What is the co-funding of the business activity start?
The co-funding of the business activity start is a support form provided to the unemployed, graduates of a Social Integration Centre, graduates of a Social Integration Club or a carer of a disabled person, not employed or not doing any other paid work who want to start their own business activity.
Who can receive the funds?
The funds can be received by:
- An unemployed,
- A graduate of a Social Integration Centre,
- A graduate of a Social Integration Club,
- A jobseeking carer of a disabled person, not employed or not doing any other paid work, except for carers of a disabled person receiving an attendance allowance or a special carer's allowance pursuant to the regulations on family benefits, or an allowance for the carer pursuant to the regulations on the determination and payment of benefits for carers, hereinafter referred to as a "carer".
What amount of funds can be received?
One-off funds for the business activity start, including for covering the costs of legal assistance, consultations and counselling connected with starting that activity can be awarded in the amount not exceeding 6 times the average remuneration.
An agreement for the co-funding of the business activity start
The funds are awarded based on an agreement executed with the starost (represented by the head of the Poviat Labour Office).
The funds awarded to the unemployed / graduate of a Social Integration Centre / graduate of a Social Integration Club / carer constitute de minimis aid under the provisions of the Commission Regulation (EU) no. 1407/2013 of 18 December 2013 on the application of Articles 107 and 108 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to de minimis aid (Official Journal EU L 352 of 24 December 2013, page 1).
The basic obligations of the person who received the funds include:
- Running their business activity for at least 12 months (without suspending it after the expiry of that period),
- No employment during the initial 12 months of running their business activity.
An application for the co-funding of the business activity start
An application for the co-funding shall be filed in the relevant Poviat Labour Office, as applicable based on the place of permanent or temporary residence or the planned place of business.
The co-funding application can be considered if it is complete and duly prepared and the starost has funds for it.
The co-funding application includes e.g.:
- The sum of funds applied for,
- Type of the planned business activity,
- Calculation of costs connected with the activity start and sources of funding them,
- Detailed specification of expenses to be paid within the funds applied for,
- Proposed form of fund return security.
The detailed conditions which need to be fulfilled by those applying for the co-funding of the business activity start are stipulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy of 14 July 2017 on reimbursement of cost of supplying equipment for work and funds to undertake economic activity, allocated from the Labour Fund (Journal of Laws item 1380).
Note: Every Poviat Labour Office can possess also its own internal rules of awarding one-off funds for the business activity start, so please read it whenever applicable.