EU funds for eco-investments: How to get 4.7 million PLN
Is your company thinking about ecological changes but lacking the funds for it? Hundreds of EU programs are waiting to support such investments in Poland. Many entrepreneurs don't know how to approach them, which is a big mistake. At Podlaska Symbioza Biznesu, we show that real profit can come from green responsibility.
Where to find money for green projects? Not just in Brussels
Funds for eco-investments do not come only from Brussels, although the European Commission strongly promotes them. We have many national programs, such as FEniKS, and regional ones that are tailored to local needs. In 2023, over 120 different calls for proposals targeting ecology for businesses were available – from smaller grants for photovoltaics to large grants for modernizing production lines.
Podlaskie Voivodeship has its specific priorities, often related to clean air, water and sewage management, or bioeconomy. The availability of funds changes rapidly, so it is crucial to follow current announcements. It is important to check whether your idea fits into regional smart specializations – this increases the chances of success. We check the numbers and show the most promising ones.
For example, in the last call for proposals under FEniKS, which closed in March 2024, micro and small enterprises could apply for co-financing for the purchase of more energy-efficient machines. The average co-financing for companies that submitted applications with us amounted to 74.3% of eligible costs, which is a really good result. This shows that it is worth looking not only for large national programs but also for those that are closer to us.
Who can get support? We check the conditions so you don't waste time
Not everyone can apply for funding, that's clear. The conditions vary for each pool of money. Typically, grants are aimed at SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), but there are also programs for large companies. Company size (number of employees, annual turnover), sector of activity, and type of planned investment matter. For example, a company employing 48 people with an annual turnover of 8.3 million PLN is classified as a medium-sized enterprise and has access to different programs than a micro-entrepreneur with 3 employees.
We often encounter situations where companies overlook minor but important criteria. For example, if your activity mainly involves road transport, you may have limited access to funds for energy modernization of buildings, but much greater chances of co-financing for the purchase of ecological vehicles. You need to know which door to look through. At Podlaska Symbioza Biznesu, we thoroughly analyze each situation before we start preparing an application.
It happens that entrepreneurs have a great idea but do not meet one tiny formal criterion. In that case, the application is rejected immediately. To avoid this, we first check whether your business and planned investment meet the requirements of a specific program. This saves your time and our resources. No beating around the bush, we will tell you what the real chances are.
Small companies from Podlasie have many chances for this cash injection, but you need to know the conditions.
How to prepare an application so it doesn't end up in the bin? It's not a lottery
Writing an application is not a guessing game. It's concrete work that requires precision, logic, and understanding of evaluators' expectations. You need to describe the project, its goals, environmental impact, budget, and efficiency indicators. Every point is important. Remember that the application must be consistent – if at the beginning you write about reducing CO2 emissions by 12 tons, then in the budget there must be an item that makes this possible, e.g., purchase of photovoltaic panels for 137 thousand PLN.
Errors we most often observe include underestimating costs, lack of realistic schedules, or overly general descriptions of ecological effects. Preparing a good business plan that shows the profitability of the investment even without a grant is essential. Our clients often do not know that they need to prepare an environmental impact analysis or clearly demonstrate how the project fits into the sustainable development policy. These are details that make a difference.
Last year, we helped a company from Hajnówka that wanted to implement recycling of production waste. The first application submitted independently was rejected after 3 months. After our correction and clarification, taking into account specific indicators of waste reduction by 38% and savings of 6.2 thousand PLN per month on disposal, the application was approved. Funding in the amount of 987 thousand PLN was granted within the next 5 months. Specifics matter.
Our experience: 4.7 million PLN for the region. It works!
We state openly: in 2023, we helped 7 of our clients from Podlasie and the surrounding areas obtain a total of 4.7 million PLN for eco-investments. These are not empty promises, but real money that has supported local companies. The projects varied greatly – from modernizing heating systems in hotels, through photovoltaic installations on factory roofs, to purchasing energy-efficient machines for carpentry workshops. Each project was different, but the goal was one: ecology and profit.
For example, one of our clients, a smaller logistics company from Białystok, thanks to a grant of 630 thousand PLN, replaced part of its fleet with electric vehicles and invested in charging stations. They reduced fuel costs by an average of 3.2 thousand PLN per month and significantly reduced the company's carbon footprint. Another example is a dairy that obtained 1.2 million PLN for a heat recovery system from production processes, which allowed them to save approximately 18.5% of energy annually.
These numbers show that eco-logically to profit is not just a slogan. These are real savings and an improved company image, which is crucial in the face of growing investor and consumer expectations in 2024. We see how important such investments are for companies in our region. We simply focus on action and help translate plans into facts.
Specifics matter. For our clients, this is real profit, not just theory. Nearly five million PLN speaks for itself.
What's next after the grant? Accounting and monitoring. We don't leave you alone with it
Successfully obtaining a grant is just the beginning. Then comes the time for project implementation and accounting. This is the stage where many entrepreneurs make mistakes because they lack experience in managing projects financed by EU funds. You need to keep track of deadlines, collect invoices, submit reports, and be ready for inspections. Unfortunately, a poorly accounted project can result in the return of part or all of the grant, which is a big blow to the company's budget.
Our support does not end at the application stage. We help with project management, monitoring progress, preparing reports, and preparing for potential inspections. We have 97 successfully accounted projects in the last 5 years. We guide our clients through this labyrinth of bureaucracy to help them avoid unnecessary problems. Thanks to this, they can focus on what they do best, which is running their business, and not on paperwork.
If you don't have someone to keep track of documents, oversights are easy. For example, a bakery from Łomża, which we helped obtain 415 thousand PLN for a modern oven, had a problem with proper documentation of the purchase of auxiliary materials. Our intervention and quick correction of the documentation helped avoid a deduction of over 11 thousand PLN from the grant amount. These are small but important details that we take care of.
Don't wait for others to grab the pool. Let's act together! Concretely and effectively
The pool of money for eco-investments is huge, but it is time-limited and often runs out quickly. Competition is growing, so it's not worth delaying. Every postponed application is a potentially lost opportunity for your company's development. This is the moment to make a decision and start acting. Eco-logically to profit – this is the goal we achieve together.
Podlaska Symbioza Biznesu was founded in September 2016 precisely to support local entrepreneurs in these activities. Our team, consisting of 14 people, serves clients from two offices, in Białystok and Ełk. We know how to navigate the intricacies of EU and national regulations. With us, you can be sure that your application will be prepared solidly and with the utmost care. We have a proven system that really works.
You don't have to face the maze of forms and hundreds of pages of regulations alone. Leave it to us. We focus on action and concrete results. Do you want to find out if your company has a chance for EU funds? Contact us, and we will quickly verify it and present clear proposals. Our average response times to inquiries are 2 hours and 14 minutes, so we don't waste time. Simply put, specifics matter.
