LEO Website Grant Ireland 2026: How to Claim Your €2,500 Trading Online Voucher

The Trading Online Voucher (TOV) from your Local Enterprise Office gives Irish SMEs up to €2,500 toward a new website, e-commerce store or digital marketing. Here's exactly how to qualify, apply and use it in 2026.

What is the LEO Website Grant (Trading Online Voucher)?

The Trading Online Voucher is a co-funded grant administered by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. It exists to help small Irish businesses move online — whether that's a first website, an e-commerce upgrade, or a structured digital marketing push. In 2026 the scheme funds 50% of eligible costs up to €2,500, meaning a €5,000 project costs the business €2,500 out of pocket.

Trading Online Voucher at a glance (2026)

Item Detail ------ Grant value 50% of eligible costs, capped at €2,500 Minimum project size €1,000 ex-VAT Typical approval time 4–6 weeks after submission Maximum claims per business 2 (a 3rd is exceptional) Mandatory step Free half-day LEO info session Eligible businesses <10 staff · <€2M turnover · trading 6+ months Ineligible Charities, agriculture, fishery, coal/steel Search demand (Semrush IE) "leo website grant" — 590/mo · KD 12

Who is eligible for the LEO Website Grant in 2026?

You must tick every one of these boxes: Charities, not-for-profits, and businesses primarily in agriculture, fishery or coal/steel sectors are excluded.

  • Trading for at least 6 months.
  • Fewer than 10 employees.
  • Annual turnover under €2 million.
  • Registered and trading in Ireland (sole trader, partnership or limited company).
  • Limited or no existing online trading presence (a basic brochure site is fine; a full Shopify store usually isn't).
  • Located in the area covered by the LEO you're applying to.

What can the €2,500 actually be spent on?

The scheme is deliberately broad. In our experience the items most Irish SMEs claim against the voucher are: What it won't fund: ongoing hosting beyond year one, generic IT hardware, social media ad spend on its own, or development of internal tools that don't trade online.

  • A new website or full redesign of an existing one.
  • E-commerce functionality (Shopify, WooCommerce, custom checkout).
  • Online booking systems (salons, trades, tutors, celebrants).
  • Professional product photography for an online store.
  • App development for trading online.
  • Subscription to a digital marketing platform (limited to 1 year).
  • SEO services and Google Ads management (capped portion of total spend).
  • Internationalisation costs (multi-language, multi-currency).

How do I apply for the Trading Online Voucher?

1. Find your Local Enterprise Office. Search "[your county] Local Enterprise Office" on localenterprise.ie. 2. Register for the free half-day information session. This is mandatory — you cannot apply without attending. Sessions are usually online and run weekly. 3. Get two written quotes from suitable suppliers, each on letterhead with VAT number and detailed line items. 4. Complete the online application form on your LEO's portal, attach both quotes, your business bank details and a short project description. 5. Wait 4–6 weeks for the evaluation panel decision. 6. Receive your Letter of Offer, accept it, complete the project, and submit your claim with invoices and proof of payment.

How long does the LEO Website Grant take to be paid?

Approval typically lands within 4–6 weeks of submitting a complete application. Once you've finished the project and submitted your claim with paid invoices, the LEO pays the grant directly to your business bank account, usually within 2–3 weeks.

Common reasons LEO applications get rejected

In our experience the single biggest reason for rejection is weak quotes. A two-line PDF saying "Website €5,000" almost always comes back asking for more detail.

  • Quotes are vague, missing VAT, or don't match your written project description.
  • You're already trading online at scale (full Shopify store, etc.).
  • The project is purely internal (a CRM, an internal dashboard, a hardware purchase).
  • The applicant has previously claimed the voucher twice — you can only get a third in exceptional circumstances.

How Digital Bridge structures TOV-ready quotes

Every quote we send to a TOV applicant includes: If you'd like a free TOV-ready quote, ring 085 224 1848 or use our free website audit.

  • Itemised scope (pages, integrations, training hours).
  • Separate lines for website build, e-commerce, SEO setup, copy, photography.
  • Our CRO business number, VAT number, and full Gorey, Co. Wexford registered address.
  • A 12-month support window so year-one hosting falls inside the eligible spend.

Related Digital Bridge services

Need a TOV-ready quote in 24 hours? Call Joey on 085 224 1848 or use our contact form.

  • Grow Digital Voucher service(https://digitalbridge.ie/services/grow-digital-voucher) — our dedicated TOV package, starts from €1,200 after the grant.
  • Professional websites from €1,200(https://digitalbridge.ie/services/professional-websites) — most common scope claimed against the voucher.
  • E-commerce from €6,000(https://digitalbridge.ie/services/e-commerce) — for Shopify and WooCommerce upgrades.

How much is the LEO website grant worth in 2026?

The Trading Online Voucher funds 50% of eligible costs up to a maximum of €2,500. A €5,000 project therefore costs the business €2,500 out of pocket.

Can I get a second Trading Online Voucher?

Yes. Most Irish SMEs can claim the voucher up to two times. A third claim is only granted in exceptional circumstances (e.g. a substantial pivot to a new trading category) and must be justified in writing.

Do I have to attend the LEO information session?

Yes. Attendance at the free half-day Local Enterprise Office information session is mandatory — applications submitted without it are automatically rejected.

How long does LEO take to approve a Trading Online Voucher?

In our experience approval typically lands within 4–6 weeks of submitting a complete application with two compliant supplier quotes.

Can the LEO grant pay for SEO or Google Ads?

Yes — SEO services and Google Ads management are eligible, but they must form part of a wider trading-online project and are capped as a percentage of total spend.

What's the difference between the LEO grant and the website grant Ireland searches return?

They're the same thing. 'LEO website grant', 'website grant Ireland' and 'Trading Online Voucher Scheme' all refer to the TOV scheme run by Ireland's 31 Local Enterprise Offices on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

About the author

Joey Bray — Founder, Digital Bridge. Joey Bray founded Digital Bridge to give Irish small businesses agency-grade websites, SEO and AI tools at roughly a fixed price agreed before work starts. Based in Gorey, Co. Wexford, serving all 26 counties. 10+ years building websites, SEO and AI automations for Irish SMEs