Eco Cheque: FAQs

No, engaging in research and development is not a prerequisite for submission. The Eco Cheque requires improvements in terms of climate-friendly and environmentally friendly business practices.

Innovation refers to the development of a new solution. This can be a product, a service or a process. In the case of the Eco Cheque, improvements in terms of climate-friendly and environmentally friendly business practices are required.

The innovation process describes the path from identifying a problem to finding an innovative solution. It starts with defining the problem, identifying and analysing its effects. Ideas are then developed and tested in order to find the right solution.

In a project funded by the Eco Cheque, consulting services from external parties with expertise in innovation or sustainability or for the development of technical/scientific know-how can be used to achieve ecological sustainability goals. These services must be reported as third-party costs and may not exceed 30% of the total costs.

The category of small and medium-sized enterprises includes companies that employ fewer than 250 people and have an annual turnover of no more than €50 million OR whose annual balance sheet total does not exceed €43 million. Shareholdings in companies must be taken into account.

Detailed information on classification can be found in the SME definition on the FFG website (in German). 

No, the earliest possible start date for the project is the date on which the application is submitted. Costs can only be accepted from this project start date. The project start date must be specified in the application. Costs that arise before the project start date cannot be accepted.

No, the maximum project duration is one year. The final report can be submitted in eCall after the end of the project, but is due no later than twelve months after the start of the project.

No, a project that has already been completed cannot be funded.

Nein. Es kann nur ein Öko-Scheck je Organisation genehmigt werden. Wurde bereits in den vergangenen Ausschreibungen ein Öko-Scheck genehmigt, ist die Förderung eines weiteren Öko-Schecks NICHT möglich.

Applications must be submitted online via the FFG's eCall system. The application consists of a brief description of the project and a simple cost plan and description of the costs. Please fill in the input masks in eCall. You do not need to upload any attachments.

If the content needs to be revised, you will be notified and can fix the deficiencies within a deadline communicated by the FFG.

Once your application has been approved, you will receive a conditional funding commitment via eCall. The application review process will begin after the end of the specified submission period.

Applications must be submitted by the applicant organisation or by authorised representatives. Proof of authorisation must be provided in writing and submitted to the FFG upon request.

You can find help with eCall in the eCall tutorial.

Applications are accepted in German and English. The documents are only available in German.

The submitting organisation is eligible for funding and meets the following eligibility criteria:

• Project content – What do I want to do and why?
• The objectives and activities of the project are described in a comprehensible manner and are suitable for making the company or organisation more climate-friendly and environmentally friendly.
• Benefits and impact – What does the project achieve?
• Improvements towards a climate-neutral and sustainable business model within the organisation are evident.
• Costs – What are the costs?
• Personnel costs: The number of hours is appropriate for the project content and the size of the organisation.
• Third-party costs: The services provided by third parties are described in a comprehensible manner, are relevant to the achievement of the project objectives and are appropriate in relation to the project content. Only eligible costs are listed.

Projects are NOT selected on a first-come, first-served basis.

Selection process: If more applications are submitted within the defined submission period than there are budget funds available, the applications to be reviewed will be selected by means of a random draw. The process involves drawing the maximum number of applications that can be funded with the available budget, as well as a waiting list for funding applications that will be considered in the event of rejections. Only one funding application per organisation will be considered in the draw.

The selected applications will be reviewed based on the random order of the draw to determine whether they meet the funding criteria and will be approved or rejected accordingly until all available budget funds have been exhausted.

Applications may be submitted within the specified submission period. Applications will be evaluated after the submission deadline.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are received on time. Once an application has been successfully submitted, a confirmation email will be sent automatically.

Following a positive evaluation, the FFG sends a conditional funding commitment to the applicants. A contractual relationship is established upon fulfilment of the conditions of the funding commitment.

The following conditions must be met:

• Fulfilment of the criteria set out in the call for proposals.
• Submission of the final report after project completion.

Funding is provided in the form of a non-repayable grant covering a maximum of 80% of eligible costs. The remaining 20% of the costs are financed by the company itself. The maximum grant is €12,000. If the total costs are less than €15,000, funding will be provided on a pro rata basis (80% of eligible costs).

Examples:

• Costs of €15,000: max. funding €12,000 - own funds: €3,000
• Costs of €12,000: max. funding €9,600 - own funds: €2,400
• Costs of €10,000: max. subsidy €8,000 - own funds: €2,000

Eligible third-party costs are costs for consulting services provided by external parties with expertise in innovation or sustainability, or for developing technical/scientific know-how to achieve the environmental sustainability goals of the Eco-Cheque project.

No, third-party costs may not exceed 30% of the total costs. However, it is possible to carry out a project exclusively with personnel hours.

After completion of the project, but no later than 12 months after the start of the project (according to the funding application in eCall), the final report must be submitted via eCall. To do this, the required fields must be completed in full and any data corrected if necessary. A clear description must be provided of the objectives, areas of action and measures implemented in the project, as well as the personnel and third-party costs incurred. If there have been any changes to the application, these must be explained accordingly.

If your project has been selected for a random sample, you must upload meaningful time records for each person working on the project, as well as the invoice(s) for third-party costs and payment receipts. Please note that further supporting documents may be requested during the final report review.

Yes, time records must be kept on an hourly basis, on a daily basis and with a meaningful description of the project activities for each employee.

Funding will be paid out as a final rate after the final report has been approved (no start-up rate).

Yes. Please list your approved de minimis grants for the last three years in the eCall. Check whether potential funding from the eco-cheque is still within the maximum total amount of €300,000 allowed over the last three years.

We are happy to help you with any questions you may have about the Eco-Cheque and will be happy to advise you personally.

The best way to reach us is via our hotline: +43 (0)5 77 55 2050 or by e-mail: [email protected].

All important information can be found in the tender guidelines and in the FAQs above.

To assess whether your company is an SME, please refer to the SME definition on the FFG website (in German).