The Maria Nowak Research Fellowship is a flagship initiative designed to support EMN members through research-driven consultancy. The initiative, supported by the European Commission and the European Investment Fund, aims to advance research in the inclusive finance sector while delivering tangible benefits to EMN members.
As part of this initiative, a chosen EMN member will receive free consultancy support to tackle a research assignment. A designated researcher, commissioned in agreement with the selected member, will undertake an assignment based on the member's needs for a period of up to 1 year.
Moreover, the initiative seeks to contribute to the broader academic landscape of microfinance in Europe. The data collected during the assignment will be utilised by the researcher to draft an academic paper. As part of this initiative, EMN members are expected to grant the researcher permission to use the collected data for this purpose.
EMN members are invited to submit their research proposals focusing on target groups facing significant barriers to financial inclusion and entrepreneurship.
These groups (not to be intended as mutually exclusive) include:
- Women
- Migrants and refugees
- Youth not in education, employment, or training (NEET)
- Rural populations
- People with disabilities
- Seniors
Proposals should aim to:
- Build evidence on impact of microfinance activities.
- Design new services tailored to the needs of these groups (e.g., training programs for women entrepreneurs, BDS for migrants).
- Drive innovation by exploring new approaches (e.g. green finance, access to housing and education, non-financial services to enhance entrepreneurs’ resilience, inclusive digital tools).
Examples of assignments that can be undertaken include, but are not limited to, impact studies, data analysis, managerial insights for the development of new products/tools, cross-country benchmarking of existing practices and market assessments.
The call is open to all EMN members: practitioners, national networks, social networks, support organisations, and investors. Joint proposals from more than 1 member are also accepted (no budget increase).
To apply for this year’s edition, please complete the form by 3rd March 2025 and send it to n.benaglio@european-microfinance.org and f.preve@european-microfinance.org.
Please download the full call document to access all the relevant information.
Funded by the European Union
With the support of
