FY2026 Akita Regional Commerce Sales-Strength Project Subsidy

①Overview: The Akita Regional Commerce Sales-Strength Project Subsidy aims to broadly stimulate consumption in Akita Prefecture by supporting commerce-association-led discount projects (premium gift certificates, discount coupons), customer-attraction projects (events, lotteries), and other sales-strength enhancement projects. Applications go through the Akita Federation of Small Business Associations support window; direct applications to the prefectural Commerce Promotion Section are NOT accepted. ②Eligible applicants: Association-type entities (commerce associations, cooperatives). Members include regular members (with voting rights) plus supporting members (without voting rights) if the membership classification is in the bylaws and the member list shows the counts. Companies headquartered in Akita must be ≥70% of members; non-large enterprises (excluding deemed-large) must be >70% of members. Deemed-large subsidiaries count as deemed-large. ③Eligible expenses & benefit content: Eligible projects: (1) Discount projects (premium rate ≤50%, discount/markdown ≤50% OFF and not below half at checkout); (2) Customer-attraction projects (events aligned with association's founding purpose; leftover prize purchase costs excluded; cash awards excluded); (3) Other sales-strength projects. Watch for Payment Services Act regulations (premium gift certificate prepayment) and Premiums/Representations Act (lottery/giveaway limits). Premium gift certificates/coupons cannot be used for investment, debt payment, securities/cash equivalent purchase, electronic money charge, tobacco, religious/political organization payments, adult-entertainment payments, real estate, or own-pay portion of medical/care insurance. ④Rate, ceiling, schedule, application pointers: Rate and ceiling are NOT specified in the raw Q&A; verify in the official guidelines. Application period: 2026-04-01 to 2026-11-30 (before project start). Eligible project period: grant decision date to 2027-01-31. One application per group per fiscal year. Provisional payment application: 2026-04-01 to 2027-01-15. Implementation report due within 30 days of completion or by 2027-01-31. Projects must be open to all prefecture residents (not limited to one municipality, no out-of-prefecture implementation).