Carlow County Enterprise Board is a Company limited by Guarantee and a statutory agency under the 1995 Industrial Development Act. The Board is funded by the National Exchequer and by the European Union under the Local Enterprise Sub-Programme of the Southern & Eastern Regional Operational Programme of the National Development Plan 2006-2013.

The Board is comprised of representatives from the voluntary and business sector, the social partners, the local authority and the state agencies.

The Board has the support of an Evaluation Committee, which carries out a detailed assessment of all direct financial assistance, applications and recommends the most suitable level and type of support for each individual enterprise.  The Evaluation Committee examines each project’s commercial viability and ensures that it complies with the criteria for support laid down by the Department of Enterprise,Trade and Employment.

Following this process, the recommendations of the Evaluation Committee are submitted to the Board for a final decision on the provision of grant aid.  Decisions are also taken by the Board in relation to the provision of Mentoring services and Training programmes. The procedure of processing applications is facilitated by the staff of Carlow County Enterprise Board through administrative and executive  supoprt.

Links are maintained with other support agencies with a view to maximising the efficiency and effectiveness of the support provided and ensuring that there is no duplication.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

The Carlow County Enterprise Board was established by the Government in late 1993 with the primary objective of promoting enterprise and assisting the development of small enterprises at local level.  The Board’s focus is strategic and it’s key task is to stimulate employment opportunities in County Carlow through the following objectives:

• To achieve a net increase in the number of viable jobs in the region through the provision of supports that will assist the long-term sustainability of business
  
  
• To encourage, develop and support economic development and local entrepreneurship within the community.
  
  
• To co-operate with state and other agencies/institutions in supporting the development of new and existing businesses in delivering appropriate enterprise support mechanisms. 
  
  
• To provide co-ordinated information facilities. To inform new and established businesses of agency/institutional supports, available to them.
  
  
• To have business services available and readily accessible from any location in County Carlow.
  
  
• To increase the number of women participating in business.
  
  
• To substantially upgrade the level of management expertise in existing and new enterprises.