Summary
Consultancy agencies are recognised and subsidised structures that advise and support social economy companies in the creation, development and professionalisation of their activities.
You must have recognition to operate as a social economy consultancy agency and receive the associated grants.
Key points
A recognised consultancy agency must submit an activity report to us each year. This report is analysed by the Consultative Commission for the recognition of social economy enterprises (COM-es) to verify that the consultancy agency's missions meet the obligations associated with its recognition. Based on the results obtained by the consultancy agency, COM-es decides whether the conditions are met for receiving an additional grant and, if so, determines the amount of this grant.
In detail
Legal entities whose key activity is providing advice and support in the start-up, development and professionalisation of social economy businesses.
Conditions for obtaining recognition as a social economy consultancy agency
- Be:
- an ASBL or AISBL;
- a private foundation (FP) or a public utility foundation (FUP);
- a cooperative enterprise recognised as a social enterprise (ES). Recognition as an ES is issued by the Federal Public Service Economy (online form).
- Have its registered office in Wallonia (official address mentioned in the company's articles of association);
- Have as its mission to develop the social economy and focus on the following priority activities:
- raising awareness and promoting the social economy;
- informing and guiding project developers;
- providing multi-disciplinary support to one or more project developers in the creation of a social economy enterprise;
- providing ad hoc advice (consultancy).
- proposing a three-year action plan;
- providing proof of experience:
- providing support and diagnosis for social economy enterprises (at least five support cases and five diagnosis cases);
- in the social economy: at least two advisors from your organisation must have experience in at least three of the following skills:
- business management,
- finance,
- accounting,
- company and association law,
- corporate strategy,
- participatory governance,
- project management,
- administrative management,
- human resources management.
6. Sign a partnership agreement with, at the very least, Wallonie Entreprendre, ConcertES and iES!, the social economy incubator.
7. Not be bankrupt or in the process of declaring bankruptcy, insolvency, dissolution or liquidation.
Recognition as a social economy consultancy agency gives access to a grant consisting of:
- a maximum basic amount of €150,000;
- an additional amount of up to €20,000, broken down as follows:
- €10,000 for 10 support packages for the creation and/or growth of social economy and insertion companies (insertion companies, employment development initiatives in the local informal care sector (IDESS) and reuse enterprises (resale stores));
- €10,000 for ten post-creation or post-takeover coaching sessions, to continue the coaching and help the company to scale up.
The grant is intended to cover personnel and operating costs directly linked to the project.
Submit your request
To apply for "consultancy agency" recognition, you must fill in the two forms available under "forms" below: the recognition application and the action plan.
Processing your application
Once we receive your application, we have ten calendar days to 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 stating the missing documents.
Once your file is complete, we analyse its admissibility.
- The file is then submitted to the Commission, which has two months to issue a reasoned opinion.
- The Minister or their delegate will make a decision within one month. The decision specifies whether recognition is granted or refused. If no reply is received, the decision is considered unfavourable.
We will send you the decision by registered mail.
- Decree of 27 May 2004 concerning social-economy consultancy agencies (M.B. of 18 April 2004, p. 62046)
- Decree from the Walloon Government of 27 May 2009, amending the Decree from the Walloon Government of 26 January 2006, regarding the execution of the Decree of 27 May 2004 concerning social-economy consultancy agencies (M.B. of 23 June 2009, p. 43348).
Any natural or legal person who considers that an administrative body based in Wallonia or the Wallonia-Brussels Federation failed to act, in a matter concerning that person, in a manner consistent with its public service mission, may refer the matter, in writing or in person, to the Ombudsman of Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation.
This complaint can be made in writing to the following address:
The Ombudsman of Wallonia and the Wallonia-Brussels Federation
Rue Lucien Namèche, 54
B-5000 Namur
