Social Economy Support Fund

• Maximum financial support of $20,000 per year, up to a total of $40,000 for projects lasting up to two years.
• Up to 80% of eligible expenses covered for start-up and development projects.
• Up to 50% of eligible expenses covered for innovation and training projects.
• Up to 30% of eligible infrastructure expenses covered.
• Total public funding for a project cannot exceed 80% of eligible expenses.

• The applicant must be a social economy enterprise (cooperative or non-profit organization with commercial activities) located in Mauricie.
• Non-profit organizations must have a project aimed at developing a commercial activity.
• Promoter groups planning to start a social economy enterprise in Mauricie are eligible.
• The applicant organization or enterprise must not be insolvent or undergoing financial restructuring.
• The project must be collective in nature, have defined start and end dates, deliver measurable results, and respect the principles of the social economy.

Who is eligible?

• Social economy enterprises in Mauricie (cooperatives and non-profit organizations with a commercial component)
• Non-profit organizations in Mauricie with projects aimed at developing commercial activities
• Promoter groups with a project to start a social economy enterprise in Mauricie

Who is not eligible

• Enterprises or organizations deemed insolvent or under financial restructuring.
• Organizations whose projects serve exclusively their own interests and are not considered collective in nature.
• Companies or initiatives with religious, political, or sexual purposes, or those involving the sale of alcohol, or activities that could generate controversy.
• Projects duplicating the roles or activities of existing social economy enterprises or organizations, unless proven to be concerted and complementary in the territory.
• Organizations conducting activities already regulated by existing government programs, policies, laws, or regulations.

Eligible expenses

• Professional fees and salaries for personnel dedicated to the project.
• Direct costs for planning, studies, feasibility analyses, and project activities.
• Purchase or rental costs of tools, infrastructure, and equipment required for the project.
• Acquisition costs of land or capital assets related to the project.
• Development and marketing expenses, including mentoring, communications, and promotional materials.
• Costs related to intellectual property (such as patents).
• Travel, meals, and accommodation expenses directly linked to the project.
• Training fees and participation or registration costs for relevant activities and materials.
• Costs for digital development and upgrades (e.g., websites, applications, multimedia tools).
• Infrastructure work that positively impacts the viability or revenue of the organization.
• Operating expenses directly related to project start-up, for a maximum of 6 months and up to 10% of the total project costs.

Eligible geographic areas

• Mauricie region, Quebec

• Collective impact and concertation of the project within the community.
• Achievement of tangible and measurable results within a defined timeframe.
• Complementarity with existing local initiatives and funding sources, without duplication or substitution.
• Alignment with the principles and structuring nature of social economy.
• Viability and long-term sustainability of the project.

• Applications are accepted on a continuous basis; the analysis process may take up to four months, especially during the summer or when there is a high volume of submissions.
• The fund managers reserve the right to limit the number of approved applications and adjust grant amounts based on the available budget.
• If the project is eligible for another grant program, the application may be redirected to the appropriate agency.
• Any project modification after funding approval requires re-evaluation and approval by the fund's managing committee.