco.ie.