EFRO

The EFRO programme is aimed mainly at small and medium-sized enterprises, but knowledge institutions and authorities can also apply for EFRO funding for projects. The programme’s priorities are ‘smarter’ and ‘greener’. In the Netherlands the EFRO budget is divided across 4 regions:

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Facts up front

Target audience

Edu./Gov.

Budget

€506 mln

Deadline

Varies

Location

European

EFRO – the key facts at a glance

The EFRO programme is aimed mainly at small and medium-sized enterprises, but knowledge institutions and authorities can also apply for EFRO funding for projects. The programme’s priorities are ‘smarter’ and ‘greener’. In the Netherlands the EFRO budget is divided across 4 regions:

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Target audience

Businesses, knowledge institutions and authorities in the Netherlands
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as the main target group
Partnerships of companies and knowledge institutions
Larger companies and consortia in separate calls
Applicants with a project in North, East, South or West Netherlands

Conditions

A project that benefits the region covered by the call
Submission within an open call of the regional programme
Contribution to the priority smarter (innovation) or greener (low-carbon)
Cooperation of at least two partners (among others in South Netherlands)
Registration in the trade register in some of the calls

Eligible costs

Project costs (40% to 85%, depending on region and call)
Living labs and demonstrations in a real-world setting
Innovations by SMEs addressing societal challenges
Development of innovative regional and international value chains
Innovations for renewable energy production, energy systems and storage

Details about the EFRO

North Netherlands (Drenthe, Friesland, Groningen);
East Netherlands (Overijssel, Gelderland);
South Netherlands (Limburg, Zeeland, Noord-Brabant);
West Netherlands (Noord- and Zuid-Holland, Utrecht, Flevoland).

EFRO stands for the European Regional Development Fund. The programme aims to stimulate innovation and support the transition to a low-carbon economy, while reducing the main economic differences between regions.

Support from the Structural and Investment Funds runs through operational programmes that EU member states draw up within their national strategic reference frameworks.

The level of funding is assessed per application. For the Netherlands, a total of €506 million is available for the 2021-2027 programme period. The subsidy you can apply for varies per region, project type and scheme, ranging from 40% to 85%.

Does your company focus on the Dutch market and are you planning to use renewable energy or apply technologies to reduce CO₂? Then applying for the SDE grant (Stimulation of the Sustainable Energy and Climate Transition) may be an option. Our experts can help you with this too.

The specific themes and projects eligible for EFRO funding can vary and depend heavily on the programming period and regional needs. In general, EFRO projects focus on the following kinds of projects:

Support for living labs / demonstration in a real-world setting;
(Further) development of innovations between SMEs that offer solutions to societal challenges;
(Further) development of innovative (inter)regional and (inter)national value chains;
Supporting SMEs in bringing to market innovations that contribute to renewable energy production and smart energy systems, networks and storage;
Locally applying and further developing innovative forms of renewable energy production and energy systems, networks and storage.

The specific conditions and criteria for EFRO funding are set out in detail in the operational programmes drawn up by the regions. It is important to consult the most recent documentation and guidelines for the current conditions, as these can change with every new programming period.

Our team of EFRO specialists keeps track of all the latest developments and knows what to look out for — so they deliver a solid, complete EFRO application for your organisation.

The European Regional Development Fund (EFRO) works with different calls per region. These calls have different deadlines.

For more than 25 years we have helped authorities, educational institutions and businesses apply for grants successfully. That lets us optimise the entire funding process and take it almost entirely off your hands.

What kind of activities might that involve?

Assessing how your energy and/or climate innovation fits within one of the modules of the EFRO scheme;
Where possible: drafting and submitting a project idea, so that we can assess the project on its merits together with the managing authorities;
If the response is positive, you get support with writing and submitting the project plan, the budget and the required annexes and interim reports;
Submitting the grant application to the funding body on time and in line with the latest funding legislation and conditions;
Acting as the point of contact towards the funding body and supporting you in answering any questions;
If required: setting up the project administration and supporting you in maintaining the grant records;
If required: support with the final determination of the EFRO subsidy once the project period ends.

What does a funding advisor do?

A funding advisor is an expert who guides companies through the complex process of applying for public funding and secures the best funding for their projects – from selecting the right programmes through the application to the final report.

At Ignite we work success-driven: we only make you an offer when we are convinced your project is eligible. You are supported comprehensively throughout the process while you concentrate on your core business – we take on the time-consuming part.

Our services as funding advisors

Analysis and identification

Assess company & project
Find the right programmes
Aimed at maximum grants

Strategy development

Tailor-made strategy
Aligned with your goals
Combine programmes

Application and documentation

Complete application drafting
Documents complete & correct
Higher approval chances

Communication with funding bodies

Contact with authorities
Coordination with funding bodies
Representing your interests

Project support and aftercare

Support across the project term
Meeting funding conditions
Disbursement & final report

The advantages of our funding advisory

Time saved

Focus on your core business
The workload sits with us
A faster application

Access to hidden funding opportunities

Lesser-known programmes
Clever combinations
Full funding potential

A higher success rate

Expertise from many applications
Better approval chances
Fewer rejections

Maximising the funding amount

The highest possible funding
Every lever used
More from every project

Legal certainty

All requirements met
Audit-proof evidence
No clawback risk

Numbers you can hold us to

15,000⁺

Funding applications in the last five years

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A team of specialists at your service

Tim LageVenterink

Team Manager

Frequently asked questions about EFRO

It is the Dutch acronym for the Act for the Promotion of Research and Development Work. The scheme reduces the payroll tax you remit for staff working on R&D.

A maximum of four times per calendar year: one first application plus up to three supplements. Every application runs until December and supplements the earlier ones. The last supplement has to cover at least three months, which in practice means September at the latest.

Yes. The benefit runs through payroll tax rather than profit tax. The condition is that you have your own staff on the payroll. Hired-in workers do not count.

From the moment you have the R&D declaration, you can offset the reduction in the remaining tax return periods. You set the pace yourself: in one go where there is enough payroll tax space, or spread across several periods. What you do not use in one period can be offset in a later one, as long as that period ends within the validity of the declaration.

RVO announces an audit in advance and visits to verify that the reported activities actually took place and that all requirements are met. The focus is on the time records and the project administration. Contact us when an audit is announced and we prepare it with you.

Seven years, so that RVO can inspect it in a later audit.