The objective of the call is to test a transaction cost support scheme in the form of a grant to be combined with financial instruments as a means to address the mismatch of needed and sustainable ticket sizes. More particularly, it aims at catalysing smaller risk-capital investments of below EUR 500 000 that otherwise would not happen.

The grant is aimed at financial intermediaries that undertake long term risk capital investments in ticket sizes of less than EUR 500 000 in the form of equity, quasi-equity, or hybrid financing to social enterprises in the EaSI Participating Countries. It will serve to lower the transaction costs for these small investment tickets and thus help overcome a market failure in the social enterprise finance market.

Activities related to the preparation, conclusion and follow-up of long term risk capital investments into social enterprises may be funded under this call for proposals.

The total budget earmarked for the EU co-financing of projects under this call is estimated at EUR 3 million. The EU grant requested should indicatively be between EUR 300 000 and EUR 1 million.