Subsidieregeling Collectieven mkb Verduurzaming Reisgedrag (COVER) Grant

About this grant

COVER (Subsidieregeling Collectieven mkb Verduurzaming Reisgedrag) is a Dutch subsidy scheme run by RVO on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. It funds projects and activities that permanently reduce fossil-fuel use in work-related travel by employees of small and medium-sized enterprises (mkb), covering commuting (woon-werkverkeer) and business travel. Freight and logistics transport are excluded. The scheme addresses the difficulty SMEs face in cutting CO2 from employee mobility. It targets collective representative bodies, since individual firms acting alone have limited leverage, and aims to remove barriers and create conditions for lasting behaviour change, with the expectation that successful projects will attract further participating employers. Eligible activities are chosen by the applicant and include framework agreements with sustainable transport providers, shared on-site transport on business parks, funding of start-up phases for last-mile transport, collective-agreement provisions on sustainable mobility, company mobility plans, structured home-working arrangements, and sustainable mobility budgets. The page recommends combining disincentives for car use with incentives for alternatives and structural embedding in HR and CAO policy. Subsidy covers up to 75% of eligible project costs, capped at EUR 100,000 per project. Eligible costs include staff costs at an hourly rate of EUR 60 (up to EUR 125 for external advisers) and third-party costs. Projects must be completed within 24 months of award, and the subsidy may not exceed EUR 0.75 per kilogram of CO2 saved. Applicants must submit a project plan, CO2 calculation, budget and, where relevant, a sustainable-result justification using RVO formats, and report progress and outcomes through the Aanvraag beheren portal.

Eligibility

The applicant must be a legal entity (rechtspersoon) that represents a group of employers, such as a trade association, entrepreneurs' association, industry association, business investment zone (BIZ) or business park management association. At least 50% of the employers in the collective must be SMEs, meaning firms with fewer than 250 employees. The applicant must request at least EUR 10,000. Ad hoc collaborations and associations still in formation are not eligible. Commercial intermediaries such as car-sharing firms or property lessors acting for their clients do not qualify. The applicant must have received no more than EUR 300,000 in de minimis aid over the previous three years. Applications are made through eHerkenning level 2+, and intermediaries may apply on the applicant's behalf. The scheme is Dutch, so the applicant must be established in the Netherlands.

How it's scored

Applications are assessed on completeness and in order of receipt, using RVO's mandatory formats. Projects are rejected if CO2 reduction per euro of subsidy exceeds EUR 0.75 per kilogram saved. Assessment considers whether the project produces a lasting, structural change in travel behaviour that persists after subsidy ends, the plausibility of the CO2 calculation and its stated assumptions, and the completeness of the project plan and budget. A decision is made within the statutory 13-week period. No panel composition or numeric weighting is described.

Key requirements

• ✓Applicant must be an organisation representing small and medium-sized enterprises (mkb) in the Netherlands
• ✓Funds must support affiliated member employers with projects on sustainable employee travel behaviour (reisgedrag)
• ✓Applications accepted from 13 January 2026 through 12 November 2026

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) offer?

Subsidieregeling Collectieven mkb Verduurzaming Reisgedrag (COVER) offers $113K.

When is the Subsidieregeling Collectieven mkb Verduurzaming Reisgedrag (COVER) deadline?

Applications close 12 Nov 2026 11:00.

Who can apply for Subsidieregeling Collectieven mkb Verduurzaming Reisgedrag (COVER)?

Eligibility covers organisations in NL; nonprofit, consortium. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Electric mobility funding supports electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, battery supply chains and fleet transition for buses, vans and trucks. Public authorities buy vehicles and charge points through tenders, while grants back pilots and manufacturing. Applicants usually need site plans, grid capacity checks and an operator for the finished assets.