FMFIB is partnering on a two-year EPSI (Empowering Partnership for Social Innovation) project, which started in February 2025, funded by the European Social Fund.
The project brings together Bulgarian and international organisations to develop social entrepreneurship in Bulgaria. Along with FMFIB, the consortium includes BCause Foundation as the leading partner, SIS Credit, as well as international partners from France (PULSE and IBA), Italy (Banca Etica), and MicroFinance Center.
FMFIB will bring its expertise in structuring and managing financial instruments at national level and the allocation of public funds from European programmes to target sectors.
The main objective of the project is to increase the understanding of social purpose investments among Bulgarian investors and entrepreneurs. Within two years, the Bulgarian market will be studied, a new financial instrument for social entrepreneurship will be developed and tested, combining financial lending and non-financial assistance, and special trainings for social entrepreneurs will be held.
FMFIB's participation in this project underlines our commitment to the development of innovative financial solutions in support of social entrepreneurship in Bulgaria. Our team will help to create an investment strategy and model for the instrument so that it is applicable in Bulgaria and based on best practices in other EU Member States.
In connection with the implementation of the project, a series of meetings are planned during June and July to exchange expertise between the organisations in the consortium. The first of these has already taken place at Banca Etica in Padova, Italy. The discussions explored the bank's experience in assessing ESG impact of projects; working with local action community groups to promote social finance and other voluntary initiatives; the terms of bank social lending; working financial instruments in social entrepreneurship; setting up social finance partnerships, etc.
