What Are Government Support and Incentives?

Today, Government Incentives, also known as Government Supports, provide support in various fields through repayable or non-repayable (grant) funding and exemption systems. Many institutions such as the Ministry of Commerce, KOSGEB, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, TÜBİTAK, Development Agencies, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry provide various support, grants, and incentives to firms. The supports implemented by the ministries are divided into two categories: general supports and open calls for support. Given supports can sometimes close, and other supports may open according to the needs of firms. To benefit from these supports and incentives, which are offered based on the needs of the firm, each institution has its own specific application requirements. Firms that meet the application conditions can apply for programs to benefit from supports and incentives. Supports provided by institutions;
• KOSGEB Supports
• Ministry of Commerce
• TÜBİTAK Supports
• Ministry of Industry and Technology Supports
• SGK Incentives
• Development Agencies Supports
• İŞKUR Incentives
• European Union Grant and Incentive Programs

Who Can Receive Government Supports and Incentives?

The firms that can benefit from the government support and incentives provided by each institution vary. For example, while micro and small-scale enterprises (MSEs) can typically apply for KOSGEB supports, a criterion was introduced in 2019 requiring them to have reached a minimum income threshold so that MSEs which were considered active before the Covid-19 pandemic could apply. As for TÜBİTAK supports, capital companies that comply with the customer organization description and higher education institutions aligning with the technology provider organization definition, public institutions, research infrastructures, public research centers/institutes, and capital companies or technology transfer offices operating in technology development zones under Law No. 4691 can apply.
Application conditions may vary from institution to institution as well as from program to program.

How to Obtain Government Supports and Incentives?

Under the supports to be received from companies such as KOSGEB, TÜBİTAK, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of Industry and Technology, each firm has certain application criteria and conditions. The relevant firm can be part of the application process as it fulfills these conditions. At the same time, the projects of firms applying must be detailed, original, and belong to the firm. Firms with ready projects can complete their applications and benefit from the supports or incentives announced by institutions if their project is accepted as a result of evaluations.

Firms from all regions of Turkey, especially Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya, Adana, Konya, Kayseri, Denizli, Sakarya, Aydın, Balıkesir, Mersin, Manisa, Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep, and Hatay provinces, can benefit from supports provided by government institutions.

What Are the Application Conditions for Government Supports and Incentives?

To obtain a government grant (incentive) loan, it is necessary to apply to governmental institutions that provide grant loans. Grants can be obtained from institutions such as the Provincial and District Directorates of Agriculture and Forestry, KOSGEB, and public banks. It is expected that applicants for grant loans must be at least 18 years old. Those who will operate in the field of agriculture and animal husbandry must have their ÇKS documents.

To benefit from a grant loan, it must be documented to the government that the applicant operates in the areas where grant loans are provided. Additionally, applicants for grant loans are expected not to be employed in another job insured. The government provides grant loans to cover both operational costs and improve the service being provided under the name of business and investment loans.

What Is the Role of Government Support and Grant Project Preparation Staff?

Personnel or assistants working in the fields of government support and grant project preparation play roles in preparing projects that are beneficial to society in the fields of economy, politics, education, health, technology, and cultural and social areas. Generally, project staff and assistants ensure the preparation of grant projects for KOSGEB, Tübitak, TKDK, and ministries and are responsible for managing the project. The necessary preparation stages for the completed project and the technical elements required to prepare the project are provided by project staff and assistants, who are then responsible for presenting the prepared project.

What Does Government Support and Grant Project Preparation Staff Do?

In order to obtain government support and grant, the project prepared must comply with the standards. There are certain procedures that the project staff or assistant must adhere to in order to ensure this compliance. The project staff or assistant is also responsible for fulfilling the procedures listed below before the presentation:
● Monitoring the budget for the project, preparing a business plan, and auditing revisions,
● Preparing reports to be sent to the financiers supporting the project, reviewing reports received from service units,
● Keeping the project needs up to date,
● Providing necessary training for the project, organizing meetings and conducting logistics work by participating in the meetings,
● Auditing necessary methods for purchasing transactions within the project,
● Collecting and compiling the materials, documents, visual/auditory/written resources necessary for the target group for which the project is prepared.

Personnel and assistants preparing government supports and grant projects assist in the preparation of the project by performing the tasks mentioned above. To work in this field, it is sufficient to have graduated from a four-year program at a university. However, certificates given in this field can also be obtained to increase employment opportunities in this sector.

What Are the Steps for Writing a Government Support and Grant Project?

Planning the project to be prepared for government support and grant is an important task. To obtain government support and grant, it is necessary first to create a project idea according to the field of activity. Once a specific idea is formed and steps into the project preparation world, it is necessary to know the meanings of certain terms and use them within the project. The terms and their meanings are given below:
● Project Cycle Management (PCM): This method, also known as Project Cycle Management, encompasses the systematic handling of the process taken while writing and preparing the project. Projects are planned and written within the context of this method. The process that the idea for the project will undergo is presented in a planned manner.
● Logical Framework Approach: The aforementioned Project Cycle Management is fundamentally based on the Logical Framework Approach. The project idea is constructed based on cause-effect and goal-result inquiries conducted through the Logical Framework. In short, it is the technical form of the reasoning practice we use in daily life.
● Problem Tree: This is a step that ensures focus on the problem when writing the project and is found within the Logical Framework Approach. It makes it easier to conduct a situation analysis starting from the problem.
● Objective Tree: This is one of the methods found in the Logical Framework Approach that facilitates focusing on solutions after problems are identified. It reveals the necessary answers to reach the goal.
● General Objective: This term refers to the broad goal that the idea created for the project will contribute to. In short, the general objective is considered a goal that will continue even after the project is completed.
● Specific Objective: This term is used for the result expected to occur along with the project. The Specific Objective, unlike the General Objective, is the goal that is expected to be achieved during the project process.
● Budget: This document shows the expenses required for the activities within the project. The costs specified in the budget must be in line with market standards for the project to be assessed positively in the grant application.
● Activity: These are actions taken to achieve the objectives determined within the project. Activities determine the budget of the project, and each activity is added to the budget as a cost.
● Sustainability: This is ensured through the continued achievement of the objective even after the project is completed.
● Eligible Costs: These cover direct or indirect expenses made to realize the project. When the grant application for the project is submitted, the specified expense items must be compliant with Eligible Costs.
● The Practical Guide (PRAG) Document: This document contains the rules and procedures for European Union projects, and the paths to be followed while preparing the projects are included in this document.

Once the terms mentioned above are known, the process of preparing the project becomes easier. In addition to these terms, there are important issues that must be known during the project preparation process in order to prepare a successful project and obtain grant support. These issues are listed below:
● Protection of natural resources and environmental values,
● Writing a project by following the stages of Project Management Cycle with clear standards and focused on success,
● Respecting the values of socio-cultural groups related to the project,
● Emphasizing and exemplifying the unique features that make the project idea original,
● Explaining the contributions of the targeted service/product/technology/system to the sector,
● Ensuring that the language used in the project is simple and understandable, and utilizing tables and graphics where necessary,
● Researching previous examples regarding the project topic, and, if necessary, including them as additional information within the project,
● Anticipating factors that could lead to project failure and seeking solutions,
● Preparing the project while considering government policies,
● Ensuring that the project is sustainable,
● Prioritizing renewable resources while executing the project,
● Preparing the project budget in line with expenses through market research.
Considering the above-mentioned issues, it remains to examine the steps for writing the project.

In order to prepare a project, the project idea must first be created. The starting point for forming the project idea involves keeping up with current events, examining recent research, and following technological developments related to the areas of work. By conducting research in the field of work, regional and sectoral needs can be identified and solution-oriented ideas can be generated for existing problems. Other steps that can be followed during the process of generating project ideas are listed below:
● Determining the area of expertise and the sector for identification purposes regarding the area of activity,
● Assessing capacities such as the limits, financial and workforce resources, partnerships, and ways to disseminate the project in order to be able to implement the project,
● Identifying the existing problem and the needs required for these problems,
● Narrowing down the identified topic from general to specific through geographical region, province, district, age, education level, and gender contexts.
After determining the project idea using the above steps, the following actions should be taken:
● Analyzing the Problems and Needs of the Project: After ensuring that the project topic aligns with the grant program, the following headings should be followed for the detailed planning of the project from a technical and operational perspective:
1. Preliminary Assessment: In this step, it should be determined which problem the project idea will contribute to solving.
2. Problem Analysis: In this step, the main problem and other issues, along with the results they cause, are identified based on the project idea. The term Problem Tree is used for this step.
3. Stakeholder Analysis: In this step, all parties that will be directly or indirectly affected by the project, and positively or negatively impacted by it, are identified, and if necessary, relevant parties can be included in the project.
4. Objective Analysis: In this step, the problems mentioned in the problem tree are positively expressed and transformed into objectives, i.e., the problem tree is converted into an objective tree. 5. Strategy Analysis: In this step, the chosen strategy determines the objectives of the project to be prepared by the applicant.
● Preparing the Logical Framework of the Project: This format is a document included in the grant package and must be carefully filled out by the applicant. It must be filled out in a certain order and content. In this part, the project's aim must be clearly stated.
● Preparing the Activity Plan of the Project: To achieve the objective of the project, the necessary activities for the project must be completed. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare a comprehensive activity plan for the project. In this plan, the necessary activities for the project should be listed in the order they will be implemented, and the time when each activity will take place should be specified. While planning activities, aspects such as the duration of the activities to be carried out, whether they are interrelated, the resources required for the activities, and who will carry out the activities should be carefully integrated into the activity plan.
● Calculating the Budget of the Project: Project budget must be calculated and prepared in accordance with the activities specified in the planning. The budget generally consists of premises such as budget tables, justifications for expenses, expected funding sources, and estimated cost summaries. The budget table must be formed based on 6 main budget headings provided by the applicant:
1. Human Resources,
2. Travel,
3. Equipment and Materials,
4. Local Office,
5. Other Costs,
6. Other.
● Preparing the Application Form of the Project: This form contains all the details of the project, an explanation of the problems leading to the project idea, the solutions found for these problems, the project's relevance to the grant application, the project’s target group, objectives, and sustainability. At this stage, the applicant is expected to answer the questions in the form related to the project proposal. The standard application form basically consists of two main sections:
1. Project Preliminary Proposal (Application Form Section A) (Used in restricted call for proposals)
2. Full Application Form (Application Form Section B)
When all the steps mentioned above are successfully completed and carefully reviewed, the applicant is ready for the grant application.

Which Sectors Does the Government Support?

For the country’s development and the sustainability of the economy, it is essential that various sectors continue their operations. These key sectors are crucial for the development of the economy as transaction applications continue due to their necessity for workforce. Therefore, the government provides certain amounts of money without expecting reciprocity under the name of “grants” to these key sectors. Particularly, sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism, manufacturing, services, and industry are among the sectors supported by the government.

Take Advantage of Government Support and Incentives!

As mentioned above, it is known that the government provides various aids such as grants to certain sectors in response to various projects. You can also benefit from these aids. For this, you can first decide on which sector your project should be in, and then carry out the necessary work for your project. In addition to this, as mentioned above, you can apply to a project preparation staff to expedite this process!