As of 10 July 2026, Bulgarian micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating within the territories of Local Action Groups (LAGs) with approved complementary funding under the “Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises” Programme (CIEP) may apply for non-repayable grant funding to implement innovations. The procedure is administered by the Ministry of Innovation and Growth and offers a concrete opportunity for businesses outside major urban centres to invest in new technologies, equipment, and the modernisation of their operations.

What the Procedure Involves

The procedure “Implementation of Innovations in SMEs within the Territories of Local Action Groups” is part of the Community-Led Local Development (CLLD) approach and is financed under CIEP. Its main objective is to support micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises within LAG territories in introducing new or significantly improved products and/or business processes, thereby increasing their innovation activity and competitiveness.

The procedure covers businesses located within 51 Local Action Groups across the country, whose local development strategies include approved complementary funding under CIEP.

Key Funding Parameters

• Total budget of the procedure: approximately EUR 20 million.
• Minimum grant amount: EUR 15,000.
• Maximum grant amount: up to EUR 102,500.
• Co-financing intensity: up to 75% of eligible project costs.
• Eligible applicants: micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises registered and operating within the territory of a LAG with an approved CLLD strategy and included complementary funding under CIEP. Micro-enterprises are eligible only in settlements located within urban municipalities.

Eligible Costs

Funding under the procedure may be directed toward the acquisition of assets directly related to the implementation of the innovation, including:

• machinery, facilities, and equipment;
• software;
• patents, utility models, and industrial designs;
• licences.

Application Deadlines

Applications are submitted entirely online, through the Information System for Management and Monitoring of EU Funds in Bulgaria (ISUN 2020). Two application windows are envisaged:

1. First application window: from 10 July 2026 until 16:30 on 14 September 2026.
2. Second application window: from 14 January 2027 to 15 March 2027.

Business representatives who have questions or require clarification on the procedure may submit them through the ISUN 2020 system up to 21 days before the respective deadline. Responses from the Managing Authority are published both on the ISUN 2020 platform and on the website of the Ministry of Innovation and Growth.

Relevance of the Procedure for the North Central Region

The North Central Region of Bulgaria — encompassing the provinces of Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Ruse, Razgrad, and Silistra — is home to a dense network of Local Action Groups, established through public-private partnerships under the CLLD approach. These structures are precisely what opens the door to funding under this procedure for local businesses: only enterprises located within the territory of a LAG with approved complementary funding under CIEP are eligible to apply.

Below is an overview of the Local Action Groups operating in the five provinces of the region.

Gabrovo Province

• LAG “Dryanovo – Tryavna – In the Heart of the Balkan” — covers the entire municipalities of Dryanovo and Tryavna. It is the only fully active, multi-fund financed LAG in the province, with active agreements in place for the programming period through 2027.

Veliko Tarnovo Province

• LAG “Pavlikeni – Polski Trambesh” — municipalities of Pavlikeni and Polski Trambesh.
• LAG “Lyaskovets – Strazhitsa” — municipalities of Lyaskovets and Strazhitsa.
• LAG “Elena and Zlataritsa” — municipalities of Elena and Zlataritsa.
• LAG “Gorna Oryahovitsa” — municipality of Gorna Oryahovitsa.
• LAG “Svishtov – Tsenovo” (also functioning as a Local Fisheries Action Group) — a cross-regional partnership between the municipality of Svishtov (Veliko Tarnovo) and the municipality of Tsenovo (Ruse).
• LAG “Levski – Suhindol” — a cross-regional partnership between the municipality of Suhindol (Veliko Tarnovo) and the municipality of Levski (Pleven).

Ruse Province

• LAG “Dve Mogili – Ivanovo” — municipalities of Dve Mogili and Ivanovo.
• LAG “Borovo – Byala” — municipalities of Borovo and Byala.
• LAG “Vetovo” — a standalone LAG covering the municipality of Vetovo.
• LAG “Tutrakan – Slivo Pole” — a cross-regional partnership between the municipality of Slivo Pole (Ruse) and the municipality of Tutrakan (Silistra).
• LAG “Svishtov – Tsenovo” — a cross-regional partnership with the municipality of Tsenovo (Ruse) and the municipality of Svishtov (Veliko Tarnovo).

Razgrad Province

• LAG “Isperih” — a standalone LAG covering the municipality of Isperih.
• LAG “Zavet – Kubrat” — municipalities of Zavet and Kubrat.
• LAG “Venets, Kaolinovo and Samuil” — a cross-regional partnership in which the municipality of Samuil represents Razgrad province.
• LAG “Vetovo – Tsar Kaloyan – Opaka” — a cross-regional partnership spanning three provinces, comprising the municipality of Tsar Kaloyan (Razgrad), the municipality of Vetovo (Ruse), and the municipality of Opaka (Targovishte).

Silistra Province

• LAG “Kaynardzha – Alfatar – Silistra” — unites the municipalities of Kaynardzha, Alfatar, and the rural areas of the municipality of Silistra.
• LAG “Glavinitsa – Sitovo Danube Dobrudzha” — municipalities of Glavinitsa and Sitovo.
• LAG “Tutrakan – Slivo Pole” — a cross-regional partnership between the municipality of Tutrakan (Silistra) and the municipality of Slivo Pole (Ruse).
• LAG “Dulovo 2024” — a standalone LAG covering the municipality of Dulovo, which launched the municipality’s first-ever independent CLLD strategy.

What This Means for Local Businesses

For entrepreneurs across the five provinces of the North Central Region, this open procedure represents a tangible opportunity for modernisation — ranging from the acquisition of new technological equipment to the introduction of software solutions and the protection of intellectual property. The key eligibility condition is that the company must fall within the territorial scope of a LAG with approved complementary funding under CIEP; interested applicants are therefore advised to verify the current status of the relevant Local Action Group before submitting a project proposal.

Applications are submitted entirely online through ISUN 2020, and companies with a ready innovation project have ample time to prepare — whether they choose to apply during the first window, closing on 14 September 2026, or direct their efforts toward the second window, running from 14 January to 15 March 2027.

 

This news item has been created with the financial support of the Research, Innovation and Digitalization for Smart Transformation Program 2021-2027, co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund under project BG16RFPR002-1.002-0001 -C01 “Accelerated digitalization for SMEs in the Central Region through the creation and development of EDIH.” The Regional Innovation Center “Ambitious Gabrovo” bears full responsibility for the content of the document and under no circumstances can it be assumed that this document reflects the official position of the European Union and the managing authority.