Funding and grants consultation: targeting sources and guiding the application

Situations calling for the funding and grants consultation

• An SME is considering bank financing and seeks to check that its file meets the applicable criteria.
• A cooperative or an association wishes to apply to a public programme without knowing which one matches its project.
• A project sponsor has a financing plan but does not know which documents the targeted call for projects requires.
• An institution or a local authority is preparing its application to a cooperation fund and wants to check its completeness.
• A first submission was unsuccessful and its author seeks to identify its weaknesses before a new application.

Process

1. Collection of the project and the funding need. The firm first receives the project description, the financing plan and the financial statements. This phase takes place asynchronously, through the transmission of documents.
2. Identification of suitable funding sources and their criteria. The firm then matches the project against bank financing, public programmes and cooperation funds. The criteria of each source retained are recorded.
3. Review of the completeness of the file using checklist P-15. The review covers the presence and consistency of the expected documents. Upstream, the IA-04 interactive assistant supports the completion of this checklist, without issuing any opinion.
4. Identification of weaknesses and missing documents. This step identifies the gaps between the file and the criteria of each targeted source. It thus ranks the additions to be made before any submission.
5. Written or videoconference presentation of findings. The guidance note constitutes an asynchronous presentation of findings. The 60-minute videoconference, by contrast, offers a synchronous exchange, documented in a session record.

Deliverable

The funding and grants consultation results in a guidance note or, in a videoconference, a session record. The document first presents the targeted funding sources and the criteria specific to each. It then sets out the status of the file against checklist P-15. Finally, it lists the documents to be completed. The note reaches the client within the five working days following receipt of complete information. The session record, for its part, traces the points examined during the videoconference.

Prerequisites

The consultation requires a description of the project and a financing plan. The financial statements or, failing that, a provisional budget supplement this file. Where applicable, the targeted call for projects is also among the documents. The timeframe runs from receipt of this complete information.

Frequently asked questions

How to choose between the guidance note and the videoconference?

The guidance note is suitable when the file calls for a detailed reading of the documents and a written record. The 60-minute videoconference, by contrast, favours direct exchange on the project and the sources under consideration. In both cases, the content covers the same elements: targeted sources, criteria, status of the file and documents to be completed. The common consultation form records the chosen format.

What is the timeframe for the funding and grants consultation?

The guidance note is delivered within five working days. The videoconference takes place in a slot set at least 7 days after booking (priority slot possible within five working days), Tuesday to Thursday. These timeframes run from receipt of a complete file. They nevertheless remain indicative, in accordance with the common rules of the catalogue. A missing document therefore postpones the starting point of the timeframe.

Does the consultation guarantee that funding will be obtained?

No. The consultation is an obligation of means and carries no guarantee that a grant or financing will be obtained. It informs the targeting of sources and the status of the file before submission. The client remains the sole decision-maker on the application. The client is also responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information provided to the firm.

What withdrawal rules apply?

For a consumer client, Law No. 31-08 provides for a seven-day right of withdrawal. A consultation scheduled at least seven days after booking preserves this right. Conversely, a consultation scheduled less than seven days ahead entails immediate performance, without right of withdrawal. ASKonsult then obtains the consumer’s express consent, after informing the consumer of these consequences.

Do the documents provided remain confidential?

ASKonsult treats the information and documents provided by the client as confidential. They are exchanged through the secure area, and their use is limited to the purposes of the consultation. This obligation survives the end of the relationship. The client is likewise bound with regard to the non-public tools and deliverables it receives.

What role does the IA-04 interactive assistant play?

The IA-04 interactive assistant supports the completion of checklist P-15. It explains the sections and criteria, clarifies what is expected and checks the consistency of the answers. However, the assistant issues no opinion and does not qualify any particular situation. Its outputs do not constitute a deliverable: the firm then analyses and validates the work prepared.

What follow-up can extend the consultation?

When the file calls for structured work, the Preparing a grant or funding application package (K-08) takes over. The Business plan and financial forecast package (K-02) is another possible follow-up. A recurring need points instead to the Reference subscription (A-01). In addition, the pitch consultation (C-03) and the investment consultation (C-10) address issues related to the funding and grants consultation.

Out of scope

The consultation does not include drafting the funding or grant application. Nor does it include its submission on the client’s behalf. The search for funders also remains outside the service. Finally, no guarantee of success attaches to the note or the session record, since the consultation is an obligation of means.