Belgian Grants Glossary — Key Terms Every SME Should Know

Belgian grant applications are filled with specialised terms that can trip up even experienced business owners. Understanding these terms is not just academic — it directly affects whether your application is eligible, how much you can receive, and how you structure your project budget.

This glossary covers the most common terms you will encounter when applying for subsidies in Belgium, whether through VLAIO, Innoviris, SPW, or EU programs. Bookmark this page and refer back to it whenever you encounter unfamiliar jargon.

If you need help interpreting how a specific term applies to your situation, the BelGrant assistant Lucas can explain it in context.

De minimis aid is a category of state support that is considered too small to distort competition within the EU. Under the current regulation, a company can receive up to €300,000 in de minimis aid over a rolling three-year period (previously €200,000, updated in 2024).

Many Belgian grant programs fall under the de minimis framework, which means they count toward this cumulative ceiling. When applying, you will often be asked to declare all de minimis aid your company has received in the past three years.

Important: de minimis thresholds apply per company, not per grant. If you have received multiple small subsidies from different agencies, they all count toward the same ceiling.

State aid refers to any public support given to a company that could give it a competitive advantage over others in the EU single market. EU rules regulate state aid to ensure a level playing field across member states.

Not all subsidies are considered state aid — programs that are open to all companies without selective criteria, or that fall under the de minimis threshold, may be exempt. Larger grants, especially those above the de minimis ceiling, are typically subject to state aid rules and require notification to the European Commission.

Understanding whether a grant falls under general state aid rules, the General Block Exemption Regulation (GBER), or de minimis is important because it affects cumulation rules and maximum aid intensities.

Co-financing (cofinancement / cofinanciering) means the beneficiary must fund a portion of the project cost themselves. If a grant covers 50% of eligible costs, you are expected to provide the remaining 50% from your own resources.

Subsidy intensity (aide-intensité / subsidie-intensiteit) is the percentage of eligible project costs covered by the grant. This varies by program, company size, and project type. SMEs typically receive higher subsidy intensities than large enterprises.

For example, VLAIO R&D subsidies can cover 25–50% of eligible costs depending on the type of research (industrial research vs. experimental development) and the company size. Always check the specific intensity for your category.

Eligible costs (coûts éligibles / subsidiabele kosten) are the specific project expenses that the grant will cover. Not all project costs are eligible — each program defines which categories count.

Common eligible cost categories include personnel costs for project staff, subcontracting to external experts, materials and consumables, equipment depreciation during the project period, overhead costs (often calculated as a flat percentage), and travel costs for project-related activities.

Costs incurred before the official project start date or after the end date are typically not eligible. Always verify the eligible cost categories in the program guidelines before budgeting your project.

A NACE code is the EU statistical classification of economic activities. Every Belgian company is assigned one or more NACE codes in the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (KBO/BCE) that describe its business activities.

Many grant programs use NACE codes to define which sectors are eligible or excluded. For instance, some VLAIO programs exclude NACE codes related to agriculture, fisheries, or real estate. Your NACE code may also affect the subsidy intensity you receive.

You can find your company's NACE codes on the KBO Public Search website or in your company's official registration documents. If your NACE code does not match your actual activity, you can request a modification through the KBO.

The KBO number (Kruispuntbank van Ondernemingen) or BCE number (Banque-Carrefour des Entreprises) is the unique company identification number assigned to every registered business in Belgium. It is formatted as a 10-digit number starting with 0 or 1.

Your KBO/BCE number is required on virtually every grant application in Belgium. It links your application to your official company data: legal form, registered address, NACE codes, and company size classification.

You can look up any Belgian company's KBO/BCE number on the official public search portal.

TRL (Technology Readiness Level) is a scale from 1 to 9 that measures how mature a technology is, from basic research (TRL 1) to proven in operational environment (TRL 9).

Many R&D grant programs, especially at EU level and through VLAIO, use TRL levels to define which stage of development they support. A program targeting TRL 3–6 funds projects moving from proof of concept to prototype, while a program targeting TRL 7–9 supports near-market demonstration and deployment.

Understanding your project's current TRL and target TRL helps you identify the right funding programs and frame your application correctly. The BelGrant assistant can help you assess your project's TRL positioning.

A valorisation plan (plan de valorisation / valorisatieplan) describes how you will exploit and commercialise the results of your R&D project. Most innovation grant programs require one as part of the application.

A strong valorisation plan covers your target market, go-to-market strategy, intellectual property protection, expected revenue impact, and timeline for bringing the innovation to market. It demonstrates that the R&D investment will lead to concrete economic outcomes.

Reviewers use the valorisation plan to assess whether the project has realistic commercial potential. Weak valorisation plans are one of the most common reasons for grant application rejection.

A rolling call (appel continu / doorlopende oproep) is a grant program that accepts applications on an ongoing basis, with no fixed deadline. Applications are evaluated as they come in. Examples include many VLAIO SME growth and innovation subsidies.

A fixed call (appel à projets / projectoproep) has a specific submission deadline. All applications are evaluated together after the deadline closes, and funding is allocated competitively. Many EU programs and some regional programs use fixed calls.

Rolling calls offer more flexibility in timing, while fixed calls are often more competitive since all applications in that round compete against each other for a limited budget.

Cumulation rules (règles de cumul / cumulatieregels): Rules governing whether and how multiple grants or aid measures can be combined for the same project. Most programs have cumulation ceilings that cap total public support at a percentage of eligible costs.

Consortium (consortium): A group of organisations (companies, research institutions, universities) that jointly apply for and execute a grant project. Many EU and VLAIO programs encourage or require consortia, especially for larger R&D projects.

Advance payment (avance / voorschot): Some grant programs pay a portion of the subsidy upfront when the project starts, rather than only reimbursing costs after completion. This helps SMEs manage cash flow during the project.

Reporting obligations (obligations de rapportage / rapportageverplichtingen): Most grants require periodic progress reports and a final report. These typically include financial statements, technical progress descriptions, and evidence that milestones have been achieved.

Audit (audit): Granting agencies have the right to audit your project to verify that funds were used correctly. Keep all invoices, timesheets, and project documentation organised and accessible for the full retention period specified in your grant agreement.

Innovation voucher (chèque-innovation / innovatiecheque): A small-value subsidy (often €5,000–€10,000) that SMEs can use to purchase advice or services from approved knowledge institutions. VLAIO's kmo-innovatieproject is a well-known example.

Feasibility study subsidy (subside étude de faisabilité / haalbaarheidsstudiesubsidie): Funding to assess whether a new product, service, or process concept is technically and commercially viable before committing to full development. Available through VLAIO and some EU programs.

Ecological premium (prime écologique / ecologiepremie): A VLAIO subsidy for investments in environmentally friendly technologies and processes in Flanders. Covers the additional cost of choosing green technology over conventional alternatives.

Understanding grant terminology is the first step toward submitting a strong application. When you read a grant call or application guide, you should be able to identify the subsidy intensity, eligible cost categories, de minimis implications, and reporting requirements without confusion.

If you are unsure how a term applies to your specific situation, ask the BelGrant assistant Lucas. He can explain complex subsidy concepts in plain language and help you figure out which programs are the best fit for your project.

Start by taking the eligibility quiz to see which Belgian grants match your company profile, then use this glossary as a reference while preparing your application.