Several instruments to financially support research and innovation projects
National governments, using both their own funds and EU funds (as example: structural funds) award huge numbers of grants and incentives. Each year they allocate grants of over € 375 billion. There are now hundreds to thousands funding programmes in each country, so there is clearly a need for external specialists to guide you through the maze and ensure that you maximise the impact of external funding.
While Europe’s future competitiveness and sustainability depend on many factors, several stand out: these include new (environmental) technologies, Public-Private Partnerships and the need for more people in knowledge-based occupations. Governments often support initiatives in these areas through grants and incentives.
There are four types of external funding incentives usually managed by national or local authorities:
- Grants, where funding is secured ahead of a project’s launch
- Soft loans, where loans are secured for projects that banks are reluctant to finance
- Tax incentives that provide financial incentives for leading-edge R&D or capital programmes that contribute to achieving national government or EU strategy
- Awards that retrospectively recognise industry excellence. These usually come in the form of a financial prize and bring the additional advantage of conferring considerable prestige on your organisation.
Whether you require a grant for a small business or are seeking major National funding, you should consider the following points:
- securing external funding should be part of your organisation’s strategy
- finding the right grants for your projects is increasingly difficult, time-consuming and complex
- timing is often crucial, and potential grants should be considered at a very early stage
- approval for funding confers recognition of the quality of your project
PNO operates from your region
To take full advantage of national and regional funds, cooperation and a knowledge of the region are therefore essential. At PNO, you have come to the right place, not in the least because PNO works from six offices spread throughout the country. We have extensive public and private networks in all regions, providing an insight into the local colour, so the products that are developed really benefit your company and also the region in which it is situated. So how about having a little word with our specialist?
