Funding for digitalisation.

Not one grant. A family of programmes with a common model.

European funding for digitalisation is a general term for several nationally run programmes, financed with European funds, that help small and medium companies invest in software, automation and digital skills. In Bulgaria, such programmes usually run through operational programmes of the OPIC/PCIP type, or through so-called digitalisation vouchers — smaller, faster schemes for specific digital services.

The common model across most such programmes is similar: the company applies with a project, receives approval and a grant covering part of the cost, pays the remainder as co-financing from its own funds, and after completion reports the amounts spent and the result achieved to the managing authority.

It is important to say clearly: the specific percentages, amounts and deadlines are not stated here, because they change by programme and by year. Current open calls should always be checked directly on eufunds.bg, rather than assumed by habit from a previous funding cycle.

Three types of cost, familiar from similar programmes.

Which specific cost is eligible, and to what extent, depends entirely on the terms of the specific open call — so this article describes the typical structure, not a guaranteed coverage for your case.

What is usually expected of the company.

• Co-financing from own funds — the company usually pays part of the cost itself; the percentage varies significantly by programme and is not stated here as a fixed number.
• Eligible costs by list — the programme predefines which categories of cost are recognised; a cost outside the list is usually not reimbursed, even if related to the project.
• Reporting after completion — after the project ends, documents are submitted proving how the amount was spent and what result was achieved.
• Deadlines for applying and completion — every open call has its own submission deadline and its own project completion deadline; both differ between calls.

These requirements are typical for programmes of this type in general — the specific details for any currently open call are found only in that call's official documentation.

Audit before applying, not after.

If you are considering applying for a digitalisation programme, the written AI audit is a useful first step not only in itself, but as a document — it describes the specific processes for automation, the expected return and the approximate cost, of the kind usually required in the project proposal itself. See what is an AI audit for details on exactly what the card contains.

The actual implementation cost — the one against which the programme would calculate co-financing — is described in Pricing. It is useful to have a sense of it before assessing how realistic a specific application is for your budget.

What to check before relying on funding.

The terms of digitalisation programmes change between funding cycles — a new call may have a different co-financing percentage, a different list of eligible costs, and a different deadline than the previous one. That is why this article deliberately does not name specific numbers, amounts or currently open calls — they would quickly become outdated and could mislead if read later.

Before planning a project against expected funding, check the currently open calls directly on eufunds.bg, or consult a consultant specialised in the specific programme — they track terms in real time, unlike an article written once and read months later.

A useful habit is to check open calls periodically, even when you have no specific project at the moment — the application window for most programmes is time-limited, and preparing a full project proposal takes weeks. A company that already has a written audit and an approximate implementation quote ready can react much faster once a suitable call opens, than a company that starts preparing everything from scratch after the announcement.

What people usually ask.