The competition for persons with disabilities and employers has been extended until December 10, 2024.
The competition for funds from the first Incentive Fund for (Self)Employment of Persons with Disabilities in Serbia, valued at over 2 million dinars and opened in Kragujevac in August, has been extended until December 10, 2024, and can be found on the website www.divac.com/FondPoMeri.
The fund provides financial and mentoring support to persons with disabilities from Kragujevac and the surrounding area who already have or wish to start their own business, as well as employers who hire persons with disabilities and want to improve their operations.
The first incentive fund in Serbia is intended for persons with disabilities aged 18 to 65, as well as companies and associations, and was established in May of this year through the cooperation of the City of Kragujevac, the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, and the Regional Agency for Economic Development of Šumadija and Pomoravlje, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Users can apply for incentive funds consisting of 70% interest-free repayable funds, which are repaid over a period of 3 years, and 30% grants. The goal of the competition is to support the establishment or improvement of businesses owned by persons with disabilities or their employment in the private sector.
The fund was established with an investment of $12,500 from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), while the City of Kragujevac provided $7,500.
The maximum individual amount that persons with disabilities can apply for is 215,000 dinars, while for employers, this amount is 535,000 dinars.
In addition to financial support, persons with disabilities and employers will also receive mentoring support, as well as training for starting and improving their businesses.
The Incentive Fund was established with the support of USAID as part of the project “Job Fit: Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities,” aimed at creating equal access to employment for persons with disabilities and encouraging a more open and inclusive labor market in Serbia. The project is implemented by the Youth with Disabilities Forum in partnership with the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, Caritas Serbia, Smart Kolektiv, and the Center for Independent Living Serbia.
The competition was opened in August, and in order to allow all interested persons with disabilities and employers to apply with the necessary documentation and provide essential support throughout the process, it will last until December 10, 2024.
