Financing your business with grants from Civraisien en Poitou

Introduction

The Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou offers several schemes to support local businesses: small business investments, micro-projects, business real estate, waste recovery, event organization, and the deployment of shared workspaces (tiers-lieux). The catalog also includes the Initiative Vienne honor loan (prêt d’honneur), which comes from an association-based funding operator rather than a direct grant from the communauté de communes. The entries below are meant to help identify funding leads; each set of rules, available budget, and criterion must be confirmed before any commitment.

The role of the communauté de communes

Civraisien en Poitou holds economic development authority and develops, markets, and manages business parks (zones d’activités économiques). Its official page invites small businesses (TPE) and SMEs located in these business parks to request financial support to build, renovate, or extend their premises, or to acquire equipment. The page states support of up to 20% of eligible costs, with a minimum spend of €20,000 and an investment cap of €100,000, subject to available budget. The other schemes must be checked against their own fact sheets and rules.

1. Small business investments and micro-projects

The small business (TPE) investment grant targets small companies whose registered office is located in a municipality of Civraisien-en-Poitou. The catalog mentions a grant of 20% to 30% maximum of tangible and intangible investment costs, on an investment base capped at €75,000 excl. VAT, with a maximum grant of €22,500. According to the catalog entry, the scheme can only be requested once. The micro-projects grant mainly concerns businesses with fewer than ten employees, with sector-based and financial exclusions. The catalog indicates a maximum rate of 20%, a base capped at €50,000 excl. VAT, and a maximum grant of €10,000, subject to available funding. Caution: a more recent official presentation page describes different investment ranges; the current rules should therefore be requested and the scale applicable to the project confirmed.

2. Business real estate and business parks

The business real estate grant scheme targets projects located within or near a business park (zone d’activités économique), with headcount and location criteria. The catalog entry mentions a maximum rate of 30%, a grant capped at €50,000 excl. VAT, and an eligible base capped at €166,670 excl. VAT. In parallel, the official “Les Zones d’activités” page presents support of up to 20% of eligible costs for small businesses (TPE) and SMEs in business parks. These elements may reflect different schemes or versions of the rules: do not merge them into a single rate without written validation from the communauté de communes.

3. Waste and environmental transition

The grant for waste recovery and treatment concerns SMEs and associations, according to the catalog data. It distinguishes between studies, support, and training on one hand, and real estate or equipment investments on the other, with separate caps. It can help fund an assessment or a concrete action for waste reduction, sorting, recovery, or treatment, provided the expenses and the beneficiary fit within the rules. Check the caps applicable to each category, whether a prior quote is required, and the rules on combining grants.

4. Events and shared workspaces (tiers-lieux)

The grant for organizing events targets groups of businesses and associations according to the catalog entry; sole proprietorships are excluded. Catalog support is limited to 10% and €1,200 excl. VAT per application, subject to available funding. Support for deploying shared workspaces (tiers-lieux) may concern SMEs and associations; the entry indicates a maximum rate of 10% and a cap of €10,000 excl. VAT. In both cases, the relevance of the project, the nature of the expenses, and the availability of the budget must be confirmed with the processing department.

5. Initiative Vienne honor loan: a separate type of funding

The catalog also includes the Initiative Vienne honor loan (prêt d’honneur). This is a zero-interest personal loan, with no personal guarantee required, paid to the project lead rather than directly to the company. Initiative Vienne explains that it aims to strengthen equity and make it easier to obtain a complementary bank loan. Its website states an amount generally between €3,000 and €30,000, with repayment generally over three to five years depending on the page consulted; terms may vary depending on the type of loan and the project. Approval depends on the review process and an approval committee. It should therefore not be presented as an automatic grant from the communauté de communes.

The seven grants linked in the catalog

The list below reflects the data available without certifying that each scheme is currently open or that any given application would be compliant. Amounts from the reference database still need to be checked against the applicable official rules.

Catalog grant — Small business (TPE) investment grant

Grant ID: 9816 Purpose: Support business investments in various areas to help them grow, in order to:

Modernize business premises; Promote security and accessibility of businesses for all members of the public; Improve their economic and social performance through innovation, training, and work tools suited to their activities; Create jobs; Support investments related to energy performance and work toward environmental excellence; Adopt good practices in waste management and recovery; Integrate or develop digital-related activities, tools to modernize communication, and the promotion/marketing of the business’s activities; and sustain a local offering that meets new consumer expectations; And more broadly, at the territorial level, create social ties and revitalize town centers (tackling vacant commercial premises). Eligible operations: Intangible investments related to the project: preliminary studies and assessments, project management, software, licenses, certification/labeling, website creation; Tangible investments: construction and renovation work on buildings, purchase of equipment and production equipment related in particular to renewable energy, reducing energy consumption, waste recovery, the use of digital tools… interior fit-out of premises and shop windows, etc.

Not eligible:

Simple replacement of fully depreciated or obsolete equipment; Second-hand equipment; Investments financed through leasing (crédit-bail); Self-build work (work done by the applicant), only material purchases are eligible; Land and property acquisition. Conditions: Businesses must be fully up to date with their tax and social security obligations and must carry out their project within the Communauté de Communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Co-financing from other financial partners (Region, State, Europe, etc.) is mandatory. The minimum investment must be at least €15,000 excl. VAT. Amount/form: Grant representing between 20% and 30% maximum of tangible and intangible investment costs, with an investment cap of €75,000 excl. VAT (grant cap of €22,500). This grant scheme cannot be requested more than once per business, over a period of 3 years from the date of the last grant payment. This is subject to the grant schemes remaining in effect. The various business grant schemes defined by the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou cannot be combined with each other. %mini% Beneficiaries: Businesses:

whose registered office is located in a municipality of Civraisien-en-Poitou; commercial, craft, and service businesses employing fewer than 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, registered with the RNE, or having completed the mandatory formalities when the business was created; with annual turnover below €1,000,000 excl. VAT; in compliance with their tax and social security obligations; that have not made any layoffs in the past 12 months.

Not eligible:

Shops with a sales area exceeding 300 m2, Businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation), Regulated professions and/or those governed by a professional body, Professions related to esotericism, Unregulated wellness activities, Sectors excluded by European regulations, Activities related to the real estate, banking, and insurance sectors Medical activities (except those falling under the CMA), Agricultural, forestry, aquaculture, and fishing activities; Fairground attractions, amusement arcades; Tourism activities that may be supported under other schemes (campsites, hotels, furnished tourist accommodation, bed and breakfasts, fine-dining restaurants); Businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation). Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Micro-projects grant

Grant ID: 9817 Purpose: Support investments made by very small businesses (TPE) in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou and contribute to their long-term viability and business growth. Eligible operations: Construction work, site infrastructure work (VRD), or equipment acquisition. Not eligible: land and property acquisition expenses. Conditions: Businesses must be fully up to date with their tax and social security obligations and must carry out their project within the Communauté de Communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Amount/form: Grant representing 20% maximum of eligible expenses, capped at €10,000 per application for all businesses and subject to available budget (eligible expenses capped at €50,000 excl. VAT). The various business grant schemes defined by the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou cannot be combined with each other. %mini% Beneficiaries: Businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Not eligible:

Shops with a sales area exceeding 300 m2; Businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation); Regulated professions and/or those governed by a professional body; Professions related to esotericism; Unregulated wellness activities; Sectors excluded by European regulations; Activities related to the real estate, banking, and insurance sectors; Medical activities (except those falling under the CMA); Agricultural, forestry, aquaculture, and fishing activities; Fairground attractions, amusement arcades; Tourism activities that may be supported under other schemes (campsites, hotels, furnished tourist accommodation, bed and breakfasts, fine-dining restaurants); Businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation). Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Business real estate grant

Grant ID: 9818 Purpose: Encourage the establishment, development, and anchoring of business activity in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou by supporting real estate investments located within or near the territory’s business parks (ZAE) and structuring, innovative SME projects. Eligible operations: Construction or extension of buildings. Conditions: Businesses must be fully up to date with their tax and social security obligations and must carry out their project within the Communauté de Communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Amount/form: Grant representing 30% maximum, capped at €50,000 excl. VAT (eligible expenses capped at €166,670 excl. VAT per application) for all businesses and subject to available budget, based on selection criteria. The various business grant schemes defined by the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou cannot be combined with each other. %mini% Beneficiaries: Businesses with more than 2 employees whose project is located within or near a ZAE; Real estate companies (SCI).

Not eligible:

Businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation); Regulated professions and/or those governed by a professional body; Professions related to esotericism; Unregulated wellness activities; Sectors excluded by European regulations; Activities related to the real estate, banking, and insurance sectors; Medical activities (except those falling under the CMA); Agricultural, forestry, aquaculture, and fishing activities; Fairground attractions, amusement arcades; Tourism activities that may be supported under other schemes (campsites, hotels, furnished tourist accommodation, bed and breakfasts, fine-dining restaurants). Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Grant for organizing events

Grant ID: 9819 Purpose: Promote actions led by economic stakeholders in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Eligible operations: Eligible events:

Events of an economic nature; Inter-municipal events or actions with an inter-municipal purpose.

Eligible expenses: organization costs. Conditions: Businesses must be fully up to date with their tax and social security obligations and must carry out their project within the Communauté de Communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Amount/form: Grant representing 10% maximum, capped at €1,200 excl. VAT (eligible expenses capped at €12,000 excl. VAT) per application for all businesses and subject to available budget. This grant scheme cannot be requested more than once per business or association per year. The various business grant schemes defined by the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou cannot be combined with each other. %mini% Beneficiaries: Groups of businesses; Associations (business clubs, etc.).

Not eligible:

Sole proprietorships; Businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation). Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Grant for waste recovery and treatment

Grant ID: 9821 Purpose: Support actions aimed at the recovery and treatment of waste from businesses in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou, by supporting training and support projects on the theme of 'waste = resources'. Eligible operations: Preliminary technical or financial studies; Consultancy service costs; Communication and marketing costs; Real estate investments and equipment acquisition. Conditions: Businesses must be fully up to date with their tax and social security obligations and must carry out their project within the Communauté de Communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Amount/form: Grant representing 10% maximum, capped at:

€3,000 excl. VAT for studies, support, and training (eligible expenses capped at €30,000 excl. VAT), €15,000 excl. VAT for real estate investments and equipment acquisition (eligible expenses capped at €150,000 excl. VAT),

per application for all businesses or associations, subject to available budget. This grant scheme cannot be requested more than once per business, over a period of 2 years from the date of the last grant payment. This is subject to the grant scheme remaining in effect. The various business grant schemes defined by the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou cannot be combined with each other. %mini% Beneficiaries: SMEs; Associations.

Not eligible: businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation). Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Initiative Vienne honor loan

Grant ID: 2210 Purpose: Make business creation accessible to as many people as possible through suitable financing (the zero-interest honor loan) and free, long-term support. Support from local associations in the Initiative France network helps secure business projects: 90% of supported businesses make it past the 3-year mark (vs. 70% on average). Eligible operations: All types of business creation and takeover projects. Additional programs have been designed specifically for entrepreneurs, young people under 30, or for certain business sectors (agriculture, retail, innovation, business transfer/takeover, etc.). Conditions: Local associations in the network welcome project leads at the stage of finalizing their business plan and seeking financing. All project leads may be eligible for support and financing. Amount/form: Interest-free honor loan with no guarantee required, granted on a personal basis. It generally ranges between €3,000 and €30,000, repayable over a period of 3 to 5 years. The honor loan is always paired with a bank loan: for every €1 of Initiative honor loan, an Initiative entrepreneur obtains €9.5 of bank loan on average. The support provided ahead of granting the honor loan allows the entrepreneur to assess the full scope of their financing needs. Beneficiaries: Project leads creating or taking over a business in any sector, regardless of age, background, or financial capacity. Excluded business sectors: financial intermediation and real estate services. Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Support for deploying shared workspaces (tiers-lieux)

Grant ID: 9820 Purpose: Support the creation and fit-out of shared workspaces (tiers-lieux) in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Eligible operations: Creation and fit-out of shared workspaces (tiers-lieux). Eligible expenses:

preliminary feasibility, technical, or economic studies; consultancy service costs; fit-out and equipping of the shared workspace; communication and marketing costs.

Not eligible: land and property acquisition expenses. Conditions: Businesses must be fully up to date with their tax and social security obligations and must carry out their project within the Communauté de Communes du Civraisien en Poitou. Amount/form: Grant representing 10% maximum, capped at €10,000 excl. VAT (eligible expenses capped at €100,000 excl. VAT) per application for all businesses and subject to available budget. The various business grant schemes defined by the Communauté de communes du Civraisien en Poitou cannot be combined with each other. %mini% Beneficiaries: SMEs; Associations.

Not eligible: businesses undergoing insolvency proceedings (receivership or liquidation). Status: catalog data; current availability and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

How to apply

1. Identify the project’s location and its status relative to business parks. 2) Define the type of project: equipment investment, building work, micro-project, waste, event, or shared workspace. 3) Request the rules and confirm in writing the rate, the base, the caps, the timeline, and the available budget. 4) Prepare the SIRET number, the latest accounts, the project description, quotes, the financing plan, and any other grants requested. 5) Do not commit to expenses before checking whether a prior application or acknowledgment of receipt is required. 6) For the honor loan, contact Initiative Vienne directly and allow for a project review and a committee hearing.

Combining grants and precautions

The schemes are subject to available budget and selection criteria. The rules on combining grants, public aid caps, and payment terms must be examined under each specific set of rules. The Initiative Vienne honor loan is a personal source of financing that complements a bank loan: it must be assessed separately from local grants. An online page or a catalog entry does not confirm that applications are open at the time of the project.

FAQ

Who can apply for these grants? Criteria vary: some measures target small businesses (TPE) or those with fewer than ten employees, while others target SMEs, associations, or groups of businesses. Location and sector are key factors. What amount can be obtained? The catalog notably shows up to €22,500 for the small business (TPE) investment grant, up to €10,000 for micro-projects, and up to €50,000 for business real estate. These caps must be confirmed in the applicable rules. Can grants be combined? Do not assume so: have the combination rules checked for the project and the same expenses. Is the honor loan a grant? No. It is a zero-interest personal loan subject to review by Initiative Vienne. Where can I get more information? On the official Civraisien en Poitou website and from Initiative Vienne for the honor loan.

Official sources and status

Sources consulted on October 13, 2026: • https://www.civraisienpoitou.fr/les-zones-dactivites • https://www.civraisienpoitou.fr/node/3230 • https://www.initiative-vienne.fr/le-pret-d-honneur.html • https://www.initiative-vienne.fr/je-cree-mon-entreprise.html Status: partial verification. The communauté’s website confirms grants for businesses in business parks and support of up to 20% within the scope described. The caps for the other schemes must be verified; discrepancies in presentation between the catalog and the official pages need to be resolved before final publication.