Funding Schemes for Social Enterprise

Jeremie- using a combination of EIB support and structural funds to set up loans and equity for SMEs

The JEREMIE initiative developed in cooperation with the European Commission, offers EU Member States, through their national or regional Managing Authorities, the opportunity to use part of their EU Structural Funds to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by means of equity, loans or guarantees, through a revolving Holding Fund acting as an umbrella fund.

The JEREMIE Holding Fund can provide to selected financial intermediaries SME-focused financial instruments including guarantees, co-guarantees and counter-guarantees, equity guarantees, (micro) loans, export‑credit insurance, securitisation, venture capital, Business Angel Matching Funds and investments in Technology Transfer funds.

JASMIN- helps to set up microfinance funds

EIF provides Technical Assistance to selected microfinance institutions (MFIs) and micro-credit providers active in the European Union to increase the quality of their internal processes. JASMINE Technical Assistance services consist of:

The Technical Assistance is financed by the European Commission, Directorate General for Regional Policy and it is free of charge to the beneficiary institutions.

The European Investment Fund has chosen EMN to manage “JASMINE Microfinance Development Services”. EMN will provide the following services a permanent online help-desk - the ‘JASMINE HelpDesk’ - hosted on the European Commission’s website. To access the HelpDesk, click here.

European Progress Microfinance Facility

The European Progress Microfinance Facility is a microfinance initiative established in March 2010 with EUR 200 million of funding from the European Commission and the European Investment Bank.

Progress Microfinance, an initiative targeting all EU-27 Member States , aims to increase access to finance for individuals who have lost or are at risk of losing their job or have difficulties entering or re-entering the labour market. It also targets disadvantaged individuals, including people at risk of social exclusion. In addition to individuals, Progress Microfinance will also support micro-enterprises, including those in the social economy providing jobs for the unemployed or the disadvantaged.