What is Grant Bonus?
In the context of grant applications, a bonus represents a form of preferential treatment or advantage granted to an applicant. Most commonly, this term is used in two fundamental senses that provide applicants with either a higher chance of success in the evaluation or a more favorable rate of support.
1. Score Bonus (Evaluation Bonus)
This type of preference is applied primarily in the evaluation processes of programs managed by institutions such as the Business and Innovation Agency (API). An applicant can obtain additional preferential points, thereby increasing the overall score of their project. Point bonuses are typically awarded for meeting specific criteria of the grant call, including:
- Regional aspect: Locating the project within a structurally disadvantaged or otherwise supported region.
- Strategic cooperation: Documented collaboration between an enterprise and a research organization or university.
2. Support Rate Bonus (Grant Bonus)
This form of bonus, which you may encounter in the ISKP system among others, directly influences the amount of funding obtained. It consists of a percentage increase in the baseline grant rate based on the size of the applicant enterprise. The system is structured to offer greater backing to smaller entities:
- Small enterprises can typically achieve a bonus of an additional 20% on top of the baseline rate.
- Medium-sized enterprises usually receive a 10% increase compared to the baseline rate that applies to large enterprises.
In simple terms, while a score bonus helps the project secure the grant during competitive evaluation, a grant rate bonus ensures a higher share of public aid for small and medium-sized enterprises.
