Applying for a grant for a social economy enterprise in the property sector

Co-operative companies approved as social enterprises (SE)* that : 

• develop a real estate business,
• have as their main or secondary corporate purpose the management of real estate assets,
• give priority to allocating their profits to actions relating to childcare, housing or the social and professional integration of people in precarious situations.

The company may be managed by another company. However, for its invoices to be eligible for the grant, this company must also be a social economy enterprise meeting the same conditions as the project company. In addition, it must provide detailed invoices showing the actual hours worked.

*Approval as a Social Enterprise (SE) is managed by the FPS Economy (online form). Note that you can apply for Co-operative Society (SC) approval and Social Enterprise (ES) approval at the same time (More information).

Building project conditions

The building project submitted for subsidy must

• must have a social objective:
  
  • either by involving the target public in the work to fit out, convert or renovate the building,
  • or by benefiting the future occupants of the accommodation or professional spaces.
• must enable at least 3 new accommodation and/or professional spaces to be created in addition to those already owned by the social economy enterprise at the time the project is submitted.
• must aim to:
  
  • acquire a building within 3 months of the project being submitted,
  • or renovate a building acquired less than 6 months ago at the time the project is submitted.

Commitments by the company

To benefit from the grant, the social economy company undertakes :

• not to sell or transfer the building acquired during the 5 years from the date the subsidy is paid,
• to offer, after renovation if necessary, housing and professional spaces,
• to establish, if the rental spaces are for social purposes, a partnership with a CPAS, a municipality, a housing promotion association, a public service housing company or a social property agency.

The aid is granted in accordance with the de minimis aid regulations.

If the conditions for granting aid are not met, you may be required to repay the aid received. This recovery may be made by any legal means, including compensation.

If your company and your project meet all the conditions, you can receive a grant to cover the project management costs (staff and operating costs associated with the project). This grant does not cover the cost of purchasing or renovating the buildings, or the associated taxes.

The financial assistance is divided into two parts:

1. A basic grant of up to €60,000.
2. An additional grant of up to €35,000, awarded within 2 years of the basic grant, if :
   • The building(s) acquired are located in a privileged initiative zone.
   • The building(s) acquired enable at least 6 homes and/or business premises to be put back on the rental market.
   • At least 30% of the company's shareholders are natural persons.
   • At least one third of the tenants of the housing units are involved in one of the partnerships set up by the social economy enterprise to create social rental spaces.
   • As part of the renovation work, the company promotes the transition to employment of trainees or jobseekers working for companies in the construction sector.
   • The building meets ‘very low energy’ performance requirements (E W 45 and K ≤30).

The amount of the additional grant will be

• € 15,000 if at least 1 criterion is met.
• € 20,000 if at least 2 criteria are met.
• € 35,000 if at least 3 criteria are met.

A company can only apply for the total subsidy (base and supplement) once every 5 years.

Submitting your application

Complete the form below (under the heading "form") and return it to us with the enclosures to the following e-mail address: economie.sociale@spw.wallonie.be

Processing your application

Payment of the advance

As soon as we receive your application, we check that it is complete.

• If it is, we will send you an acknowledgement of receipt.
• If it is not, we will send you a notice listing the missing documents. 

Once your application is complete, we analyse its eligibility.

If your application is valid, we ask the Inspectorate of Finance and the Minister for the Budget for their opinion before paying you the advance. 

Payment of the balance

At the end of your project, you must :

• Draw up a statement of expenditure. If you can deduct VAT, the amount of expenditure justifying the aid is calculated exclusive of VAT.
• Submit invoices and proof of payment.
• Submit an activity report.

Once your application is complete and approved, you send us a declaration and claim and we pay you the balance of the aid.

You will receive a response from us within 4 months of receipt of your complete application.

• Decree of 8 November 2008 concerning the social economy (M.B. of 31 December 2008, p. 69.056).
• Decree from the Walloon Government of 8 March 2012 concerning the execution of Article 2 of the Decree of 8 November 2008 concerning the social economy, with a view to developing social-economy companies in the property sector (M.B. of 20 September 2012, p. 16.351).

If necessary, a complaint may be submitted to the joint mediation service of the French Community and the Walloon Region in accordance with Article 12 of the cooperation agreement concluded on 3 February 2011 between the French Community and the Walloon Region on the creation of a joint mediation service of the French Community and the Walloon Region, which was approved by decree on 31 March 2011.

This complaint may be submitted in writing to the following address

Médiateur de la Wallonie et de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles
Rue Lucien Namèche, n°54
B-5000 Namur