Financing your business with grants from the Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois

Introduction

The Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois offers several grants aimed at supporting the local economy: retail modernization, productive investments linked to employment, business takeovers, recruitment of people from work-integration structures, RGE qualification, and the creation or upgrading of tourist accommodation. These are funding avenues to look into, not confirmation that every scheme is open or that an application will be approved.

A local economic development policy

The communauté de communes presents its business grants as a lever for creation, takeover, investment, and modernization. Its website lists in particular the ACCOR scheme for retailers, business takeover support, investment for employment, unusual accommodation, tourist furnished rentals and guest rooms, and the RGE label. It recommends contacting the relevant department for any project. Key point: the official website specifies that the investment project must be presented in full before expenses are committed. Main sources: the official "Business grants" page and the "Economic development" page.

1. Modernizing a local shop

The retail grant targets small retail, craft, and service businesses that meet the regulation's criteria. The public fact sheet details possible expenses such as fit-out work, storefront renovation, and the purchase of specific non-productive equipment. The published criteria include in particular fewer than ten employees, annual or projected revenue below one million euros, and a significant share of individual (non-business) customers; certain activities are excluded. The exact amount is not reported consistently enough across the summary pages reviewed to present it as a guaranteed cap. The grant is indicated as combinable with the regional ACCOR scheme under the published conditions, but combination must be confirmed for the same project.

2. Productive investment and job creation

The investment grant is intended for small businesses carrying out productive investments linked to the net creation of a sustainable job. The catalog and the public fact sheet indicate a grant of 20% of eligible expenses, capped at €5,000 for one job created and €10,000 for two or more jobs created. Only one application per calendar year is mentioned. Eligibility depends on the location, the company's status, the expenses, and the employment commitment. Have the sustainable employment criteria and required supporting documents clarified before ordering equipment.

3. Taking over a business

The business takeover grant aims to contribute to the overall financing plan of a takeover and to preserve jobs. Two non-combinable forms are indicated: a repayable advance of €10,000 to €15,000, or a grant representing 10% of eligible expenses. The public fact sheet also details a possible bonus per job retained and specifies conditions on size, location, registration, and continuation of the business. The grant amount may be limited by the acquirer's equity or quasi-equity. Filing deadlines after the takeover must be checked in the applicable regulation; do not build your financing plan on the theoretical cap without validation.

4. Hiring someone from a work-integration scheme

The employment bonus for hires from work-integration workshops and projects (ateliers et chantiers d'insertion) supports certain recruitments of people coming from work-integration structures. The catalog indicates €2,000 for a full-time permanent contract (CDI) or one of more than 24 hours per week, €1,000 for a part-time CDI under 24 hours, and €500 for a full-time fixed-term contract (CDD) of at least one year. The fact sheet sets an annual limit on hires and restrictions in the event of prior support for the same person. The documents proving the candidate's origin, the contract durations, and the non-renewal rules must be confirmed before hiring on the strength of this grant.

5. Supporting construction businesses toward the RGE label

The RGE label grant targets construction businesses and craftspeople established in the territory, with fewer than twenty employees according to the catalog fact sheet. It indicates a grant of €300 per RGE-certified employee, including the manager, with a limit of one application per applicant per year. Check the qualifications and certification bodies concerned, the certification supporting documents, and the filing schedule. This grant can contribute to qualification costs, but the exact eligible expenses must be confirmed.

6. Investing in tourist accommodation

Two schemes target the tourism offering: the grant for tourist furnished rentals and guest rooms, for creation or upgrading, and the grant for unusual accommodation, intended to increase the accommodation offering in the territory. For unusual accommodation, the catalog indicates coverage of 25% of eligible expenses, capped at €24,000 per operator, with a possible bonus of €500 if a quality label such as Accueil Vélo is obtained. For furnished rentals and guest rooms, the amount depends on the project. The criteria for classification, quality, location, expenses, and continuation of the business must be confirmed against the regulation.

The seven grants in the Capital OS catalog

The following seven fact sheets are associated with the communauté de communes in the reference database. Amount and eligibility data are provided for reference purposes and must be verified against the regulations in force. The official website also mentions a "lever" grant intended for the public co-financing of projects supported by LEADER: check whether this grant or other complementary schemes should be added to the catalog in a later reconciliation batch.

Catalog grant — Retail grant

Grant ID: 10739 Purpose: Help small businesses adapt to changes in their environment and ensure, over the longer term, the continuation and development of activity and employment in the territory. Boost retail, craft, and service activities by supporting the necessary modernization and improving the attractiveness of shops. Eligible operations: Projects:

undertaking a non-productive investment project necessary for maintaining or developing the activity; operating a retail premises with a ground-floor storefront.

Eligible expenses:

Fit-out, modernization, and renovation work on spaces dedicated to welcoming the public and adjoining non-productive areas, storefront renovation work; Purchase of tools and furniture specific to the retail activity, excluding simple renewal, with a unit cost above 500 € excl. VAT; Purchase of mobile workshop or dedicated vehicles whose specific fit-out exceeds 3 000 € excl. VAT.

Used non-productive equipment and used vehicles are eligible under the following conditions:

Have a price lower than new equipment; Provide a certificate confirming that the equipment has not been the subject of a national or EU public grant in the past 7 years; Provide a certificate of compliance or conformity upgrade for the various machines; Have a seller warranty covering "parts and labor" of at least 6 months; Be based on the value stated in the notarized transfer deed in the case of a business takeover.

Not eligible: work carried out by the business itself. Conditions: The beneficiary must:

mention the financial support of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action; not have committed to or carried out the project prior to the business's application; Keep the subsidized investments in operation, on site, for at least 5 years. carry out and pay for the investments within a maximum of 12 months after the decision awarding the grant. Amount / form: A given business may submit only one application per year. The grant is combinable with the scheme set up by the Région Grand Est as part of its revitalization program for structuring market towns in rural areas. %mini% Beneficiaries: Retail-oriented businesses:

with a workforce of fewer than 10 employees; with annual or projected revenue below 1 million euros; with more than 50% of revenue generated from the sale of goods or services to individuals; up to date with their tax and social security obligations; registered with the RNE.

Not eligible:

pharmacies, paramedical and optical activities; regulated professions (professions libérales); banking and insurance activities; activities directly related to tourism (accommodation). Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Employment bonus for hires from work-integration workshops and projects

Grant ID: 10737 Purpose: Facilitate the hiring of people from work-integration structures by providing financial support to businesses that take part in this approach. Eligible operations: Hiring, under a contract of at least 1 year for a minimum of 17.5 hours/week, of a person coming from a work-integration structure. A person is considered to come from work-integration when hired by an ACI (work-integration workshop and project) or within 4 months of the end of their contract there. The business may claim this grant within 6 months of hiring the person. Not eligible: hires of family members of the manager. Conditions: The beneficiary must mention the financial support of the Communauté de Communes du Pays de Stenay in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action. Amount / form: Grant:

for a full-time permanent contract (CDI) or one of more than 24h/week: 2 000 € for a part-time CDI (under 24h/week): 1 000 € ; for a fixed-term contract (CDD) of at least 1 year full-time: 500 €.

A business that has already received a grant for a CDD hire will not see the grant renewed if the same person is hired on a CDI or if the CDD is renewed. The maximum number of hires is limited to three applications per year. %mini% Beneficiaries: Businesses:

having their registered office or the relevant establishment in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois: registered with the RNE; up to date with their social security and tax obligations.

Not eligible: sole traders / micro-businesses (auto-entreprises / micro-entreprises). Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Investment grant

Grant ID: 10735 Purpose: Help small businesses carry out productive investments linked to job creation. Eligible operations: Purchase of tools and furniture specific to the activity, excluding simple renewal, with a unit cost above 500 € excl. VAT; Purchase of mobile workshop or dedicated vehicles whose specific fit-out exceeds 2 000 € excl. VAT; Fit-out, modernization, and renovation work necessary for the activity; Technology transfer (acquisition of a patent, operating license, etc.); Research and development studies (enabling structural cost improvements, helping maintain attractiveness or staff recruitment, intended to define new products, or aiming to improve access to or conditions of supply).

Used equipment and used vehicles are eligible under the following conditions:

Have a price lower than new equipment; Provide a certificate confirming that the equipment has not been the subject of a public grant in the past 7 years; Provide, where applicable, a certificate of compliance; Be based on the value stated in the notarized transfer deed in the case of a business takeover; In the case of a purchase from a professional: minimum warranty of 6 months.

Not eligible:

simple rental; leasing; passenger vehicle; work carried out by the business itself is excluded (except for the cost of materials if the work is capitalized by the business); any vehicle for simple renewal equipment for simple renewal. Conditions: Businesses must:

undertake an investment project aimed at creating, expanding the activity, or modernizing the business, of a minimum of 3 000 €; commit to creating, as part of the investment program, an additional job within the business, on a permanent contract (CDI), full-time or at least half-time if part-time. A summary three-year development plan for the activity and jobs will accompany this commitment. The created position must be maintained for at least 3 years; mention the financial support of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action; Carry out and pay for the investments within a maximum of 12 months after the decision awarding the grant. The investments must remain in operation, on site, for at least 3 years.

The investment and the hiring must not have been committed to or carried out prior to the business's application. The investment must be:

3 000 € minimum for the creation of one job; 5 000 € minimum for the creation of two or more jobs. Amount / form: Grant representing 20% of eligible expenses, within the limit of:

5 000 € for one job created; 10 000 € for two or more jobs created.

The business may only request the grant from the Communauté de communes once per calendar year. %mini% Beneficiaries: Businesses:

having their registered office or a relevant establishment in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois; registered with the Répertoire des Métiers (Trades Register), the Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés (Trade and Companies Register), or URSSAF; up to date with their social security and tax obligations; with fewer than twenty full-time-equivalent employees at the time of application.

Not eligible:

sole trader / micro-business (auto-entreprise / micro-entreprise); pharmacies, medical and paramedical activities; regulated professions (professions libérales); banking and insurance activities; activities directly related to tourism (accommodation); associations (1901 and 1908 laws) and their federations; farmers (operators on a primary or secondary basis, operating individually or in a corporate structure, under farmer status and farmer-group status). Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Business takeover grant

Grant ID: 10736 Purpose: Safeguard jobs and the industrial / craft / commercial / service business, in the context of business takeovers, by contributing to the overall financing plan of the takeover Eligible operations: Business takeover projects whose activity is located in the territory of the Communauté de communes. The takeover project must enable the safeguarding of 1 to 19 jobs. The application must be submitted within a maximum of 6 months after the takeover. Conditions: The entrepreneur must:

hold a recognized professional qualification, at least CAP level, or demonstrate 3 years of professional experience in the activity taken over (except for retail activity); have a 12-month deadline to request the grant; mention the financial support of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action; maintain the business for at least 3 years. Amount / form: Two non-combinable types of grant, at the applicant's choice: Repayable advance of between 10 000 and 15 000 € depending on the business project, repayable over a maximum of 3 years with a maximum deferral of one year; Grant representing 10% of eligible expenses including takeover costs (including commercial or craft goodwill), the communication plan, and working capital needs, within a limit of 4 000 € (5 000 € if the last shop in the municipality). The amount cannot exceed the equity or quasi-equity (honor loan, blocked current accounts, etc.) of the acquiring business. A bonus of 500 € in grant per job retained (including the manager) will be awarded for at least one year. The grant may only be requested once per year. %mini% Beneficiaries: Very small craft businesses (fewer than 20 employees):

industrial, commercial, and service businesses, craft, industrial, commercial, or service businesses; located (registered office or activity) in the territory of the Communauté de communes; registered with the RNE.

Exceptionally, activities not registered with the Répertoire des Métiers or the Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés are eligible, but falling under a professional body and in the context of support for the first or last business activity in the municipality. Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Investment grant for tourist furnished rentals and guest rooms

Grant ID: 10741 Purpose: Increase the tourist accommodation offering in the territory. Eligible operations: Work directly related to the creation or modernization of a tourist furnished rental or guest room:

Structural work (masonry, carpentry, roofing, etc.); Renovation of electrical installations, multimedia networks (wifi, cable, etc.); Installation of sanitary facilities; Installation of a heating system; Wallpaper/painting work insofar as it is part of an overall fit-out plan; Fees for architects, project managers, or interior architects/decorators.

For the creation of new accommodation, the following expenses are also eligible:

Expenses related to the creation of a website by a business, excluding referencing and hosting costs; Expenses related to communication: initial flyers, logo creation, communication materials.

Not eligible:

expenses for routine maintenance, repair, or refurbishment work, including the replacement of elements resulting from normal use of the accommodation; site servicing (viabilisation) work; landscaping; furniture purchases. Conditions: The beneficiary must:

Mention the financial support of the Communauté de Communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action; Offer the accommodation to tourists at minimum from May 1 to September 30, for at least 10 years; Be registered as accommodation in the territory's tourism promotion tools (Communauté de Communes, Tourist Office, Meuse Attractivité, etc.). Amount / form: Grant whose amount will depend on the project. The business may only request the grant from the Communauté de communes once per calendar year. %mini% Beneficiaries: Tourism businesses. Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Grant for obtaining the RGE label

Grant ID: 10738 Purpose: Facilitate the obtaining of the RGE label ("reconnu garant de l'environnement" — recognized guarantor of the environment) by construction businesses and craftspeople in the territory by providing financial support to businesses that take part in this approach. Eligible operations: Obtaining the RGE label. Conditions: The beneficiary must mention the financial support of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action. Amount / form: Grant of 300 € per RGE-certified employee within the business (including the manager). The grant is limited to one application per applicant per year. %mini% Beneficiaries: Businesses with fewer than 20 employees:

having their registered office or the relevant establishment in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois; registered with the RNE; up to date with their social security and tax obligations; having at least 6 months of activity. Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Catalog grant — Investment grants for unusual accommodation

Grant ID: 10740 Purpose: Increase the tourist accommodation offering in the territory of the Communauté de communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois. Eligible operations: Purchase of the following unusual accommodation:

wooden cabins (elevated or not, lakeside, etc.); movable "hiking" cabins along trails (Voies Vertes, etc.); caravans (roulottes); yurts.

Work directly related to the installation of unusual accommodation:

Installation of sanitary facilities; Installation of a heating system; Fees for architects, project managers, or interior architects/decorators.

For the creation of new accommodation, the following expenses are also eligible:

Expenses related to the creation of a website by a business, excluding referencing and hosting costs; Expenses related to communication: initial flyers, logo creation, communication materials.

The grant is limited to 6 units of accommodation and 4 shared sanitary facilities. Not eligible:

canvas/tent accommodation; expenses for routine maintenance, repair, or refurbishment work, including the replacement of elements resulting from normal use of the accommodation; site servicing (viabilisation) work; landscaping; furniture purchases; renewal of unusual accommodation. Conditions: The beneficiary must:

not commit to or carry out the investments prior to the business's application; mention the financial support of the Communauté de Communes du Pays de Stenay et du Val Dunois in all communication materials announcing the implementation of this action. offer the accommodation to tourists at minimum from May 1 to September 30, for at least 10 years; be listed as accommodation on local tourism websites. Amount / form: Grant representing 25% of eligible expenses, the amount of which will depend on the type of accommodation, within a limit of 24 000 € per operator. A bonus of 500 € may be awarded if the accommodation obtains an Accueil Vélo label or another quality label. The business may only request the grant from the Communauté de communes once per calendar year. %mini% Beneficiaries: Tourism businesses. Status: reference-database data; opening and individual eligibility not guaranteed.

Preparing and submitting an application

1. Contact the economic development department to confirm the right scheme and the current version of the regulation. 2) Describe the project, its timeline, its economic impact, and the jobs created or maintained. 3) Prepare the SIRET number, registration extract, accounts, quotes, financing plan, and the list of public grants received or applied for. 4) For an investment, submit a complete application before committing any expenses: the official website explicitly requires this. 5) Obtain written confirmation of the eligible expense base, the rate, the cap, and any obligation to continue the activity. 6) Keep invoices, proof of payment, and supporting documents for employment or certification.

Combination rules, timing, and points of caution

Grants depend on the regulations, the business's situation, and the funds available. Combination rules and the applicable EU regime, notably de minimis where relevant, must be examined based on the grants already received. Do not start an investment before submitting the complete application and receiving guidance from the processing department. For a business takeover, check in particular the deadlines after the takeover and the commitments to maintain employment or the activity.

FAQ

Are the grants currently open? The official pages describe the schemes, but their presence online is not enough to guarantee that a window is open or that funds are available. Contact the communauté de communes. Who can benefit from the retail grant? The criteria include in particular size, revenue, customer base, and sector exclusions. The exact regulation must be consulted. Can expenses start before the application is filed? The official website requires that the complete investment application be submitted before expenses are committed. How much can the investment grant finance? The catalog fact sheet indicates 20% of eligible expenses, with a cap depending on the number of sustainable jobs created. Where can I apply for a loan or support? The communauté de communes directs businesses to its economic development department and its local partners, including Synergie, the CCI, and the CMA.

Sources and verification status

Sources consulted on October 13, 2026: • https://cc-paysdestenay-valdunois.fr/fr/rb/1315940/aides-aux-entreprises-4 • https://www.cc-paysdestenay-valdunois.fr/fr/rb/834/economie-21 • https://mesaidespubliques.infogreffe.fr/aides/aide-reprise-entreprise • https://mesaidespubliques.infogreffe.fr/aides/aide-commerces • https://mesaidespubliques.infogreffe.fr/aides/cc-pays-stenay-val-dunois-aide-investissement • https://mesaidespubliques.infogreffe.fr/aides/aide-obtention-label-rge • https://mesaidespubliques.infogreffe.fr/aides/aide-bonus-emploi-issu-ateliers-chantiers-insertion Status: partial verification. The main schemes are corroborated by the funder's pages and public grant fact sheets. The full regulations, opening dates, funding envelopes, and exact criteria must be confirmed individually.