Non-repayable grants for small businesses and artisans (2026 guide)
Did you know you can receive money without having to pay it back?
Did you know there are grants that cover up to 60% of your investments and that you don't have to repay? No, that's not a mistake. They're called non-repayable grants (contributi a fondo perduto) and they work exactly like that: you invest in your business, and the State or the Province reimburses part of the costs. No instalments, no interest, no repayment. It's money given to you to help you grow.
If you have a shop, an artisan workshop, a professional practice or a small business in Italy, this guide is for you.
Every month thousands of Italian entrepreneurs search online for information on non-repayable grants. The problem is that the information is scattered across dozens of different websites, written in bureaucratic language and often already expired. We've done the work for you: here you'll find everything you need to know about open calls in 2026, explained simply.
Let's start with regional opportunities, using the Autonomous Province of Bolzano as a concrete example. Many Italian regions offer similar programmes: always check the active calls in your area.
Regional programmes (example: Province of Bolzano)
Every Italian region and province offers funding programmes for small businesses. Here are some examples from the Province of Bolzano, representing the type of incentives available across Italy. Check the active calls in your area at incentivi.gov.it.
2026 Call for Small and Micro Business Investments
This is the main call for those who want to invest in their business: buying new machinery, updating software, purchasing equipment for the workshop.
What you get:
- 20% non-repayable grant on the costs you incur (meaning: you spend €50,000, you get €10,000 back without having to repay it)
- Minimum investment: €15,000
- Maximum investment: €500,000
Who can apply:
- Micro and small businesses (specific requirements vary by province)
- Self-employed professionals
Eligible expenses:
- Machinery and equipment
- Hardware (computers, printers, devices)
- Software and licences
- Other business equipment
Total call budget: 3 million euros. When it runs out, it's gone: first come, first served.
Deadline: 31 March 2026
How to apply: Online only, through the official Province platform. Paper applications are not accepted.
Source: economia.provincia.bz.it
Practical tip: Don't wait until the last day. Applications are evaluated in order of receipt and the budget is limited. If you're thinking about making an investment, act now.
Micro Business Digitalisation Grants
This is the most generous call for those who want to bring their business into the digital age. It's designed for the smallest businesses and covers a very high percentage of costs.
What you get:
- Up to 60% non-repayable grant (in the form of a voucher)
- Maximum €9,000 per business
Who can apply:
- Micro businesses with fewer than 10 employees
- Based in the relevant province (requirements vary by region)
Eligible expenses:
- Digital training (courses to learn how to use digital tools)
- Specialised consulting (digital strategy, e-commerce, artificial intelligence)
- Software licences (CRM for managing customers, ERP for managing the business, other tools)
- Social media management (hiring a professional to manage your online presence)
Annual budget: 3.3 million euros. A huge increase from the €240,000 in 2025. Institutions are investing more and more in the digitalisation of small businesses.
Deadline: 30 September 2026
Source: bandi.contributiregione.it
Why it matters: If you don't have a website yet, if you don't use social media, if you still manage everything with pen and paper, this call can cover most of the cost to take a major step forward. The 60% non-repayable grant means that on €9,000 of expenditure, €5,400 can be reimbursed through regional grants.
Want to know how much a website costs for your business? With this grant you can cover a large part of the expense. In the meantime, you can start for free with a Google Business Profile: it takes 15 minutes and makes you visible online right away.
Training Grants
The Province also funds continuing education for owners and employees of small businesses.
- Continuing education: up to 80% non-repayable grant, with a maximum of €3,000 per year
- Training delivered by third parties (training bodies, external consultants): up to 30% of costs
Investing in training isn't a luxury: it's what allows you to stay competitive. Whether it's a digital marketing course, a technical update in your trade or learning to use new management software, the Province covers most of the cost. And with these grants, training costs much less than you think.
Also discover how to advertise your business without spending money using free digital tools.
Chambers of Commerce (example: Bolzano)
Italian Chambers of Commerce offer interesting grants for local businesses. Here are some examples from the Bolzano Chamber of Commerce.
Industry 4.0 Digitalisation Voucher
- 40% non-repayable grant
- Maximum €10,000 per business
- Overall budget: €600,000
This voucher is designed for those who want to invest in Industry 4.0 technologies: automation, Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics, digitalisation of production processes.
Internationalisation Grants 2026
If you want to take your products or services abroad, the Chamber of Commerce can help.
- 40% non-repayable grant
- Maximum €5,000 per business
- Minimum eligible expense: €2,000
- Deadline: 30 June 2026
The 2026 call focuses on legal consultancy for starting and managing business activities abroad, consultancy on international contracts, technical export management and compliance for online commerce in foreign markets. For Italian businesses, expanding into foreign markets is an important growth opportunity.
Source: camcom.bz.it
Let's do the maths. A professional website costs around €3,000. With the Province's digitalisation voucher (60% non-repayable grant), the Province reimburses you €1,800. Your actual cost? Just €1,200. Ivemind also helps you with the grant application. Request a free quote →
National programmes
In addition to local calls, there are Italian Government programmes open to all businesses in the country. Here are the most relevant ones for a small business in Italy.
Nuova Sabatini
Note: the Nuova Sabatini is not technically a non-repayable grant. It's an interest subsidy on a loan. In practice, it works like this: you take out a bank loan to buy machinery or equipment, and the State pays part of the interest. The result is that the loan costs you much less.
The numbers:
- Minimum investment: €20,000
- Maximum investment: €4,000,000
- Available budget: 650 million euros for the 2026-2027 period
A real-world example: on an investment of €100,000, the state contribution is approximately €13,750. You don't receive it upfront like a non-repayable grant, but you save it on the loan interest.
Deadline: Open window until funds are exhausted.
It's a very useful tool if you're planning a significant investment and need bank financing.
MIMIT Cloud and Cybersecurity Voucher 2026
The Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) is preparing a new call to help small businesses adopt cloud services and protect their data.
- 50% non-repayable grant
- Maximum €20,000
- Budget: 150 million euros
Status: Provider registration opens on 4 March 2026. The call for beneficiaries will open afterwards. Minimum eligible expense: €4,000. Keep an eye on the Ministry's website.
If you still work with files on your computer without backup, if you don't have an up-to-date virus protection system, this voucher can help you secure your business.
EUIPO SME Fund (European Union SME Fund)
If you have a trademark, logo, patent or design to protect, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) offers a very interesting voucher.
- Reimbursement of up to 75% of trademark and patent registration costs
- Open period: 2 February to 4 December 2026
Registering your trademark costs less than you think, especially with this reimbursement. It's an investment that protects your business name and prevents others from using it. Many artisans and small business owners don't think about it, but the trademark is one of the most important assets of a business.
Grants for women entrepreneurs
ON - Oltre Nuove Imprese a Tasso Zero (Invitalia)
This Invitalia programme is designed for businesses led by women and young people.
What it offers:
- A mix of zero-interest loan and non-repayable grant
- Coverage of up to 90% of the total investment
Who can apply:
- Businesses established for less than 60 months (5 years)
- The majority of partners must be women of any age or young people aged 18 to 35
This is an important opportunity, especially for those starting a new business or who've recently started one. The zero-interest loan means you only pay back what you received, with no interest. And part of it is a non-repayable grant, meaning you don't repay it at all.
Source: invitalia.it
Summary table
| Programme | Type | Coverage | Max amount | Deadline | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small & Micro Business Investments (Province BZ) | Non-repayable grant | 20% | €100,000 (20% of €500,000) | 31/03/2026 | Open |
| Micro Business Digitalisation (Province BZ) | Non-repayable voucher | 60% | €9,000 | 30/09/2026 | Open |
| Continuing education (Province BZ) | Non-repayable grant | 80% | €3,000/year | Ongoing | Open |
| Digitalisation Voucher I4.0 (CCIAA BZ) | Non-repayable voucher | 40% | €10,000 | TBD | Awaiting 2026 call |
| Internationalisation (CCIAA BZ) | Non-repayable grant | 40% | €5,000 | 30/06/2026 | Open |
| Nuova Sabatini | Interest subsidy | Variable | ~€13,750 on €100k | Until funds exhausted | Open |
| Cloud & Cybersecurity Voucher (MIMIT) | Non-repayable grant | 50% | €20,000 | 2026 | Opening (March 2026) |
| EUIPO SME Fund | Reimbursement | 75% | Variable | 04/12/2026 | Open |
| ON - Zero Interest (Invitalia) | Subsidised loan + grant | Up to 90% | Variable | Ongoing | Open |
How to stay updated
Calls change, open and close. To make sure you don't miss any opportunity, keep an eye on these official websites:
- incentivi.gov.it -- The national portal for all business incentives. You can filter by region, sector and business size.
- economia.provincia.bz.it -- The website of the Economy Division of the Autonomous Province of Bolzano. Here you'll find all provincial calls.
- camcom.bz.it -- The website of the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano with vouchers and chamber grants (check your local Chamber too).
- invitalia.it -- The national agency for business development. It manages many of the national programmes such as ON - Zero Interest.
A suggestion: bookmark this page and come back to check it. We update it regularly as calls are published or modified.
How to make the most of the grants
Obtaining the grant is only the first step. The real question is: how do you invest it for maximum return? Here's why working with a professional makes the difference:
- Navigating the calls is complicated. Requirements, deadlines, documentation, reporting: every call has its own rules. A professional guides you through the process and helps you avoid mistakes that could cost you the grant.
- The right investment depends on your situation. Not all businesses need the same things. A website? An e-commerce? A CRM? A professional analyses your situation and recommends the most useful investment.
- The quality of the investment determines the return. €9,000 well spent on digitalisation can transform your business. €9,000 poorly spent is (partially) wasted money, even if it's a non-repayable grant.
- Timing matters. Calls have deadlines and limited budgets. Those who act first are more likely to secure the grant.
Ivemind: your digitalisation partner
Ivemind is an Italian social cooperative and innovative startup. We've helped 47+ businesses and organisations build their digital presence, with a 100% client satisfaction rate. 60% of our profits are reinvested in social inclusion projects.
We can help you to:
- Understand which calls are right for you based on your specific situation
- Prepare the documentation to apply
- Invest the grants wisely: websites, e-commerce, digital consulting, training
Contact us for a free consultation. No obligation: we'll analyse the opportunities for your business together.