Created in 2020, the L’Oréal Fund for Women is an endowment fund dedicated to supporting grassroots organizations and associations that assist highly vulnerable women and girls and combat gender-based and sexual violence. The Fund supports projects that provide access to education, social and professional integration, and the protection of women’s rights, contributing to the resilience of women and girls in highly precarious situations. Eligible organizations are non-profit grassroots entities with at least two years of official existence (or innovative organizations addressing specific needs), supporting a minimum of 200 beneficiaries per year. Priority is given to organizations authorized to issue tax receipts in the EU. While the 2026 call for applications has not yet opened, EMN members can prepare in advance by reviewing the selection criteria. Having an account is required to apply: New users: must review the selection criteria before creating an account. Existing users: must confirm that they have read the selection criteria. The Fund supports project or structural funding ranging from €50,000 to €250,000, covering up to 30% of the total budget for structural or project support. The Fund is open internationally, with priority for organizations headquartered in the European Union. Applications may request annual or multi-year support (maximum 3 years). This is a unique opportunity for members to present projects that make a tangible difference for women and girls, while gaining visibility in the international social and microfinance community. Mandatory documents include organization accreditation, a detailed project budget (if applicable), last annual report, and last annual budget.

The Catalytic Capital Consortium (C3) is pleased to announce its 2026 grant opportunity, supporting practical, action-oriented solutions that address challenges in the supply and deployment of catalytic capital across sectors and geographies. This initiative seeks to strengthen the mechanisms by which catalytic capital reaches investable opportunities, expand the pool of catalytic capital, and bridge both areas to enhance overall ecosystem impact. Focus areas include: Facilitating deployment – Strengthening pathways that connect catalytic capital to investable opportunities. Boosting supply – Engaging new providers or untapped sources of funding. Intersection of supply and deployment – Linking initiatives that expand capital supply with efforts that improve deployment pathways. Grant amount: requests of up to $150,000 will be considered, with grant sizes expected to align with project design. Eligibility: Open to organizations or collaborations committed to advancing catalytic capital. Preference for projects focusing on emerging markets and implemented by teams based in relevant geographies. Application process: Phase 1: Submit a 1–2 page Expression of Interest (EOI) by March 4, 2026, including project focus, proposed solution, high-level activities, anticipated results, summary budget, and relevant experience.

As an implementing partner of InvestEU, our portfolio guarantee products support investments for EU’s policy priorities over the period 2022-2027. The EIF, in its role of a guarantor, provides credit risk protection through portfolio (counter-) guarantees to selected financial intermediaries.

The purpose of the InvestEU Capacity Building Investment (CBI) product is to enhance the institutional capacity of financial intermediaries that have not yet reached sustainability, or that are in need of risk capital to sustain their growth and development.