Subsidies to finance sustainable business activities
What grants can you apply for to make your business more sustainable? An overview in this article.
There are two types of subsidies:
- Structural grants, which companies can apply for at any time of the year, subject to eligibility conditions.
- Calls for projects, which are granted on the basis of an application, which must be submitted within a specified period. A selection is then made.
Subsidies in the form of grants
A) Renolution
A Renolution subsidy is a financial aid from Brussels-Environment for renovation and energy-saving works on professional buildings (offices, shops, workshops, etc.). Depending on the work carried out, you will receive a contribution from the Region towards the total cost of your project (amount per m² or percentage of the cost of the works).
For whom?
- These subsidies are designed for both companies that own professional buildings and tenant companies.
How much is it?
- Depending on the work carried out, the bonus is a contribution to the total amount of the invoice for the eligible works (either per m² or a percentage of the amount).
Contact for self-employed and companies
B) Economic Transition Investment subsidy
This subsidy is financial aid from the Region to make investments to reduce your energy consumption (e.g. replacing lighting installations with LED bulbs, replacing equipment/machines, optimizing building temperature, etc.)
For whom ?
Self-employed and companies that:
- have an operating base in the Brussels Capital Region and
- are active in certain sectors of activity.
How much is it ?
The intervention rate ranges from 30% to 50% of eligible expenses
C) Economic Transition Consultancy grant
This grant is financial aid from the Region to benefit from the advice of an expert to transition your company towards greater sustainability.
For whom?
Self-employed and companies that:
- have an operating base in the Brussels Capital Region and
- are active in certain sectors of activity.
How much?
The intervention rate ranges from 50% to 80% of eligible expenses
D) ELECTRIC UTILITY SUBSIDY
This subsidy is financial aid from the Region to acquire an electric utility vehicle. The bonus can also partially cover the installation of a charging station.
For whom?
Self-employed and companies that:
- have an operating base in the Brussels Capital Region and
- are active in certain sectors of activity.
How much?
The intervention rate ranges from 5% to 40% of eligible expenses with a ceiling of 16,000 euros per vehicle
E) RETROFIT UTILITY SUBSIDY
The retrofit utility subsidy is financial aid from the Region to replace or transform your existing vehicle into a retrofit vehicle (a vehicle transformed from a thermal engine vehicle into an electric utility vehicle).
For whom?
Self-employed and companies that:
- have an operating base in the Brussels Capital Region and
- are active in certain sectors of activity.
How much?
The intervention rate ranges from 5% to 40% of eligible expenses with a ceiling of 16,000 euros per vehicle
F) CARGO BIKE OR TRAILER SUBSIDY
The cargo bike or trailer subsidy is financial aid from the Region to acquire a cargo bike or a bike trailer.
For whom?
Self-employed and companies that:
- have an operating base in the Brussels Capital Region and
- are active in certain sectors of activity.
How much?
The intervention rate ranges from 40% to 70% of eligible expenses with a ceiling of 4,000 euros per cargo bike and 2,000 euros per trailer
G) Subsidy to enhance accessibility to premises
This subsidy helps companies in Brussels to finance works and/or the purchase of equipment designed to facilitate access to their premises for persons with reduced mobility, and the elderly.
For whom?
- Self-employed individuals and companies who:
- have a place of business in the Brussels-Capital Region
- and are active in specific sectors
How much?
- The intervention ranges from 50% to 70% of the amount of the investment, which must be at least 500 euros
H) Financing professional integration projects
This financing supports approved social enterprises working towards the socio-professional integration of workers who are at a particular distance from the job market. An integration programme aims to professionally integrate at least 4 full-time equivalent (FTE) workers from the target group each year, over a 5-year period. 'Target group' means:
- jobseekers eligible for the 'integration job in the social economy' scheme;
- young workers on integration contracts;
- integration jobs referred to in Article 60, §7.
For whom?
- Approved social and democratic enterprises located in the Brussels Region.
How much?
- The amount of funding depends on the number of 'target group' workers actually employed. It can cover salary costs (80 to 100% cover) and operating costs (0 to 20% cover).
i) Prove Your Social Innovation
Prove Your Social Innovation is a financial solution proposed by Innoviris to help companies verify the feasibility and viability of their socially innovative product or service.
For whom?
Companies must meet the following requirements:
- It has a place of business in the Brussels Region
- It is a social and democratic enterprise: If the enterprise is not accredited as such by the date the application is submitted, it must demonstrate that it meets the requirements laid down in the Ordinance of 23 July 2018 on the approval and support of social enterprises, and that it undertakes to apply for accreditation during or at the end of the project.
- It aims to validate the feasibility of a new socially innovative product/process/service, its economic viability as well as its potential to meet a social need. Your project is likely to have a favourable impact on the Region from a social, environmental and/or ecosystem perspective
- It demonstrates that the funding will have a stimulating effect on the implementation of the work programme
- It fulfils its obligations in the context of previous support initiatives granted by the Region
How much?
This financial support, capped at €100,000 per project per company, covers 100% of the associated expenditure related to the demonstration of the feasibility and social and economic validation linked to the development of the socially innovative product/procedure/service.
Subsidies in the form of calls for projects
The following are the main calls for projects. Given that they have different time horizons, new projects may appear while others are coming to an end. Definitely follow the section on our website listing all calls for projects, including those related to the economic transition:
A) OpenSoon
This call for projects supports the opening of new, original, high-quality businesses by implementing sustainable practices that generate dynamism for Brussels' shopping districts.
For whom ?
- This call for projects is open to retailers in the Brussels-Capital Region, either for forthcoming retail projects, or for recently opened retail stores. These retail creation projects must meet financial viability, originality and quality criteria, by implementing sustainable practices.
How much?
- Financial support of up to €15,000 (+ €5,000 if there is regeneration).
When ?
- Once a year
B) Be Circular
The "BeCircular" call for projects supports innovative projects that aim to create or develop the activities of one (or more) company(ies) towards more sustainability in a circular economy perspective.
There are 4 categories:
- Transition category: for companies that want to transform their existing activities into a circular approach
- Starter category: for circular companies less than 1 year old
- Diversification category: for circular companies less than 3 years old
- Scale-up category: for circular companies more than 3 years old
For whom ?
Any economic actor (including limited liability companies, self-employed, non-profit associations) or a business partnership which:
- Is based in the Brussels-Capital Region.
- intends to develop its circular economy activities.
How much?
- Financial support of up to €50,000, €80,000 or €200,000 depending on category.
When ?
- Once per year.
C) Digital and Economic Transition
The Digital and Economic Transition call for projects support, on the one hand, VSEs and SMEs in their digitisation, and on the other, the development of digital projects with a positive social and environmental impact.
The interdisciplinary objective of this call for projects is to contribute to the economic transition. Regardless of the category into which a project falls, it must be implemented using a responsible digital approach, i.e. one that is simple, inclusive, ethical and/or democratic.
For whom?
Any economic actor (including limited liability companies, non-profit associations, self-employed, etc.) or a partnership of economic actors which:
- is based in the Brussels-Capital Region and
- pursues activities which contribute to the development of responsible digitisation in the region.
How much?
- Financial support of up to €100,000 for 18 months.
When?
- Once a year.
D) Social economy
The "Social Economy" call for projects supports projects that aim to provide new economic products or services to meet emerging societal needs, or needs which are not adequately met, in the Brussels Region.
For whom ?
This call for projects is aimed exclusively at social and democratic enterprises located in the Brussels-Capital Region (approved at either regional or federal level and/or members of a social economy federation)
How much?
- Financial support of up to €80,000 (for single project initiators) or up to €120,000 (partnerships between multiple social and democratic enterprises in the region).
When ?
- Once a year.
E) Urban agriculture
The "Urban Agriculture" call for projects supports agricultural production projects aiming to make the transition to agroecology or develop their agroecological business.
This call is based on 4 types of company:
- Starter: for start-ups and newly-established companies
- Agroecological transition: for existing businesses wishing to switch to organic and/or agroecological production methods
- Diversification: for companies already active in agroecological production and wishing to develop new business activities
- Scale-up: for companies already active in agroecological production methods and in the growth phase
The cross-cutting objective of this call for projects is to be part of a transition to agroecology, whatever the approach taken by the project, and to demonstrate their feasibility and impact.
For whom ?
The call for projects is aimed at:
- farmers:
- based in the Brussels-Capital Region;
- and/or whose plot is located in the Brussels-Capital Region.
- And who want to develop their business in line with the Good Food strategy
- companies / cooperatives / associations:
- with their business/projects in the field of professional agriculture;
- whose projects are located in the region or in the periphery, but have a significant impact on the Brussels-Capital Region.
- And who want to develop their business in line with the Good Food strategy
How much?
- €15,000 max. for projects in the Starter category
- €20,000 max. for projects in the Agroecological Transition or expansion category
- €15,000 max. for projects in the Diversification category
- €20.000 max. for projects in the Scale-up category
When ?
- Once per year.
F) Electrify.brussels
The "Electrify.brussels" call for projects supports the roll-out of (semi-public) charging stations for electric vehicles in the Brussels Region. This call for projects only relates to investments aimed at adapting and/or enhancing electrical installations to allow charging infrastructure for electric vehicles to be installed. Investments in charging stations themselves are not eligible.
For whom ?
There are 2 categories of target group:
- Category 1: Companies with a private car park accessible to the public. The charging stations must be accessible to the public at least between 8 p.m. and 7 a.m., 7 days a week.
- Categories 2, 3 & 4: Taxi, logistics and public transport companies. The charging stations in question must not be accessible to the public.
How much?
- Minimum subsidy per project: €25,000
- Maximum subsidy per project initiator: €100.000
G) RENOLAB.B
The RENOLAB.B call for projects supports sustainable and circular renovation projects for existing buildings in Brussels, whether at the design or execution stage. This call for projects relates to residential and commercial buildings of all types and uses.
For whom ?
RENOLAB.B is aimed at designers, construction companies and all types of building owners.
To be eligible, a project must:
- Be located in the Brussels-Capital Region and relate to the exemplary renovation of a building and its potential extension, regardless of what type of building it is or how it is used.
- The project must not have started by the date of the selection committee meeting.
How much?
Depending on the type of application:
- Design (support for circular and sustainable project design): fixed subsidy ranging from €10,000 to €15,000 depending on the size of the project
- Execution for building owners (costs of circular and sustainable renovation works): subsidy ranging from €125/m² to €150/m².
- Execution for construction companies (changes to company practices): fixed subsidy ranging from €5,000 to €40,000 depending on the applicant's needs
When ?
- For the Design category: all year round.
- For the Execution categories: selection 3 times a year.
H) SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE GRANT
This grant is intended for 'exemplary' small or micro-enterprises in transition, who wish to share their experience through mentoring and thus contribute to the dissemination of sustainable and committed practices within other companies in Brussels.
For whom ?
Self-employed individuals and companies who:
- have a place of business in the Brussels-Capital Region and
- implement several sustainable best practices and place sustainability at the heart of their company's value proposition.
How much?
- 20 grants of €5,000 each per year.
When ?
- All year round, with a limit of 20 grants available per year.
I) Sustainable Mobility Grant
The Sustainable Mobility Grant from Village Finance supports the sustainable mobility projects of Brussels-based micro-businesses. It can be used to finance investments such as bike parking, using of cooperative for deliveries by bike, purchasing a cargo bike, etc.
For whom ?
Self-employed individuals and companies who:
- have a place of business in the Brussels-Capital Region and
- have fewer than 10 FTEs (micro-businesses)
How much?
- 10 grants of €5,000 each per year.
When ?
- Once a year.
J) Circular Innovation
by Innoviris
Circular Innovation is a financial aid programme proposed by Innoviris to help companies verify the feasibility and viability of an innovative waste recycling or reuse activity.
For whom ?
Companies wishing to take advantage of this aid must meet the following requirements:
- They must be a company (public limited company, non-profit association, partnership limited by shares, limited liability company, etc.) operating in the Brussels-Capital Region.
- They must have a project that aims to develop an activity (product or service) based on recycling or reusing waste
- They need to demonstrate that the funding will stimulate the implementation of the work programme
- They must demonstrate the ability to finance their share in the project
- They must fulfil the obligations in the context of previous support initiatives granted by the Region.
How much?
This financial support is awarded in the form of a non-refundable subsidy, and covers 50% (for large companies), 60% (for medium-sized companies) or 70% (for small companies) of the costs of demonstrating the feasibility and viability of an innovative activity to reuse or recycle waste.
When ?
- Once a year.
Who can help me ?
