Regional Economic Development Program – Commercial Economy including Tourism Sector Open
The Regional Economic Development Program North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) supports commercial and tourism businesses in investments within designated funding areas to create or secure permanent jobs. It also promotes non-investment measures such as consulting and training for small and medium-sized enterprises to strengthen their competitiveness and innovation capacity.
Who is funded?
The Regional Economic Development Program North Rhine-Westphalia (RWP NRW) targets commercial enterprises and the tourism sector in specific funding areas of the state. It supports investment projects as well as non-investment measures that contribute to the creation or safeguarding of permanent jobs and apprenticeships and strengthen competitiveness.
What is funded?
The Regional Economic Development Program (RWP) in NRW funds investment projects in operational facilities as well as non-investment measures such as consulting, training, and the market introduction of innovative products. Special support is provided for projects that contribute to the transformation towards a climate-neutral and sustainable economy. The funding is linked to the creation or safeguarding of permanent jobs and covers specific expenditures in selected economic sectors.
Type and Extent of Funding
Funding is provided as a non-repayable grant (project funding by way of equity financing). The funding amount varies greatly and depends on the company size, the specific funding area (C1, C2, D), the type of project (investment, transformation, non-investment), and compliance with certain criteria such as job growth. There are fixed maximum funding amounts per created or secured job, as well as for individual non-investment measures.
Conditions and Requirements
Applicants must meet certain requirements, including ensuring the overall financing of the project with an equity contribution of at least 25 percent. There are specific obligations regarding the creation and safeguarding of jobs, as well as the retention of funded assets. Furthermore, European state aid regulations, such as the De-minimis Regulation and the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), must be observed.
Application Process
The application for the Regional Economic Development Program in NRW must be submitted to NRW.BANK before the start of the project. A complete application must be submitted on a prescribed form, containing all necessary information and supporting documents. Applications are processed within six months, provided all documents are complete. The disbursement of funds occurs in stages according to the investment progress.
Legal Basis
The legal basis for the Regional Economic Development Program NRW is the "Guideline for the Granting of Financial Aid for the Promotion of Commercial Enterprises including the Tourism Sector within the Regional Economic Development Program of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Funding Guideline Commercial Economy)" from March 1, 2024. This guideline is supplemented by the State Budget Code, the GRW Coordination Framework, and European state aid regulations such as the GBER and the De-minimis Regulation.
Funding Overview
Maximum Amount:
Up to 12,375,000 € for investments; funding rates between 10% and 50% of eligible expenditures, depending on company size, funding area, and project type. Up to 400,000 € for non-investment projects.
Deadline:
always open
Open Until:
31.12.2027
Award Channel:
Demand Driven Scheme
Region:
Nordrhein-Westfalen (Germany)
Sectors:
Food Processing, Textile and Apparel Industry, Paper and Packaging Industry, Pharmaceutical Industry, Water and Waste Management, Transportation and Logistics, Information and Communication Technology, Software Development, Research and Development, Tourism, Creative Industries, Service Sector, Environmental and Climate Protection, Other
Beneficiaries:
Commercial enterprises, tourism sector
Funding Stages:
Infrastructure, Process Optimization, Product Development, Market Introduction, Commercialization, Capacity Building, Other
Funding Provider
Program Level: Regional
Funding Body: Ministry of Economy, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MWIKE)
Managed By: NRW.BANK
Website: NRW.BANK