The Executive Director and Chairman of the Board of the Fund of Funds Alexander Georgiev held informational meetings with experts of the Municipality of Pleven and the Medical University - Pleven to present funding opportunities for projects in various areas. Within the framework of the working visit, specific mechanisms for supporting local initiatives and research projects were discussed.
The meeting with the Mayor of the Municipality of Pleven Dr. Valentin Hristov and the Director of the Financial and Economic Directorate Evgeni Genov focused on the new financial instruments for urban development for the programming period 2021-2027. The Fund of Funds manages a resource of BGN 513 million, distributed between the Development of Regions Programme (BGN 442 million) and the Competitiveness and Innovation in Enterprises Programme (BGN 71 million), co-financed by the EU. The main priorities include energy efficiency of residential and public buildings, sustainable mobility, green urban infrastructure, health and social infrastructure and cultural and historical heritage. The new financial instruments provide for a combination of loan and grant funding in one operation, which will facilitate applicants and encourage more projects to be implemented.
During the workshop at the Medical University - Pleven, the opportunities for financing the university through the Urban Development Fund, the Technology Transfer Fund and micro-credit for students and PhD students were discussed.
For her part, the Deputy Rector for Research Prof. Dr. Mariela Kamburova introduced Mr. Georgiev to the large-scale European projects of the university, including the second phase of the innovative project "Centre of Competence in Personalised Medicine, 3D and Telemedicine, Robotic and Minimally Invasive Surgery" and the Strategic Research and Innovation Programme "Medicine for Health" under the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
The workshops laid the groundwork for future partnerships in funding community and research projects. The Fund of Funds reaffirmed its commitment to facilitate access to funding and to support the implementation of important projects for municipalities and academic institutions. It should be recalled that this week also saw the announcement of the launch of the procurement process for the selection of intermediaries under the EU co-funded Education Programme 2021-2027. Two financial instruments will be implemented under this Programme - "Start-up Fund for Students and Doctoral Students" with a budget of nearly BGN 23.1 million and "Microcredit for Entrepreneurship of Students and Doctoral Students" for nearly BGN 7.9 million.
