ESS Cooperative Emergence
Purpose: Supporting the takeover of businesses by their employees as SCOPs or SCICs in Normandy; encouraging the emergence of cooperatives given the relevance of their business model (governance, economic stability, resilience to cyclical economic crises) but also their weak equity. Beneficiaries listed: individuals creating a cooperative or employees of a business taking it over as a cooperative. Point to watch: the cooperative member’s contribution to the cooperative’s capital must be at least twice the amount of the regional aid; the activity taken over must aim to create social ties.
Emergence ESS cooperative targets a specific project or cost within its area or field of intervention. Supporting the takeover of businesses by their employees as SCOPs or SCICs in Normandy; encouraging the emergence of cooperatives given the relevance of their business model (governance, economic stability, resilience to cyclical economic crises) but also their weak equity. Before any spending or commitment, confirm with the funder the rules in force, the available funds and the application procedure.
Funded by Région Normandie
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Who can apply
The catalogue mentions: individuals creating a cooperative or employees of a business taking it over as a cooperative. The organisation, activity, location and size of the business must be checked against the funder’s current criteria or the applicable text.
Eligibility conditions
Conditions listed: the cooperative member’s contribution to the cooperative’s capital must be at least twice the amount of the regional aid; the activity taken over must aim to create social ties; the project includes the human dimension — promoting citizenship, social inclusion of all audiences and social diversity, pursuing an HR policy respectful of and attentive to people and their fulfilment, developing services addressing social problems; the project includes the territorial dimension — the economic activity must be long term, adapt to local needs, work with existing players and involve users; to ensure takeovers are genuinely collective, the aid is conditional on the commitment of at least one third of the employees of the newly created company; the minimum contribution per employee-member is €1,000. The above comes from the catalogue. It does not replace the rules in force, the applicable texts or written confirmation from the relevant body.
What the scheme covers
Operations or costs mentioned: a financial contribution to employee-members equal to their capital contribution when the business is created or taken over in cooperative form (top-of-balance-sheet support for the cooperative). Particular attention will be paid to projects whose activity is part of a sustainable development approach (transport, mobility, raw materials, building, energy used, etc.) and that include environmental education. Check the exclusions, the date from which costs are eligible, the combination rules and any obligation to apply before the project starts.
Amount and funding terms
Amount indicated in the catalogue: equity contributions capped at €5,000 per employee-member and €100,000 per SCOP/SCIC. For certain projects of regional interest with major stakes for economic activity and job retention, the maximum grant of €100,000 per SCOP or SCIC may be uncapped. This amount is not presented as guaranteed: it must be confirmed in the current version of the rules or the official page.
How to apply
1. Identify the body that reviews the application and obtain the version of the rules in force. 2. Check the eligibility of the organisation, the project, the costs and the timetable. 3. Prepare the required supporting documents (organisation’s identity, financial data, quotes or invoices depending on the scheme, project description). 4. Apply according to the official procedure and keep the acknowledgement of receipt. 5. Do not commit costs before the application or approval where the rules require it. These steps are a general checklist; the exact procedure remains to be confirmed for this aid.
Timeline
Catalogue reference date: 3 March 2026. This date may correspond to a catalogue update and does not confirm an open application period. No real-time availability is stated here: ask the funder whether the scheme is currently accepting new applications and check the applicable deadlines.
Key facts
- Funder
- Région Normandie
- Type of funding
- Equity investment
- Status
- Ongoing
- Maximum amount
- €100,000
- Automatically extracted — check the official source
- Geographic scope
- Normandie
Frequently asked questions
What is the “Emergence ESS cooperative” scheme for?
The catalogue describes the following objective: supporting the takeover of businesses by their employees as SCOPs or SCICs in Normandy; encouraging the emergence of cooperatives given the relevance of their business model (governance, economic stability, resilience to cyclical economic crises) but also their weak equity. The exact scope should be checked in the official documentation in force.
Who can benefit?
The beneficiaries listed are: individuals creating a cooperative or employees of a business taking it over as a cooperative. The organisation must check each criterion and exclusion with the relevant body.
What amount or benefit is provided?
The catalogue indicates: equity contributions capped at €5,000 per employee-member and €100,000 per SCOP/SCIC. For certain projects of regional interest with major stakes for economic activity and job retention, the maximum grant of €100,000 per SCOP or SCIC may be uncapped. The final amount depends on the review.
What should I check before applying?
Check first: the cooperative member’s contribution to the capital must be at least twice the regional aid; the activity taken over must aim to create social ties; the project includes the human dimension (citizenship, social inclusion, diversity, a respectful HR policy, services addressing social problems) and the territorial dimension — the economic activity must be long term, adapt to local needs, work with… (see the conditions section for the full list). Also confirm the opening of the scheme, eligible costs, combination rules, dates and whether you must apply before committing.
Official source
No official URL is available in our data for this grant.
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