He was speaking at a joint news conference with European Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn.
Grcic said last year's absorption of only 37 per cent of IPA funds could not satisfy anyone and that if it was at least doubled, that would enable Croatia to use the maximum of the possibilities offered by European Union membership.
Grcic said there should be 50 per cent more ready projects than available money so that fund absorption could be satisfactory.
He said Croatia could draw EUR 140 million from IPA this year, adding that this amount would rise to EUR 450 million in the second half of 2013, after it joined the EU, and to about EUR 1.08 billion in 2014.
The minister said two things were crucial for drawing the money from those grants - stronger administrative capacities and project preparedness.
Grcic said Croatia planned to use a third of the funds for big infrastructure projects - transport, rail, environmental protection, development of human resources development, and strengthening of regional competitiveness.
He said the state structures working on project preparation would hire 200 people and that the optimal staff would comprise 550-700 people.
Hahn said it was good to hear that the government would augment the number of skilled staff to work on such projects.
Asked by the press if small and medium enterprises could be helped with project preparation as local self-government units had been, Grcic said the government was negotiating with the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development on a loan programme of special assistance to business people.
Hahn said the EU planned to focus on SMEs in order to increase competitiveness, business and jobs.
Earlier today, Hahn visited the Zagreb Central Station, where works are under way on a system for regional and security devices, which is co-financed with IPA funds. Its total value is HRK 94.5 million.
He also meet with Finance Minister Slavko Linic and Parliament Speaker Boris Sprem.
On Friday, Hahn will visit Zadar and Split.