Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A. (Industrial Development Agency) has announced the second call for applications in the project Dig.IT Digital Transformation (FENG, Measure 2.21). Applications will be accepted from 14 September to 15 October 2026, and the allocation for the second edition will be PLN 40 million – twice as much as in the pilot.
Below, we clarify the two issues entrepreneurs ask about most often: who can realistically apply for the grant and what can be purchased with it.
What is known today about call 2/2026
- Call period: 14 September – 15 October 2026
- Allocation: PLN 40 million (pilot: PLN 20 million, ultimately increased to PLN 25 million).
- Institution: Agencja Rozwoju Przemysłu S.A. (Industrial Development Agency), grant project “Dig.IT Digital Transformation”, FENG 2021–2027.
- Risk of the call being shortened: in the pilot, ARP reserved the right to close the call early once the total support applied for exceeded 200% of the allocation.
The pilot experience points to strong competition: 146 applications were submitted for a total of approx. PLN 57.28 million, and 51 projects worth PLN 21.6 million received a positive assessment.
With an allocation of PLN 40 million and similar interest, preparing the documentation in advance is of real operational importance.
Who DIG.IT is for
In call 1/2025, applicant eligibility was determined by four key independent criteria. All of them had to be met cumulatively.
1. Enterprise status and sector
- micro, small and medium-sized enterprises from all over Poland (no territorial exclusions),
- activity in the field of manufacturing or production services provided to other entities,
- the relevant PKD code had to be the code of the predominant activity on the date the application was submitted,
- the PKD entry alone was not sufficient – ARP verified the actual business profile on the basis of financial and accounting documents and reports.
2. Length of operation
The requirement was at least 5 full, closed financial years. This criterion eliminated younger companies regardless of the quality of the project.
3. Financial condition
Ratios calculated as weighted values from the last three closed financial years:
| Ratio | Required level (call 1/2025) |
|---|---|
| Net return on sales (ROS) | min. 4% |
| Quick ratio | 0.7 – 1.8 |
| Total debt ratio | max. 68% |
4. De minimis aid limit and revenue limit
- support granted in the form of de minimis aid – an available limit of such aid within the group of linked enterprises is required,
- the grant applied for could not exceed 30% of average annual net sales revenue from the last three closed financial years.
Who is unlikely to benefit
- trading, service and construction companies without a production component,
- enterprises that have been operating for less than 5 years,
- large enterprises (outside the SME definition),
- entities that do not meet the ratio thresholds or have no available de minimis limit,
- projects in which the implementation of digital technology is not the dominant element (e.g. the purchase of a machine alone).
What can be purchased with the grant
The budget structure in call 1/2025 was based on a division into a mandatory and an optional part. This distinction determines whether the project fits the programme logic at all.
| Category | Range | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Mandatory expenditure | purchase and implementation of an off-the-shelf digital technology and/or commissioning of programming work leading to the creation of a digital technology and its implementation in the enterprise | min. 60% of eligible costs |
| Optional expenditure | machinery and equipment, other necessary fixed assets (e.g. IT equipment, servers, operator panels), materials and consumables, staff training in operating the technology being implemented | in total max. 40% of eligible costs |
Typical implementation areas
- systems of the ERP, MES, MRP, WMS class and their integrations,
- automation and robotisation of production and business processes,
- data analytics in production, and reporting systems (big data, business intelligence),
- solutions based on artificial intelligence (e.g. quality control, failure prediction, production planning),
- cloud solutions and the enterprise’s digital infrastructure,
- cybersecurity of production and business systems,
- custom-made software together with its implementation.
Practical consequence: DIG.IT is not a grant for buying computers or modernising machinery. A fixed asset is eligible when it is an element necessary for implementing the digital technology and falls within the 40% limit.
Examples of digitalisation projects and the division of the budget into mandatory and optional costs are described in the article Dig.IT – which digitalisation projects can be financed? Examples of investments.
How much you can receive and how to calculate the limit
- minimum grant: PLN 150,000,
- maximum grant: PLN 850,000,
- support intensity: up to 50% of eligible costs (net),
- minimum project value at 50% funding: PLN 300,000 of eligible costs,
- form of payment: one-off reimbursement after completion of the project – no advance payments or interim payments.
The value of the grant that can be obtained is determined by the lowest of four values: PLN 850,000, 50% of eligible costs, 30% of average annual net sales revenue over 3 years, and the available de minimis aid limit. For example, with average revenue of PLN 4 million, the revenue limit is PLN 1.2 million, so the PLN 850,000 ceiling remains binding. With average revenue of PLN 1.5 million, the revenue limit falls to PLN 450,000, and it is this limit that caps the amount of support.
The reimbursement model means having to finance 100% of expenditure from own funds or external financing until the project is settled. This is a parameter to be taken into account in liquidity planning, not a formality.
What to prepare before the call opens
- 1. Eligibility checkSME status taking linked enterprises into account, predominant PKD code, number of closed financial years.
- 2. Calculation of the ROS, quick ratio and total debt ratiofrom the last three closed financial years.
- 3. Determination of the available de minimis aid limitfor the entire group of linked entities.
- 4. Digital Maturity Testin the pilot, a condition for submitting the application; its result justifies the scope of the planned implementation.
- 5. Project conceptdescription of the process before implementation, the selected technology, a measurable result.
- 6. Budget broken down into the mandatory and optional partstogether with suppliers’ quotations or cost estimates.
- 7. Bridge financing planuntil reimbursement.
Timing note: in call 1/2025, project activities (including signing a contract with a contractor or paying an advance) could start no earlier than the day after the application was submitted. Earlier commitments may render the expenditure ineligible.
FAQ
Can a trading company receive a DIG.IT grant?
Not in call 1/2025. Applicants had to carry out manufacturing or production services as their predominant activity.
Can a machine alone be financed?
No. Machinery and equipment fell into the optional category with a limit of 40% of eligible costs; the core of the project had to be digital technology and its implementation.
Are advance payments provided for?
Not in the pilot. The grant was paid as a one-off reimbursement after completion of the project and submission of the final payment claim.
What is the minimum project value?
With 50% funding and a minimum grant of PLN 150,000, the project must include at least PLN 300,000 of eligible costs.
Support in preparing the application
The Dotacje Online team can support your enterprise both in assessing the eligibility of the project and in the comprehensive preparation of the application documentation.
Prepare for the call well in advanceBook an individual consultation with a European funds expert
Author: Dariusz Kozakiewicz
EU funding expert