The Capacities Programme

The Capacities programme aims to enhance research and innovation capacities throughout Europe. This programme includes the principle measures to support SME research and development projects and is effectively a replacement for CRAFT. The programme will provide grants of 75% towards the research costs of SMEs. The main schemes are:

Research for SMEs: This supports small groups of SMEs that need to outsource research. Support will be provided for projects that aim to create new knowledge or improve or develop new products, processes or services for the participating SMEs.
Research for SME associations: This targets associations which act on behalf of their SME members to identify and address common technical problems and to promote the effective dissemination and take-up of results. Projects may address topics such as technological problems related to the development and implementation of legislation, and technological problems of whole industrial sectors.

Other measures supported through the Capacities Programme include:

Research Infrastructures
Research for the benefit of SMEs
Regions of Knowledge and support for research driven clusters
Research potential of Convergence Regions
Science in Society
Support to the coherent development of research policies
International cooperation