Lebens!Nah
Local supply – Let’s bring life to your region!
Local supply—We need a shift in direction
A 15-minute drive to the nearest larger town: Until recently, residents of the southeastern Styrian municipality of Kapfenstein had to put up with this just to stock up on basic groceries like bread or milk. Now there is once again a grocery store in town, and shopping can be done conveniently on foot.
The fact is: Local access to goods is essential to quality of life. A regional retailer is more than just a store that sells goods—it is a place for social interaction, a gathering spot for exchange and communication. It’s also a fact that local grocery stores in many Styrian communities are throwing in the towel because they aren’t generating enough profit. As a result, regional jobs are being lost and training centers are closing. This is a trend that the SFG is resolutely working to counteract.
David goes hand in hand with Goliath
The same applies to local retail: To survive in the market, you have to keep evolving. Are your facilities, equipment, and machinery up to date? And without an online presence, you won’t get anywhere anyway: By 2023, six out of ten Austrians were already shopping online. And so, what international corporations are already leading the way with today will also make its way into local retail in the future: online ordering and online shopping.
Seize the opportunity and use digitalization to your business’s advantage. Make your business visible online and attract new customers. Digitize your production and sales processes, create a new website or online store, and let your customers pay electronically. We also support you in digitizing internal business processes, such as implementing digital time-tracking systems or digital project management tools. You can count on our 30 percent grant to help with all these steps.
- For whom?
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- local retailers that offer everyday goods and services,
- provide more than half of the services billed to individual customers,
- as a microbusiness (applies to businesses in the trades and crafts, retail, and services sectors),
- or are classified as small businesses (applies to bakeries, butcher shops, pastry shops, and full-service grocery stores),
- and whose company is based in Styria.
- For whom not?
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- businesses outside the SFG target group, such as tourism, hospitality, and agricultural businesses
- retail companies that sell their goods exclusively online (no brick-and-mortar store)
- entrepreneurs who are employed on a non-self-employed basis beyond the threshold for “minor employment” (in addition to their self-employment)
- individuals
- For what?
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- Investments of 20,000 euros or more, such as machinery and equipment, office and business equipment, including digital infrastructure (e.g., hardware and software), as well as construction projects (up to 30,000 euros eligible) primarily related to improving the production and presentation of goods and services.
- How much?
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- project budget: at least 20,000 euros
- funding rate: 15% + a maximum of 5% innovation bonus
- maximum grant: 15,000 euros plus a bonus
- Important hints
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- The grant application must be submitted BEFORE the project begins. We can only cover costs incurred AFTER we receive your application.
- The effective date is the day you submit your grant application, even if you have not yet received a grant award notification.
- The grant will not be paid out until the project is completed.
- Bottle return systems and related costs are not eligible for funding. For this purpose, please take advantage of the funding offered by the KPC Environmental Funding Agency. See Downloads & Links for a link to the program.
- The grant application must be electronically signed by the applicant. A signature by an external consultant, bank advisor, or similar professional is NOT permitted.
Funding process
- inform
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Are you planning a project and want to know if it qualifies for support through the Lebens!Nah grant program? You’ll find answers to your questions here.
- apply for
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Submit your application online through our Portal!
Important: Submit your application before you begin your project!
- review the application
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We’ll take a close look at your project.
- announce the cut-off date for credit
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We will notify you of your official credit assessment date.
- start the project
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Start your project as soon as you receive a credit date from us.
- approve the funding
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If we are able to support you, you will receive your grant agreement. If your project is not eligible for funding, we will notify you in writing.
- complete the project
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Now it’s your turn again: Complete your project.
Important: Please contact us right away if anything changes.
We wish you the best of luck!
- submit invoices
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Please send us your billing documents. You will receive a checklist in plenty of time to help you compile the documents.
- review invoices
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We will review your billing documents.
- pay out the grant
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If all eligibility requirements are met, we will transfer the funds to your account.
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Downloads & Links