prêt d'honneur — Initiative Ardennes
The Initiative Ardennes honour loan is interest-free financing generally granted to the person leading the project, not a grant paid to the company. It is used to consolidate the personal contribution, give credibility to the financing plan and make discussions with banks easier. The project owner is supported in preparing the application and then presents the project to the approval committee, which decides on the award and the amount. The scheme is intended for starting or taking over a business in the Ardennes, subject to the excluded sectors indicated by the funder.
Are you preparing a business start-up or takeover? The Initiative Ardennes honour loan (prêt d’honneur) can strengthen the owner’s personal contribution and make it easier to put bank financing in place. The application is prepared with the local platform, which examines the project’s viability and financing needs.
Funded by Bpifrance, Département 08 - Ardennes, Région Grand Est, Union Européenne-FEDER
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Who can apply
The target group is business creators and buyers within the area covered by Initiative Ardennes. Depending on the local scheme, certain development projects may also be considered. The catalogue lists the following exclusions where specified: financial intermediation and property services; itinerant trade; lease-management (location-gérance) arrangements; farming activities.
Eligibility conditions
To prepare the application, build a complete financing plan: investments, working capital requirements, personal contribution, other aid and the planned bank loan. The catalogue notes sector exclusions, notably farming activities, itinerant trade and lease-management arrangements. Have their scope and any exceptions confirmed by Initiative Ardennes. The exact criteria and exclusions are those of the local rules in force, not a uniform rule across the whole network.
What the scheme covers
The financing can help consolidate the financing plan of a start-up or takeover project. Present the planned costs, start-up cash needs, expected revenue and the amount of bank financing sought. The honour loan should not be treated as a grant: it is repayable and its use must match the project reviewed by Initiative Ardennes.
Amount and funding terms
The catalogue indicates a range of €5,000 to €25,000 and a term of up to 60 monthly instalments. The amount is set after the platform and its approval committee have reviewed the financing plan; the scale currently applied must be checked.
How to apply
1. Contact Initiative Ardennes before finalising your financing plan. 2. Prepare a business plan, cash-flow forecast, financing plan, details of investments and your contribution. 3. Ask for the local criteria, excluded sectors, bank loan requirement and supporting documents. 4. Submit the application according to the platform’s procedure and, if it is admissible, prepare for the approval committee. 5. Before any commitment, obtain written confirmation of the amount, repayment schedule and disbursement conditions.
Timeline
The application timetable and review times depend on the Initiative Ardennes platform and the date of the approval committee meeting. No opening date or fixed timescale is given in the catalogue: contact the platform before scheduling a signature, a purchase or the start of spending.
Key facts
- Funder
- Bpifrance, Département 08 - Ardennes, Région Grand Est, Union Européenne-FEDER
- Type of funding
- Honour loan
- Status
- Ongoing
- Maximum amount
- €25,000
- Automatically extracted — check the official source
- Minimum amount
- €5,000
- Automatically extracted — check the official source
- Geographic scope
- Grand Est
Frequently asked questions
Is the Initiative Ardennes honour loan a grant?
No. It is a repayable loan, generally granted to the person leading the project. It strengthens the personal contribution and can make it easier to obtain bank financing.
How can I find out how much my project could receive?
Present your equity needs, personal contribution and financing plan to Initiative Ardennes. The range listed in the catalogue is indicative; the final amount depends on the review of the application and the platform’s rules.
What should I prepare before the first meeting?
A project summary, the business plan or its current state, a financing plan, a cash-flow forecast, details of investments, your contribution and the planned bank financing.
Official source
No official URL is available in our data for this grant.
Other grants of type “honour loan”
Prêt d’honneur Solidaire: completing the financing of a start-up or takeover
Bpifrance
Up to €8,000
PHAR Bretagne: funding the seed stage of an innovative business
Région Bretagne
Up to €90,000
Montfort Communauté growth loan: local conditions to obtain
Montfort Communauté
Up to €30,000
Related needs and funding
Competitive calls for projects
Ecological transition and CSR
Capital and investment funds
Support and acceleration
Diagnostics and audits
Takeover and transfer
Discover the funding that fits your company
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