EU Programme
ESF+
Objective: To enable more social enterprises to take on repayable finance for developing and scaling up their business models.
- Strand A: Establishment of social finance partnerships: Facilitating the development of a consortium and commitment to act in in view of laying the groundwork for a future financial instrument -> relevant for actions in countries with a nascent social finance market
- Strand B: Establishment of social finance instruments and mechanisms: Mobilising key partners to act and to cooperate with a view to setting up a concrete financial instrument -> relevant for actions in countries with young social finance markets
Programme: European Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) (2014-2020) – PROGRESS Axis
Institution: European Commission – Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL)
Type: Grant
Amount / Budget: EUR 2 500 000
- Grant for strand A: EUR 150 000 – EUR 200 000
- Grant for strand B: EUR 200 000 – EUR 250 000
The EU grant may not exceed 80% of total eligible costs of the action, so applicants must guarantee their co-financing of the remaining amount.
Who is eligible: Consortium including a lead applicant and at least two co-applicants, which includes at least:
- one investor with the intention (Strand A) or commitment (Strand B) to invest/co-invest in the envisaged financial product, and
- one support organisation with the intention (Strand A) or commitment(Strand B) to provide business development services to investees
Requirements:
- The activities to be funded will consist of developing social finance partnerships and feasible, suitable and reliable financial instruments or schemes providing finance to social enterprises, as well as non-financial support aimed at improving the social enterprises' investment readiness (such as business development and networking).
- Focus on supporting social enterprises that are in need of smaller investments (< 500 000 EUR)
More information: All information to be found here:
- A webinar is planned for the end of January 2020
- Organisations looking for a partner, in view of submitting a joint proposal, can express their interest publicly