FUNDING

FINANCING

Please, find below a selection of financing instruments and information relevant for the Priority Area 8 of the EUSDR.

 

CROWDFUNDING

 

Crowdfunding is a form of financing by a crowd that usually takes place online.

The aim of a crowdfunding campaign is to (partially) finance a project, so it can be implemented. Such a campaign always has a time limit and usually runs for an average of 4 weeks.

 

There are several forms of crowdfunding:

  • Reward based – crowdfunding as a market test and pre-sale, funders receive material or immaterial consideration
  • Equity based – microinvestments of many individuals, funders receive performance-based return
  • Donation based – collecting donations via the crowd, usually without consideration
  • Lending based – crowd as lender, altenative to bank loans, lenders receive interest

 

Crowdfunding has several advantages: Besides the financing as such it’s a good tool for a first target group analysis, it offers the possibility to get direct feedback and to market the products and at best it generates the first customers.

 

Find more information on crowdfunding on the following platforms:

 

Home – European Crowdfunding Network (eurocrowd.org)

Startnext – manual – First steps

 

 

FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES FORM EUROPEAN BANKS

 

From the beginning of the year 2024, banks in the European Union will have to prove what proportion of their business meets sustainable criteria as a consequence of the new EU taxonomy legislative initiative from the Non-Financial Reporting Directive (NFRD). For this purpose, the Green Asset Ratio (GAR) was developed to enable comparison across all banks. The GAR is currently just a reporting indicator – there are no specifications as to what quota a bank must achieve.

 

However, experts do not preclude the possibility that this measure will have consequences for European banks’ lending behaviour. The taxonomy is intended to help investors, banks, and other financial institutions understand their investments’ environmental impacts and identify opportunities for supporting sustainable development. Therefore, experts expect that the amount of loans for unsustainable financing will decrease, and European banks will actively search for green assets.

 

While this effect is not guaranteed, the increased interest in sustainable financing alternatives can be an advantage for projects in the field of sustainability when seeking financing from banks.