The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone to a greater or lesser extent and has changed everyday life - not only in health terms, but also in economic terms. Many entrepreneurs have had to close their business or find a new way to attract customers. Are you also struggling with a financial crisis in your business caused by the coronavirus? Find out what funding you are entitled to! 
European funds and coronavirus - working capital grants
At the beginning of 2020, no one expected that the whole world would be confronted with a pandemic and that travel would cease to be universally accessible . Even habitual, everyday shopping has become a challenge and a risk - after all, we cannot be sure that we have not met an infected person, so it is imperative to follow safety rules: wear masks and disinfect hands frequently.
The effects of the outbreak have been felt above all by entrepreneurs, who have lost liquidity and are facing an extremely difficult economic situation. Fortunately, they can count on help in the form of European funding, i.e. a non-refundable subsidy for expenses related to the company's day-to-day operations. Such ad hoc assistance will certainly allow the majority of financial problems to be dealt with, so that the company can start operating at full speed again.
The call for applications for working capital grants for medium-sized companies started on 15 June 2020 - they were accepted until 31 July, with funds coming from the government's pool of EU funds. Now it is time to support micro and small businesses, as well as the self-employed, which will receive funds from a pool of EU funds managed by marshals. When will the grants be launched? The acceptance of applications in some voivodeships started in July, but this needs to be monitored on an ongoing basis as it is different in each region. The grant will be aimed at entities that were in business as at 31 December 2019 and whose liquidity problems started with the development of the coronavirus pandemic - the decrease in turnover should be at least 30% in one selected month of 2020 compared to the same month last year. The total amount of funds earmarked for subsidising small and micro enterprises is approximately PLN 74 million. The amount of the grant depends on various factors, such as the number of employees. A self-employed person will receive a maximum of around PLN 23.5 thousand if he or she applies for support for three months. In order for the grant to remain non-refundable, the entrepreneur must maintain his or her business for the declared period (from 1 to 3 months).
EU funding in the age of coronavirus - where to apply for a grant?
In the case of working capital funds for micro and small enterprises, the whole process of granting funds is managed by regional institutions. They should be designated by the provincial authorities, so it is worth visiting the website of the selected local authority or the Marshal's Office and searching for the necessary information. Receiving funding in connection with the coronavirus pandemic should not cause major problems - as long as you meet the required criteria (above all, the entry condition, i.e. a minimum 30% decrease in income).
Subsidies for entrepreneurs - parking benefit
Those running their own businesses during the coronavirus pandemic have seen, or continue to see, dangerous downtime threatening their business. Customers have stopped buying and contractors have started pulling out of projects, significantly reducing revenue. If you are struggling with temporary financial hardship due to the pandemic, you can claim a standstill benefit of £2080 or £1300. The larger sum will be given to entrepreneurs who started their business before 1 April 2020 and whose turnover for a given month fell by at least 15% (compared to the previous month). A standstill of PLN 2080 is also available to entrepreneurs forced to suspend their business after 1 February. On the other hand, a smaller amount of the subsidy is intended for owners of companies settling accounts on the basis of a tax card and those exempt from paying VAT. An application for the parking benefit must be submitted to the Social Insurance Institution.
EU funding during coronavirus outbreak - worth taking advantage of
There is no doubt that 2020 has proven to be a very difficult year for most businesses - even large corporations are experiencing major problems, so it is not surprising that the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus has also extended to medium and small companies. However, there is a way out of even the most difficult situation. In order to cope with the downtime and lack of liquidity, it is worth applying for entrepreneurial funding. All important information on this subject is available on the website of the European Funds - all relevant deadlines can also be found there.
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