In the heart of its mission, Fondazione Grameen Italia places the offer of accompanying microcredit services for companies.
The accompaniment begins with the development of the business idea and the economic-financial plan, continues with the request for microcredit at the identified financial institution, and continues together until the loan is extinguished.
Grameen Italia does not pay the loan and operates according to the principles and values of the Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.
What distinguishes the so-called Grameen accompaniment to Microcredit?
Based on the studies of Prof. Yunus, the method used by Grameen Italia to help (“accompany”) people in the request for microcredit consists of a real shared path capable of developing both technical and relational skills and abilities, promoting a real path of personal and professional growth.
The relationship is, therefore, the fulcrum of the accompanying path.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL MICROCREDIT
Entrepreneurial microcredit consists of a loan of up to € 25,000 (in Italy) useful for starting business activities or for consolidating existing activities, granted on trust to those who have no guarantees to present to banks.
For this reason, microcredit is considered an ethical financial instrument: because without discriminating, it responds to the credit needs of anyone with a valid and sustainable business plan.
Pursuant to Italian legislation on microcredit (governed by Articles 111 and 113 of the Banking Consolidation Act and by the Implementing Decree of the Minister of Economy and Finance No. 176 of 17 October 2014), the main characteristics of this type of microcredit are:
- Maximum amount: 25,000 euros (can be raised in certain cases to 35,000)
- Maximum duration: 7 years (with the possibility of extending it, in some cases, to 10 years)
- Repayment method: installments with a maximum quarterly frequency
- Guarantees: no request for collateral and the possibility of free access to the public guarantee of the fund for SMEs.
BENEFICIARIES
- Self-employed workers (both registered and non-registered professionals) who have been VAT registered for no more than 5 years and with a maximum of five employees;
- Individual companies with VAT registration for no more than 5 years and with a maximum of five employees;
- Partnership, partnership between professionals, simplified s.r.l., cooperative companies that have been registered for VAT for no more than 5 years and with a maximum of ten employees;
- The companies must have had, in the three years prior to the request for financing or since the beginning of the activity, if of shorter duration, a capital asset of a maximum of € 300,000, gross revenues of up to € 200,000 and a level of debt not exceeding 100,000 EUR;
- Professionals and companies must operate in the sectors eligible under the Operational Provisions of the Medio Credito Centrale Fund;
- Natural persons are not eligible for the guarantee of the Medio Credito Centrale Fund.
Il microcredito, dunque, non è solo uno strumento innovativo per lo sviluppo economico, il microcredito è un vero e proprio processo sociale che identifica una filiera produttiva verticalmente integrata in cui i due soggetti principali (erogatore e imprenditore), cooperando con tutti gli altri soggetti presenti nella filiera, sviluppano una relazione resiliente, di lungo periodo – basata sulla fiducia e in relazione stretta con la comunità di appartenenza – in grado di (ri)generare le risorse impiegate e nuovo capitale sociale.
Faremicrocredito.it, Lo sviluppo del potenziale del microcredito attraverso il social business in Italia, (2014), FrancoAngeli Edizioni, p. 22.