Impact Clusters - IC

For whom

The subsidy is for entrepreneurs based in the Netherlands who want to develop a sector or value chain in a low or middle-income country by collaborating with other companies and at least 1 local partner. They do this because they see commercial opportunities for themselves. For example, to sell more products in a country in the future or to establish operations there.

Dutch companies and local partner(s) work together in impact clusters. Knowledge institutes, trade organisations and NGOs can also participate in a cluster.

Would you like an initial, non-committal consultation with one of our advisors on this initiative? Then, email ic@rvo.nl or call +31 (0) 88 042 42 42. 

Budget and duration

Impact Clusters is a 6-year subsidy programme that runs until the end of 2028.

A total of €11.3 million is available in 2025. This amount is divided as follows:

A. €6.2 million is available for Impact Cluster projects that fit in a combitrack, a multi-year sector approach in an emerging market. See the list of combitracks (in Dutch).

B. €5.1 million is available for other Impact Cluster projects. 

Impact clusters can apply for a subsidy of up to €620,000. See the list of eligible countries and sectors under the 'Conditions' section below. 

Impact clusters can receive a subsidy for up to 60% of the eligible project costs. 

Conditions

Countries and sectors

Projects in the following countries are eligible for an Impact Clusters subsidy: 

Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Moldova, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.

The project must match one of the Netherlands government's preferred private sector development sectors in the project country. You can find these countries and sectors in the download below.

Responsible Business Conduct (RBC)

Your project must follow the international Responsible Business Conduct (RBC) guidelines. We take RBC into account when assessing your funding application. We ask you to:

• follow OECD guidelines;
• show how you conduct your operations following these OECD guidelines;
• carry out a proper risk analysis of social and environmental risks;
• state the measures to prevent and reduce these risks.

During the project, you must report on RBC risks and state the measures you are taking or plan to take to prevent and reduce these risks.

Dutch companies must complete an RBC self-assessment as part of the application process. The Dutch government uses this scan to check whether a company is aware of and follows the OECD guidelines. This assessment is a requirement for approval of your project.

On our website, you can read more about RBC and due diligence.

Preparing your subsidy application

Have you already formed an impact cluster?

Have you already formed a cluster? If so, take the following steps before applying:

1. Check whether your project idea matches one of the preferred sectors of the Dutch government's priority per country policy for your intended country. You can find a list of the preferred sectors per country right under the 'Conditions' section of this webpage.
2. Complete the mandatory quick scan via this webpage. The quickscan form and required documents will become available soon.
3. Submit your quick scan, including annexes, via this webpage. You can submit your quickscan between 28 August 2025, 12:00 CEST (noon), and 9 October 2025, 15:00 CET. The closing date is 8 weeks before the deadline for subsidy applications. You will still receive our advice if we receive your quick scan after 8 October. However, you can only submit your subsidy application during the next application round. We expect a new subsidy round in the first quarter of 2026.
4. While processing your quick scan, we may contact you to discuss how you wish to organise the project.
5. We will advise you on your completed quick scan within 6 weeks.

Once you have received our advice, you can apply for funding within the application period. 

No impact cluster yet?

If you do not have an impact cluster, contact us first for advice on how to proceed. Then, follow the procedure for existing clusters.

Sometimes, forming a new cluster may take longer than expected. If this means you cannot submit a subsidy application on time, you may be able to submit your complete application during a new application round. Discuss this possibility with our advisor.

How to apply

During a subsidy round, you can apply if you have:

1. completed the mandatory quick scan;
2. received our advice as explained in 'Preparing your application', step 2.

Please also note the following:

• The subsidy applicant (lead party) applies on behalf of the impact cluster. 
  You can submit a subsidy application via this webpage from 28 August 2025, 12:00 CEST (noon) until 4 December, 15:00 CET. Please include all completed annexes.
• You log in with eHerkenning. You need eHerkenning level 3.
• Make sure you apply for eHerkenning via eLoket in time. It may take a few weeks before you receive your login details.
• Submit your application well before the closing date, as we process subsidy applications on a first-come, first-served basis. This means we assess applications in the order we receive them.
• We only process complete applications. If your application is incomplete, we will ask you for more information. If we do so, the date of your application will be the date we receive this information.

Checklist for your application

Please keep the following company or organisation information, for each participant, at hand when submitting your application:

• the reference number on the quick scan advice you received from RVO;
• Dutch Chamber of Commerce registration number;
• your name and address details;
• your bank details;
• project name;
• completed attachments (see the annexes below).

Required documents

Please include the following annexes when submitting your subsidy application via this webpage. The downloads will soon be available.

Annex I Project plan
Annex II Activities and Results Overview
Annex III Indicators
Annex IV Project budget calculation and realisation tool
Annex V The lead party's most recent annual financial statement
Annex VI Cooperation Agreement (signed by all partners)
Annex VII Authorisation intermediary (if applicable).

After your application

You will hear whether we have approved your application within 13 weeks. The 13 weeks start from the date we consider your application complete. 

If we approve your application, you can start the implementation phase of your project immediately. We will pay your subsidy in advance payments. The amount and frequency of the advance depend on the project stage and the expected budget needed. The total of the advance may be up to 90% of the total subsidy requested for the coming project year.

Calendar

Downloads

Rules and regulations

• Impact Clusters 2023-2028 3rd subsidy round in Government Gazette, 17 July 2025 (official publication in Dutch)
• Impact Clusters 2023-2028 2nd amendment to grant ceiling of 2nd opening in Government Gazette, 2 December 2024 (official publication in Dutch)
• Impact Clusters 2023-2028 amendment to grant ceiling of 2nd opening in Government Gazette, 11 November 2024 (official publication in Dutch)
• Impact Clusters 2023-2028 amendment to grant ceiling of 1st opening, and publication of 2024 opening in Government Gazette, 7 December 2023 (official publication in Dutch)
• Impact Clusters 2023-2028 in Government Gazette, 5 June 2023 (official publication in Dutch)

Impact Cluster projects 

How does the Impact Clusters programme work in practice? Visit our Development Cooperation Projects database for an overview of existing and completed Impact Cluster projects. Or, watch the video about our Partner in Pellets project below.