Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland (REACT-EU)

The Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland will be continued as a federal funding program from January 1st, 2024!

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – in cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy - deployed Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland to offer low threshold loans of up to 25,000 euros for small and medium-sized enterprises on a nationwide basis.

The funding offered by Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland was open to small and medium-sized enterprises from all sectors. It was aimed in particular at economically viable enterprises that did not have access to bank loans. This often included small and micro-enterprises, young enterprises as well as enterprises led by women or persons with a migrant background. Improved access to capital from outside sources was to strengthen the competitiveness of the enterprises receiving funding and was to contribute to securing training places and jobs in these enterprises.

Mikrokreditfonds Deutschland was set up as a guarantee fund in 2010 in the framework of the ESF intervention of the Federal Government during the programming period 2007-2013. It hedges microcredits awarded by the lending bank upon prior recommendation of an accredited microfinance institution. Since 2015, the funding programme has been continued with the help of revolving funds under national responsibility and has established itself as an assistance instrument. In the period 2021 to 2023, the funding programme was financed with the help of funds provided by Recovery Assistance for Cohesion and the Territories of Europe (REACT-EU).