This is the page to read before you apply, because the main LEO grants do not fund retail. On the Dublin City LEO eligibility page, retail and distribution are on the excluded list. A fashion business is treated by its activity, and the pages we read name no fashion-specific scheme.
Grants / Grants for retail and fashion businesses in Ireland
The Dublin City LEO page lists the following as excluded: professional services, consultancy, retail and distribution, and projects that mainly import and distribute. Its core grants are for manufacturing, internationally traded services and innovative projects with export potential. Other LEOs may apply their own interpretation, so confirm with yours.
We cannot tell you which category you fall into. The LEO decides, and the question is worth asking before you spend time on an application.
These schemes do not carry the retail exclusion on the pages we read. Each has its own conditions.
| Scheme | Amount | What to know for this page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grow Digital Voucher | 50% of eligible costs, from a minimum of €500 up to €5,000 per application. A business can be approved for a maximum of two projects, up to €5,000 in total. | No retail exclusion appears on this scheme's page, unlike the core grants. | LEO: Grow Digital Voucher Grow Digital self-assessment |
| Digital for Business | The page does not state an amount. | Open to small enterprises with 1 to 50 paid employees. The page does not exclude retail. | LEO: Digital for Business |
| Microfinance Ireland loan | Loans from €2,000 to €25,000 over 1 to 5 years. A reduced rate of 5.5% APR applies if applied for through an LEO. | Open to any business with fewer than 10 employees and turnover up to €2m, retail included. | LocalGov.ie: Microfinance Ireland loan |
| Shop Front Enhancement Grant | Typically covers 50% of the cost up to a maximum set by the council. No maximum is stated on the page. | Physical shops only, and only where your council runs it. | LocalGov.ie: Shop Front Enhancement Grant |
The Shop Front Enhancement Grant is run by some local authorities and typically covers 50% of the cost of work such as painting or new signs, up to a maximum set locally. It is for physical premises and has to be approved before the work starts. LocalGov.ie does not say which councils currently offer it.
The Dublin City LEO eligibility page excludes retail and distribution from its core grants. A clothes shop is retail, so it should expect to be excluded. A business that makes its own products or sells internationally should ask its LEO.
We found no fashion-specific scheme on the LEO, Enterprise Ireland or LocalGov.ie pages we reviewed.
The Grow Digital Voucher and Digital for Business are open to small enterprises with 1 to 50 paid employees, Microfinance Ireland offers loans, and some councils run the shop front grant.