Ente Nazionale per il microcredito

Ente Nazionale per il Microcredito
National Microcredit Authority

The National Microcredit Authority (NMA) is a non-economic public body that performs important functions in the field of microcredit and microfinance, at national and international level (in synergy with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

MISSION
It promotes access to credit for micro-enterprises and the most disadvantaged social categories, through the promotion of microfinance tools, technical assistance, research, training and the dissemination of good practices. In order to do so, it has developed, over time, a comprehensive range of services throughout the country:
• 163 information counters for micro-credit and self-employment with 245 operators involved in management and dissemination activities for citizens and businesses;
• 520 microcredit tutors, enrolled in the national list established by the ENM, which also takes care of their training and contracting. Tutors support businesses from the drafting of the business plan and throughout the entire loan amortization period;
• 36 affiliated banking institutions that have allocated their own resources for microcredit operations throughout the entire national territory (220 million euros in total).

VISION
Its mission is part of an ethical vision of finance: the National Microcredit Authority sees microcredit not as a form of "charity", but as a real loan for the development of entrepreneurial projects improving people life.
The NMA supports both entrepreneurial activities, that produce a social and environmental benefit, and those who operate from a human development perspective, such as cultural and artistic institutions, social cooperatives, non-profits and international organizations. Therefore, its action goes beyond microcredit and microfinance, intended as a set of services and financial products for disadvantaged social groups: it promotes microcredit as an opportunity to activate a new form of welfare suitable for facing social and employment problems and the birth of a new social and economic ecosystem based on personal responsibility and entrepreneurship.

The activity of the NMA is characterized by:
1) transversality in terms of beneficiaries
2) transversality in terms of sectors of intervention ("traditional" economy, such as crafts, trade, services, culture, tourism, but also innovative and high-tech sectors, such as the digital economy for innovative companies or the green economy)
3) social, environmental and economic sustainability
4) numerous and differentiated operational tools
5) network approach

PROJECTS
The NMA also carries out fundamental institutional functions in the process of drawing up and implementing programs for development and cohesion. In fact, it took part in the 2021-2027 programming of the new ESI funds, as well as in the implementation of several projects within the framework of the previous and current 2014-2020 period, thanks to which it has developed an intense aptitude as well as specialized technical skills for EU project design and management.

1. FASI
Objective: support regular immigrants’ self-entrepreneurship projects through the training course “Pathways to Social and Work Inclusion for Regular Migrants and Asylum Seekers and Holders of International Protection”. Area: Basilicata, Campania, Calabria, Puglia and Sicily
• Managing Authority: Ministry of the Interior - Department of Public Security
• Implementing body: National Microcredit Authority
• Financing body: PON Financing Legality 2014-2020 - Axis 4 Action 4.1.1
• Duration: 39 months

2. YES I START UP
Objective: provide NEETs with the skills to fully structure their business idea (by formalizing it in a business plan supporting the subsequent submission of a loan application), through the creation of targeted and personalized training courses. The young NEET will be:
- helped to recognize and develop his/her entrepreneurial attitudes
- trained on general notions of business management
- informed on the network of institutional actors and useful tools for doing business

The project is implemented under the responsibility of the National Microcredit Authority throughout the national territory, both directly and through identified partners.

In detail, the path is made of two sections:
- PHASE A: basic training modules with a total duration of 60 hours, to be provided in class and online;
- PHASE B: 20 hours of personalized technical assistance delivered individually or in small groups

3. SELFIEMPLOYMENT
Objective: promoted by Anpal and managed by Invitalia with the assistance of the National Microcredit Authority and under the supervision of the Ministry of Labor, SELFIEmployment is a fund that finances the launch of entrepreneurial initiatives promoted by young NEETs (18-29), through the granting of zero-interest loans.
The Fund finances investment plans between € 5.000 and € 50.000. Loans available are:
- microcredit, from € 5.000 to € 25.000; extended microcredit, from € 25.001 to € 35.000
- small loans, from € 35.001 to € 50.000
No interest is charged on the loans and no form of guarantee is required.

4. EMPLOY - Training and work for a sustainable alternative to migration in the rural areas of Wolayta, Ethiopia
Objective: the project, funded by the Italian Ministry of the Interior, has been developed in the Region of Wolaita and it aims to foster the sustainable development of farmers in the rural areas.
Its activities brought to the following results:
- 31 trainers informed and trained;
- 350 district leaders trained on microcredit and financial education issues;
- 84 subjects trained to manage both revolving and guarantee funds;
- 17 rural cooperatives have been granted a loan to finance microloans to their members;
- 105 local, district and regional administrators attended a capacity building course to strengthen their knowledge and skills.

5. Microcredit and employment services
Objective: create information counters for microcredit in public employment services, municipalities and chambers of commerce of 4 Italian regions (Puglia, Campania, Calabria and Sicily).

6. A.MI.CI - Access to Microcredit for Immigrant Citizens
Objectives:
- establish and coordinate a network of public, private and non-profit entities working for the integration of immigrant citizens, with specific reference to micro-entrepreneurship;
- define a shared model of access to microcredit.

7. “Microcredito DONNA” for the creation of micro-enterprises (run by women)
Objective: create women's entrepreneurial activities linked to microcredit.

8. MICRO-WORK: networking for microcredit and employment
Objective: set up a network of micro-credit information desks to be activated at the Employment Centers in all Italian regions.

9. Microcredit for tourism micro-enterprises
Objective: raise awareness among stakeholders, institutional and economic actors in the tourism sector of 4 Italian regions (Puglia, Campania, Calabria and Sicily) through the promotion and dissemination of knowledge of microcredit and microfinance instruments.

10. Monitoring the integration of labor policies with the local development policies of production systems in relation to microcredit and microfinance
Objective: monitor and evaluate microcredit initiatives activated in Italy to support employment and social integration of subjects excluded from access to credit.

11. Capacity Building on microcredit financial instruments
Objective: strengthen the public administration's competences in the field of microcredit and create partnerships with all operators in the sector.

12. M.I.C.R.O. - Migrants Ideas Converted into Real Opportunities - Erasmus+
Objective: create a professional figure able to support migrants at every stage of business administration trhough the creation, testing and implementation of an innovative methodology to be applied to an e-learning training path for microcredit operators and NGOs working with migrants interested in starting up entrepreneurship. The target will have the opportunity to acquire transversal competences both in the financial and intercultural communication sector.