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This year, the Cēsis Municipality Business Grant Competition marks a significant turning point in the promotion of circular business practices in the region. For the first time, in addition to basic funding for business idea development, applicants can also receive additional support for projects based on circular economy principles. This approach encourages the reuse of resources, reduction of waste, and the development of new types of collaboration between businesses. The initiative is being implemented within the framework of the LIFE Integrated Project “Waste To Resources Latvia - boosting regional sustainability and circularity”.

The total funding available for the competition this year amounts to €54,000, with a maximum grant of up to €8,000 per project. The basic grant can be up to €5,000, with an additional €3,000 available for projects that meet circular business evaluation criteria. To encourage high-quality proposals, this year’s application form has been designed as a simple, structured business plan framework, helping applicants to evaluate the viability and implementation potential of their ideas. Applicants are also encouraged to submit a short video presentation that highlights the essence of the project and the applicant’s personal motivation.

Additional funding will be granted to ideas that fall into one of four circular business categories. One of these is the creation of a new product from reused materials. In this case, evaluation will consider the proportion of the final product made from reused materials. The second category supports the development of a new product or the substitution of raw materials in an existing product through collaboration with another company, using its by-products or surplus materials. Here too, the share of reused materials in the final product will be evaluated.

The third category focuses on the development of repair services. Projects offering original and currently unavailable repair services in the region will have an advantage. The fourth category supports the development of rental or shared-use services. In these categories, evaluation will consider the uniqueness of the service in the local context – whether within Cēsis Municipality, the Vidzeme region, or on a national level.

Applications for the grant competition can be submitted until 8 August 2025.
More information and application details: https://www.cesis.lv/lv/attistiba/uznemejdarbiba/atbalsts-uznemejiem/uznemejdarbibas-grantu-konkurss/