Support for Innovative Local Micro-Projects (AMPLI) from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region

July 2024

Réseau des collectivités Territoriales pour une Economie Solidaire (RTES)

As part of its latest publication ‘What place for SSE and social innovation in the ERDF / FTJ / ESF+ programmes of the French Regions?’, the RTES wanted to highlight the Support for Innovative Local Micro-Projects (AMPLI) scheme of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region.

This scheme supports and finances the start-up of a new economic activity in the SSE sector, in particular structuring actions (creation of management, monitoring and communication tools, etc.) and professionalisation (creation of the first job, etc.).

The AMPLI scheme

This scheme is aimed primarily at start-ups, after a feasibility study and before the actual start-up of the business. It provides operating aid of €20,000 from the ESF+ to finance the structuring phase, the formalisation of partnerships, the consolidation of the business model and professionalisation (including the creation of the first job in the business). This lump sum is paid in two instalments: 60% at the start of the business (€12,000) and 40% at the end. This lump sum is conditional on the achievement of a single result: the creation of an approved job (minimum 0.5 FTE) during the start-up phase of the business. Under the scheme, project sponsors receive financial support for a period of up to 12 months (known as the ‘start-up period’), enabling them to devote themselves fully to deploying their new economic activity and putting in place the conditions for its long-term survival.

One of the keys to the scheme’s success is the time spent before the application is submitted, on defining the scope of the start-up actions, the issues at stake and the construction of a business model. This time-consuming support is provided by the ESF Department in conjunction with the SSE Department, which is responsible for ensuring that the projects are territorially based. Grant applications are submitted on an ad hoc basis according to the realities and phasing of the projects. This scheme is also part of a partnership with SSE support players (CRESS, France Active, DLA, incubators, Urscop, etc.) which guarantees the quality of guidance and overall support for the project in the short, medium and long term. The criteria for qualifying for the scheme are : The opportunity to create a new activity and its socio-economic environment in the area where it is to be set up; The project’s adherence to SSE values; A business model that has been defined or is in the process of being defined; The quality of the area’s anchoring (measurement of the possible link with financial and/or technical partners and local public players). On average, 70 projects are supported each year.

Key figures from an AMPLI survey conducted in 2023

Sustainability of the activity over time: 82% of the activities created under the AMPLI scheme are still in existence.
Development of structures: more than 50% of structures that have benefited from AMPLI declare that they have created activities other than those structured during the AMPLI start-up period.
Job retention: 68% of the organisations that benefited from AMPLI retained the first job created during the AMPLI start-up phase. In addition, 92% have created additional jobs.
Territorial reach of the organisations: more than 9 out of 10 have developed territorial projects with public bodies and/or local partners.
Appreciation of AMPLI aid for business start-ups: more than 72% of the organisations acknowledge that ESF aid represents the main funding for launching their business. Half of the organisations believe that they would not have been able to start up without AMPLI assistance.
Satisfactory assessment of the aid and support mechanisms by the organisations: almost 95% of the organisations find that the amount of aid is appropriate or very appropriate. Over 97% are satisfied or very satisfied with the operational support provided by the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region.