Financing your shop or business with grants from Évreux Portes de Normandie

Introduction

Évreux Portes de Normandie (EPN) offers several support schemes for shops, craftspeople and businesses: the ACTe grant for local shops, a rent grant in town centres and priority neighbourhoods, support for maintaining rural shops, business real estate support, incubator setup, and partial CFE reimbursement. This guide distinguishes schemes whose official pages are recent from pages whose regulations or application period need to be reconfirmed. A grant shown on the website does not necessarily mean applications are open on the date you are reading this.

1. ACTe — Grant for local shops

The ACTe scheme, led by EPN together with the Normandy Region, supports the creation and modernisation of shops. Eligible expenses can include fitting out premises, PMR accessibility compliance, electricity, heating and lighting, shop windows and signage, or certain communication tools. The official page states up to 45% of eligible expenses, including 30% from the Region and 15% from EPN; the EPN share may be lower for new business creators or mobile shops. The indicated range of works is €2,500 to €20,000 excluding VAT. Official news from 8 September 2026 confirms that a shopkeeper received an ACTe grant in October 2025. However, check the cumulation conditions: the catalogue notes that it cannot be combined with certain regional schemes, except for the loan component of Impulsion Proximité.

2. Rent grant for shop creators

This grant targets certain creators or takeover entrepreneurs of innovative or under-represented shops, located in a town centre, a village centre or a priority neighbourhood under urban policy. The official page presents support of up to €500 per month over twelve months. A six-month bonus may be granted when the premises have remained vacant for at least 24 months, subject to the applicable conditions. EPN news from September 2026 confirms that an increased rent grant was awarded in November 2025 to support a shop for 18 months. The innovative or under-represented nature of the business, the location, the vacancy period and the lease must be checked with the processing service.

3. Support for maintaining shops in rural areas

The catalogue references a grant for maintaining shops in rural areas, covering 30% of eligible expenses up to a limit of €15,000 excluding VAT. It targets shops, craftspeople and local services located in EPN's rural municipalities and meeting the regulatory criteria, in particular regarding the municipality's population, the type of shop and the expenses. EPN's 2024 activity report mentions beneficiaries of this grant, which confirms it was used previously, but does not on its own prove that the scheme is open today. Request the regulations in force and have the eligible municipality and expense base confirmed.

4. Business real estate and incubator setup

The 'Business real estate grant' page mentions a repayable advance with no guarantee or collateral, for a maximum term of five years with a deferral period of up to 24 months. The catalogue cap is €300,000, which can reach €500,000 in gross grant equivalent for certain projects presenting a specific interest in terms of attractiveness. The rules differ depending on the regional aid zone (AFR), the size of the business, the investment, and whether a new activity is being created. The 'Incubator setup grant' page indicates a grant equal to 20% of the annual rent over one year, intended for innovative businesses less than 36 months old. These figures must be confirmed by the economic development service, in particular to check whether the scheme is open and the incubator admission conditions.

5. Partial CFE reimbursement

EPN has set up a grant calculated to reach 50% of the previous year's cotisation foncière des entreprises (CFE) for the intercommunal portion. The official form, updated on 16 September 2026, concerns the 2025 CFE and requires in particular the full tax notice, proof of payment, a recent Kbis extract and a RIB. The published criteria include turnover below €1 million excluding VAT in 2025, a sales floor of less than 300 m² except in specific cases, PMR accessibility compliance or compliance work in progress, and compliance with tax and social obligations. Watch the timeline: the official page states that applications open on 2 April 2026 and close on 30 September 2026. As of 13 October 2026, this deadline has passed; do not therefore present this campaign as open, even if the form remains online.

6. The seven grants in the Capital OS catalogue

The seven pages linked to EPN in the catalogue are detailed below. The amounts and conditions are provided as working data; for the CFE, the 2026 period explicitly expired on 30 September 2026. For the other schemes, whether they are open and funds are available must be confirmed at the time of the project.

How to prepare an application

1. Contact EPN before signing a quote or starting any works. 2) Check the exact scheme: ACTe, rent, rural shops, real estate, incubator or CFE. 3) Prepare the SIRET number, accounts, lease, quotes, financing plans and proof of location. 4) For ACTe, confirm the cumulation rules and the Region/EPN split. 5) For real estate, have the zone and eligible expenses validated. 6) For the CFE, check the date of the next campaign and gather the full CFE notice and proof of payment. 7) Wait for the processing service to confirm eligibility and the timeline before incurring expenses.

Cumulation, timeline and points to watch

Cumulation rules vary by scheme. The catalogue notes that ACTe cannot be combined with certain regional schemes, except for the loan component of Impulsion Proximité. Real estate grants may be subject to State aid and zoning rules. The 2026 CFE reimbursement campaign closed on 30 September 2026; you should wait for a possible new campaign rather than apply assuming that a form still visible online still accepts applications. The rent and rural shop grants must also be confirmed with the service, since an earlier publication or an example of a beneficiary does not guarantee that the scheme is currently open.

FAQ

Is ACTe still an active scheme? Yes, EPN news from September 2026 reports an earlier ACTe award, but you need to confirm whether new applications are open. How much can the ACTe grant cover? The official page states up to 45% of eligible expenses, split between a regional share and an EPN share. Can I apply for CFE reimbursement now? The campaign shown for 2026 closed on 30 September 2026; check for an announcement of a new campaign. Can the rent grant last more than a year? A six-month bonus is provided for under certain conditions, in particular when the premises have remained vacant for at least 24 months. Are the grants automatic? No. They are subject to the criteria, the regulations and the funder's decision.

Sources and verification status

Official sources consulted on 13 October 2026: • https://www.evreuxportesdenormandie.fr/economie-et-amenagements/economie-locale/commerce/ • https://www.evreuxportesdenormandie.fr/economie-et-amenagements/economie-locale/entreprise/formulaire-de-demande-de-subvention-cfe-a-50/ • https://www.evreuxportesdenormandie.fr/actualite/partenaire-commerces-coeur-de-ville/ • https://www.evreuxportesdenormandie.fr/app/uploads/1/2025/10/Web-Rapport-dactivites-2024_institution.pdf Status: partial review. ACTe, the rent grant and CFE corroborated by the official pages; the 2026 CFE campaign closed on 30/09/2026. Individual regulations and whether the other schemes are open remain to be confirmed.