EaSI, the EU Employment and Social Innovation Programme to Support Microfinance

EaSI, the EU Employment and Social Innovation Programme to Support Microfinance

Following the Europe 2020 strategy which recognises entrepreneurship and self-employment as key for achieving smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, the European Commission supports microfinance via the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme.

As a tool to fight against poverty and social inclusion, the Microfinance and Social Entrepreneurship axis of EaSI aims to:

  • Increase access to, and the availability of, microfinance for vulnerable groups who want to set up or develop their business and micro-enterprises.
  • Build up the institutional capacity of microcredit providers.
  • Support the development of social enterprises, in particular by facilitating access to finance.

EaSI offers EaSI Guarantee and EaSI Capacity Building both implemented by the European Investment Fund to microfinance providers of EU countries, EEA countries (in accordance with the EEA Agreement), EFTA countries and EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries (in line with the framework agreements concluded with them).

Organisations that can apply for funding are public and private bodies established at national, regional or local level and providing microcredit for persons and microenterprises and/or financing for social enterprises in these countries.

(Source: ec.europa.eu)