Four ODA grant programs are coming to an end this week, having attracted about 319 million lei to the Moldovan economy
The Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA) announced the end of 4 grant programs it managed in 2024: the SME Re-technology and Energy Efficiency Program, the Women's Entrepreneurship Support Program, the Digital Transformation Program and the PARE 1+2 Program to attract remittances to the economy. ODA noted that these programs were in high demand, resulting in the entire budget being spent ahead of schedule, so the application process closes on November 13. Through these programs, 310 companies were supported, about 1,600 jobs were created and 5,760 jobs were retained. About 50% of the beneficiaries of these programs represent the industrial sector, 30% - the service sector and 20% - the agricultural sector. The total amount of grants provided through these programs amounted to 148.4 million lei - the money was allocated from the state budget and EU financing. The total volume of investments in the economy, obtained as a result of the initiatives' implementation, amounts to 318.9 million lei. At the same time, the reception of applications for participation in 5 other programs is open: Start for Youth, SME Greening Programme, SME Growth and Internationalization Programme, Tourism SME Support Programme and Small Producers Support Programme. It is noted that since the beginning of the year, ODA has facilitated access to grants for 506 companies, totaling over 205 million lei. Of this amount, almost 147.3 million lei was provided from the state budget, while 42.5 million lei was provided by the European Union under the “EU for SMEs” project. Also, the World Bank, under the EU4Business: SME Competitiveness and Internationalisation Programme, provided additional support to 18 companies, allocating 6.3 million lei, which contributed to strengthening their export potential. Also, under the Program for Supporting Digital Innovations and Technology Startups, 20 companies received grants worth 8.5 million lei thanks to the support of the Ukraine-Moldova American Enterprise Fund and the Future Technologies Activity (FTA), funded by USAID, Sweden and the United Kingdom. More detailed information about ODA programs is available on the institution's website: https://www.oda.md. // 11.11.2024 - InfoMarket.
