Business grants in Louth: your Local Enterprise Office, council schemes and loans

50% of the cost before VAT. The most you can get is €2,000 to repair or replace a shopfront, €1,500 to paint it, €1,500 for shutters, €1,500 to replace plastic, box or neon signs, €1,000 for pedestrian access improvements, and €800 per shop where a parade of shops is painted

Independent businesses in a non-domestic commercial property anywhere in County Louth. A tenant can apply with the owner's written consent. Businesses that are part of a national or international chain cannot apply, and nothing is paid on a property on the Derelict Sites Register. You choose one category per application. You can claim once per category, and for no more than two categories, in any five years.

Download the application form from the council's website and email it to shopfrontgrant@louthcoco.ie, or post it to Economic Development, Louth County Council, Town Hall, Crowe Street, Dundalk, A91 W20C. Send photographs of the shopfront as it is now, a written quote, the tax reference number of your builder or painter, and your colour scheme, sign design or shopfront drawing. The grant is paid after the work, on paid invoices and photographs.

Open. The 2026 scheme opened on 8 April and closes at 5pm on Friday 30 October 2026. Grants are at the council's discretion.

Work finished within the last six months can still be considered. If you do the work yourself, the grant covers materials only. An offer that is not drawn down within six months is withdrawn. The council warns that nearly all work that changes the outside of a building needs planning permission, and that a decision takes about two months.

See the scheme on the council's site

100% of commercial rates waived in year 1, 50% in year 2 and 25% in year 3. Full rates are due from year 4.

A new business that opens in a commercial premises vacant for at least 12 months. The premises must be in the zoned town centre of Dundalk, Drogheda, Ardee or Dunleer, on Main Street in Blackrock, or inside the settlement boundary of Carlingford, Castlebellingham, Clogherhead, Termonfeckin, Tullyallen, Annagassan, Baltray, Collon, Dromiskin, Knockbridge, Louth Village, Omeath or Tallanstown. You need a lease of at least four years, or proof that you own the premises, and you must owe the council nothing. An existing business that moves into a vacant unit does not qualify. Takeaways, betting shops, casinos, amusement arcades, vape shops, phone shops and nail bars are excluded. Barbershops and charity shops are excluded too, though they may be considered outside Architectural Conservation Areas.

Apply online on the council's consultation portal. Attach your lease or Land Registry entry and proof of the vacancy, such as a declaration letter from the landlord. You must set up a standing order or direct debit for your rates before the end of year 1 and start trading within 90 days of approval. Queries go to rateswaiver@louthcoco.ie.

Open. The online application form opened on 5 January 2026 and stays open until 28 February 2027. The council reviews the scheme each year at its budget.

The scheme gives preference to bookshops, creative industries, drapery and shoe shops, education and training centres, hotels, live music venues and restaurants. Every premises on the scheme must follow the council's Shop Front Design Guidelines.

See the scheme on the council's site

A credit on your rates account of €50 to €225, depending on the size of your bill. It cannot be more than 10% of the bill on any one property

Businesses in occupied premises with a yearly rates bill of €5,000 or less. The credit is €50 on a bill up to €500, €90 up to €1,000, €120 up to €1,500, €140 up to €2,000, €180 up to €3,000, €200 up to €4,000 and €225 up to €5,000. Rates and any arrears had to be paid in full by 31 July 2026, or by 30 November 2026 if you pay by direct debit. Payment by standing order does not qualify. A customer with more than one property can get €300 at most.

Online application on the council's consultation portal. If you keep to the terms, the council tells you at the end of the year and applies the credit to your account.

Closed to applications. The online form closed on 31 July 2026.

See the scheme on the council's site

Awards of up to €750, paid in advance, for independent artists, promoters and venues of up to 500 capacity that put on night-time activity in Drogheda, such as live music, club nights and arts events. A significant part of the activity must take place between 6pm and 6am. It does not pay for capital costs, alcohol or general overheads, and an organiser can get up to two awards in a calendar year. The online form is open until 5pm on 16 October 2026 and applications are considered while the funding lasts. The fund is part of the national Night-Time Economy pilot, in which Drogheda was the first town to go live.

See the scheme on the council's site

If your premises is closed for renovations, you can apply in writing, with evidence of the works, for a refund of 50% of the rates paid for each calendar month it is closed. Email rates@louthcoco.ie for details.

See the scheme on the council's site

Grants of up to €8,000 for local and community festivals and events that benefit the local economy and tourism. The council said this was its only funding scheme for tourism events held in 2026. Applications closed at 5pm on 21 January 2026.

See the scheme on the council's site

County Louth. An older council page still names the delivery body as Louth LEADER Partnership, with the same contact number.

Open to expressions of interest, through an online form on its website. Its seven targeted calls, for renewable energy, rural broadband, farm diversification, rural youth, local food, community groups and water projects, are all marked closed.

Phone: 087 173 5168

LEADER on this group's site

County Louth. Offices on Park Street in Dundalk, John Street in Drogheda and Bridge Street in Ardee

Phone: 087 340 7805 (Dundalk) or 087 474 2130 (Drogheda)

Visit its website