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SLIM SME Collaborative Projects

The SLIM Collaboration scheme provides support for projects where multiple SMEs work together to enhance learning and development. The goal is to assist employees with their professional growth and promote a learning culture within the participating companies.

Facts up front

Budget

€ 6 miljon

Deadline

Closed

Location

Regional

SLIM SME Collaborative Projects – key facts at a glance

The SLIM Collaboration scheme provides support for projects where multiple SMEs work together to enhance learning and development. The goal is to assist employees with their professional growth and promote a learning culture within the participating companies.

Target audience

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs with a joint plan for learning and development
Partnerships of at least two SMEs
Trade associations and educational institutions as partners
Employers’ and employees’ associations as partners in the partnership

Requirements

Partners that are not legally connected to one another
A partnership agreement signed by all partners
An approved activity plan and a budget
Activities aimed at a stronger learning culture among the participants
Logging in with eHerkenning level 3 to submit the application

Eligible costs

A subsidy of 60% of the project costs
Up to €500,000 per partnership and €200,000 per company
Costs of an adviser for a training and development plan
Career and development advice for employees
Methods to encourage learning on the job

Details on the SLIM SME Collaborative Projects

The SLIM Collaboration scheme provides support for projects where multiple SMEs work together to enhance learning and development. The goal is to assist employees with their professional growth and promote a learning culture within the participating companies.

The SLIM scheme for collaborations is intended for projects where SMEs stimulate learning and development together. Collaborations can receive a grant of up to € 500,000, with a maximum of € 200,000 per participating company. No collaboration? Then there is also the option for SMEs to invest in a strong learning culture within their organization with the SLIM scheme .

The grant is available for various initiatives, such as:

  • Organizing career and development advice for employees;
  • Developing methodologies to promote learning during work;

To qualify for the grant, projects must meet specific conditions, including:

  • The collaboration consists of at least two SMEs that are not legally connected.
  • The activities are aimed at strengthening a learning culture within the participating organizations;
  • Work is carried out according to an approved activity plan.

Grant applications for SLIM SME Collaboration can be submitted from June 22 to July 20, 2026. Please note that judging is on draw.

With our extensive experience in grant processes, we can take the application process almost entirely off your hands. What kind of tasks can you expect?

Assessing whether your collaborative project is eligible for the SLIM Collaboration grant;

  • Full support in preparing and submitting the grant application;
  • Ensuring that the application complies with the latest laws and regulations;
  • Acting as the contact person for the grant provider;
  • Optionally: assisting with project administration and managing the grant administration.

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

Start your Funding Scan

Frequently asked questions about SLIM SME Collaborative Projects

Usually yes. The eight sectors cover our focus areas, not the limits of the funding landscape. What matters is the purpose of your project, not the sector label.

It finds suitable programmes, assesses the chances, prepares applications and supports the reporting. At Ignite Group that starts with your objective rather than with a list of programmes.

Usually by whether the outcome is established at the outset. If the solution can be looked up and simply implemented, there is no eligible development. If it has to be tested, discarded and developed anew, there is.

Usually several apply. What matters is which one is the current bottleneck: capital for growth, development work without matching finance, too narrow an instrument mix, or uncertainty about evidence. We work that out in the first conversation.

Then several instruments frequently apply, for different projects. We map your whole project portfolio rather than pinning you to one sector.

At national level these include the WBSO, the MIT R&D scheme, the Innovatiebox, the MIT feasibility studies and the DHI scheme. European instruments such as EUREKA Eurostars are relevant too. Which ones fit your project is something we determine up front.

That depends on the project, the scale of funding and the model chosen. Our engagement models are explained on a dedicated page, so you know in advance which options exist.

Our engagement models

Is your project eligible for funding?

Active in research and development, with development and production in the last 4 years? Get in touch now and benefit!