Women’s Entrepreneurship

About us

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Vojvodina• province in the Republic of Serbia

• located in the northern part of the Republic

• mostly agricultural region

• 2 million citizens

• agricultural soil makes up 84% of whole territory

• surface area of 215.000 km2

About us

Foundation: Decision of the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina of 18 December 2003

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Our Mission

Aim: Guarantee Fund of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodine supports loans under favourable conditions to entrepreneurs, SMEs and farmers by providing guarantees for regular loan repayment to commercial banks

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Application Activities until July 2010.

Action Effects Engaged guarantee potential (Euro)

Number ofguarantees

Purchase of mineral fertilizers 20.148tons

3.340.535 42

Purchase of agricultural machinery - tractors 805units

22.504.820 712

Purchase of farming land 307 acres

441.529 70

Support to women’s entrepreneurship 608new jobs

1.857.024 148

Export encouragement 781.000 EUR 625.000 12

28.768.907 984

1. Invitation for applications for approving guarantees for loans aimed at financing START UP programmes for unemployed women in Vojvodina

2. Invitation for applications for approving guarantees for loans aimed at financing the purchase of equipment by women entrepreneurs and women founders of small enterprises in Vojvodina who have performed their activity for less than three years

Supporting Women’s Entrepreneurship

Guarantee potential for both of the Invitations for applications is about 2 million Euro

INVITATION FOR APPLICATIONS

START-UPfor unemployed women

Women entrepreneursand women founders of small

enterprises – up to 3 years

• Project development started at the beginning of 2006• Invitations for applications in Banat region were launched at the end of 2006• First gurantee was issued in April 2007• Invitations for applications in the whole of Vojvodina were expended in the middle of 2007

d Project development

General reasons

•At the end of May 2007, 52,08% of all unemployed people were women

•According to the labour force questionnaire conducted by the Republic Bureau of Statistics, there were 22,7 % of self-employed women in Vojvodina

•Women made up only 15% of property owners in Vojvodina

- Due to the collateral lack, women have additional difficulties

to start and develop their own business

Reasons for Starting the Project

Reasons for Starting the Project

Specific reason

Programme for Banat financed by the European Agency for Reconstruction

Purpose of the programme was women’seducation and training for entrepreneurship

Project Partners

Banca Intesa

Secretariat of Labour, Employment and Gender Equality

Regional Agency for SME Development- MSP ALMA MONS Novi Sad

Regional Center for Socio-economic Development - Banat

Women's Entrepreneurship Academy Kikinda

Educational Centar Zrenjanin

Chamber of Commerce of Vojvodina

(Committee for Women’s Entrepreneurship)

Regional Chamber of Commerce Novi Sad

Credit Conditions

Economic activities:

Manufacture and processing

Tourism

Handicrafts – old crafts

Production services

Credit Conditions

Maximum loans for start-ups in the amount of up to 10.000 Euro. The loans are mostly intended for financing the purchase of equipment but 30 % of the loan can be used for working capital

Maximum loans for women entrepreneurs who have performed their activities for up to three years in the amount of up to 20.000 Euro.Total amount of the loan can be used for the purchase of equipment

Fixed nominal rate 6,95 %

Loan repayment period up to 6 years with grace period of 1 year

Monthly annuities

General Credit Conditions

Project Effects

150 women's projects supported

Engaged guarantee potential is 1.9 million Euro

618 jobs created

Monitoring – visiting applicants at the spot, familiarizing with the project, assisting applicants in completing the application

Following the project within the period of six years - assistance provided

Family business support Invitations for applications have been continuously open since

2006 and will be open until the guarantee potential has been fully exhausted

Participation of Women`s Entrepreneurs in the Investment Value is not necessary

Project Characteristics

Manufacture of pastry goods,

Manufacture of cakes,

Organisation of events,

Manufacture of wooden souvenirs,

Manufacture of EU palettes,

Photocopying services,

Manufacture of furniture,

Accommodation in private houses

Different projects

Manufacture of textile,

Accommodation services,

Children’s club,

Manufacture of dietetic products, herbal and honey based products

Fast food,

Processing of meat

Weaving,

Manufacture of cash register rolls,

Hairdresser’s and other beauty treatments

We have supported different projects

Approved projects

Prize of the Regions

The Autonomous Province of Vojvodina was awarded 2008 Prize of the Regions of the Council of Europe  Congress for the project “Supporting Women’s Entrepreneurship”  by Guarantee Fund of AP Vojvodine

2008 Prize of the Regions Laureate.

Our Applicants in the Future

Serbia, 21000 Novi Sad, Hajduk Veljkova 11Phone: (021) 489-3700

Fax: (021) 489-3700e-mail: garfondapv@neobee.net

www.garfondapv.org.rs

ALL RIGHTS RESERVEDAny part of this presentation may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form

without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.Photo: © 2006. JupiterImages Corp.