The program for encouraging the development of entrepreneurship through financial support for women entrepreneurs and youth in 2021 is implemented by the Ministry of Economy in cooperation with the Development Fund of the Republic of Serbia.

The total available non-refundable funds for the implementation of the program amount to 100,000,000.00 dinars. The remaining amount of investments of economic entities will be financed from the Fund's loans.

Entrepreneurs, micro and small companies that were registered with the Business Registers Agency at least five years prior to the year of submitting the request, have the right to apply for the public call, and whose:

 – Founder and legal representative is a woman;

– Founder and legal representative is a natural person under the age of 30.

Business entities can exercise the right to financial support in the form of grants in the amount of up to 35% of the investment value, or up to 45% of the investment value for economic entities belonging to the local self-governmental units that are classified in the fourth development group. The remaining amount of the investment will be financed from the Fund's loans with a repayment period of up to 5 years.

The amount of the total approved funds cannot be less than 400,000.00 dinars, nor higher than 6,000,000.00 dinars for all business entities.

Investments that can be financed under this Program include:

– Purchase of the equipment/vehicle (new or used one, not older than five years);

– Current maintenance of business or production premises up to the amount of 350,000.00 dinars;

– Operating costs, the share of which in the structure of total investments can be up to 20%.

Correctly completed application for the loan and non-refundable funds, along with the accompanying documentation, are to be submitted to the Fund at the following addresses: Bulevar Nemanjica 14a, Nis and Knez Mihailova 14, Belgrade.

The public call will be open until the available funds have been used up, but no later than December 31, 2021.

The documentation necessary for applying and the information on the rules for participating in the public call can be downloaded on https://privreda.gov.rs/javni_pozivi/javni-poziv-za-dodelu-bespovratnih-sredstava-u-okviru-programa-podsticanja-razvoja-preduzetnistva-kroz-finansijsku-podrsku-za-zene-preduzetnice-i-mlade-u-2021-godini/.

Source: Ministry of Economy and Coordination Body