Deadline: 7-Nov-22
The “EU4Moldova: Key Regions” program launches the Non-Reimbursable Financial Assistance Program to support initiatives in promoting social entrepreneurship in the Cahul and Ungheni regions , Edition 2022 .
The purpose of this Call is to support social entrepreneurship initiatives in urban and rural areas of the Cahul and Ungheni regions, especially those run or that have a positive impact on women, men and young people and a higher degree of innovation and business digitalization and a positive impact on the environment. A financial support mechanism will be launched (involving the purchase of equipment/goods/works/services), accompanied by a mentoring program to stimulate entrepreneurial culture in the key regions of Ungheni and Cahul.
The general objective of the EU4Moldova Program: key regions lies in strengthening economic, territorial and social cohesion in the Republic of Moldova by facilitating smart, green, inclusive, sustainable and integrated socio-economic local development and improving the living standards of citizens in the key regions: Cahul and Ungheni. In order to achieve this major goal, the EU4Moldova: Key Regions Program aims, among other objectives, to address the urban-rural gap and regional disparities, stimulate economic growth, create jobs for men, women and young people in key regions and improve the attractiveness of the regions- key for investors and entrepreneurs.
Business development focuses on the attraction, emergence of new businesses and the flourishing of existing companies. The EU4Moldova: key regions program aims to support and improve business, create and stabilize a number of start-ups, stimulate existing companies for expansion and development, as well as new investment opportunities in the region Special attention will be given to social entrepreneurship pilot projects, which will address social needs and improve the local economic environment. Initiatives will also focus on boosting the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean and circular economy, restoring biodiversity and reducing pollution.
Specific Objective
- Special attention is drawn to social entrepreneurs whose mission is to respond to social needs and improve the local economic environment. At the same time, social business initiatives focus on stimulating the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy and restoring biodiversity and reducing pollution.
- One of the main activities within EU4Moldova: Key Regions is to provide support for business development as well as social entrepreneurship initiatives and private sector capacity building in the Cahul and Ungheni regions through a dedicated support mechanism that will consider among others aspects, investments in support of the circular economy, green economy actions, including waste management in order to reduce it and maximize its reintroduction into the economic circuit, as well as the prevention of environmental.
- The support given to initiatives promoting social entrepreneurship consists of nonreimbursable financial support mechanisms for social entrepreneurship, dedicated to private companies and legal entities, registered with the competent authorities of the Republic of Moldova, aiming to address the “unsatisfied needs of the population” and which are not attractive to the private sector , because of the low profit margin.
- The purpose of the Financial Assistance Program to support initiatives in the promotion of social entrepreneurship in the key regions of Cahul and Ungheni (hereinafter – the Program) is to promote and support the entrepreneurial spirit among the urban and rural population, especially among women, men and young people by supporting the implementation of innovative ideas and the creation of new jobs.
- The program also aims to support civil society organizations in order to create and/or develop social businesses, which through specific social entrepreneurship activities aim to solve a social problem, including tangential to the Sustainable Development Goals, to create new jobs and opportunities of social and professional integration of people from disadvantaged groups, a fact that will later contribute to the well-being of citizens and communities. – Group of people who will be registered in the districts of Cahul or Ungheni as a legal entity until the financial support is granted and who will operate in the districts of Cahul or The non-refundable financial assistance program provides for the following: Through the financial assistance offered within this Program, the following activities will be supported:
- The creation of social enterprises, which will ensure the reinvestment of the profit in the social entrepreneurship business in order to solve the identified social problem and achieve the proposed social objective. The business idea must respond to an identified social need that persists in the community/region, including the employment of people from disadvantaged categories (people with special needs, elderly people, rural women, unemployed youth, ethnic minorities, etc.)
- Development of existing social enterprises, which implement innovative ideas in order to solve a social problem or contribute to the social inclusion of people belonging to disadvantaged groups or solve social problems associated with these groups.
Funding Information
- 4 social entrepreneurship projects from both regions will benefit from financial assistance in the form of equipment/goods/works/services, with a maximum value of 20,000 EURO for each.
Eligibility Criteria
- Potential applicants from the key regions of Cahul and Ungheni who meet the following requirements are eligible to participate in the Support Program for Social Entrepreneurship Initiatives
- Group of people who will be registered in the districts of Cahul or Ungheni as a legal entity until the financial support is granted and who will operate in the districts of Cahul or Ungheni (urban or rural area)
- Existing legal entities or companies, registered in the districts of Cahul or Ungheni (urban or rural area) that aim to develop, finance and implement initiatives that will respond to social, cultural or environmental problems by reinvesting the profit for social purposes;
- Mandatory monetary contribution of at least 5% of the total value of the project. This will only be accepted in the form of a monetary contribution, which will be documented to the Program – Lack of arrears to the public budget.
- Applications from state-owned enterprises or those founded by local authorities are not eligible. Entities that have been selected and have benefited from financial support in previous editions of the respective competition are no longer eligible to apply.
Ineligible
- Costs related to the acquisition of land or real estate (construction)
- Costs for ceremonies, parties, celebrations, alcoholic beverages, tobacco
- Payment of debts, fines, penalties, profit
- It is prohibited to procure goods based on UNDP regulations, including luxury products, contraceptive products, used products, gambling, military products and products with a negative impact on the environment, agricultural goods (eg seedlings, seeds, plants, etc.), motor vehicles including motorcycles, pharmaceutical products, fertilizers, medical equipment, used equipment (used/second- hand)
- Any acquisitions or activities that have already been implemented before participating in this contest or activities financed by other donors/double funding is prohibited
- Acquisitions or activities that are not necessary to achieve the goals of the assistance non-refundable financial.
- Exchange losses;
- Depreciation expenses;
- Leasing costs.
For more information, visit https://sc.undp.md/tnddetails2/2543/