Kragujevac, September 30, 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 August in Kragujevac, has been extended until October 31, 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 either already have or wish to start their own businesses, as well as to employers who hire persons with disabilities and want to improve their business operations.
The first incentive fund in Serbia (Revolving Fund), intended for persons with disabilities aged 18 to 65, as well as for companies and organizations, was established in May of this year through the collaboration of the City of Kragujevac, the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, and the Regional Agency for Economic Development of Šumadija and Pomoravlje, with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Applicants can apply for incentive funds consisting of 70% interest-free refundable funds, repayable over a period of 3 years, and 30% subsidies. The aim 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 U.S. 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 the amount for employers 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 promoting a more open and inclusive labor market in Serbia. It 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 of Persons with Disabilities in Serbia.
The competition was opened in August, and in order to enable all interested persons with disabilities and employers to apply with the necessary documentation and provide the required support throughout the process, it will last until October 31, 2024.
CONTACT: For more information about the project “Job Fit: Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities,” contact Sanja Vukelić at the Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation at sanja.vukelic@divac.com or 060 47 66 211. For more information about USAID, contact Mirjana Vukša Zavišić at mvuksa@usaid.gov or 065 316 45 30.
