Deadline: September 30, 2025
The Economic Inclusion and Justice for Women in the Western Balkans (EWI) project invites women entrepreneurs to apply for a unique program designed to strengthen their economic rights and business capacities.
The focus areas of the program include the development and promotion of sustainable businesses led by women, increasing women’s employability through vocational training, improving the institutional and social conditions for female entrepreneurship, and strengthening the capacities of local stakeholders for gender-sensitive policies.
The program is open to women over 18 years of age who have a business idea and want to start their own business, have a registered business they wish to promote, are ready to register and run a business, and are willing to participate in training, mentoring, and public activities within the project. Eligible participants should operate or plan to operate in manufacturing, services, or agriculture. Priority will be given to women from marginalized and vulnerable groups, including women with disabilities, long-term unemployed women, members of ethnic communities, single mothers, young women under 30, older women (50+), and women from rural areas.
Participants will receive various forms of support, including business start-up grants of 2,500 EUR, support for promoting existing businesses of 5,000 EUR, and participation in training cycles “Start Your Own Business” for new businesses and “Improve Your Business” for existing ones. The trainings include both theoretical and practical components, equipping participants to create business plans for starting or advancing their businesses. Following the training, an expert committee will select the best business ideas to receive grant funds for equipment and services, advisory and expert support, and ongoing mentorship in areas such as marketing, human resource management, procurement, pricing, and connecting with financial institutions and markets. Supported businesses will also have the opportunity to increase visibility and promotion through project activities and networks of women entrepreneurs.
The program does not cover the purchase of used equipment, raw materials, intermediate goods, or equipment for commercial facilities, nor does it cover the costs of business registration.
The participation process involves submitting a business idea via the application form, selection for mandatory trainings, development of a business plan, mentoring for finalizing the plan, final selection and signing of grant agreements, followed by business implementation and progress monitoring. Trainings will be organized in cycles and groups depending on applications received, and only those who actively participate in the trainings will be considered for financial support.
Applications can be submitted online via the provided form or delivered in person or by mail to one of the partner organizations: Strategic Development Consulting (SDC), LAG Agro Leader, or HZ Majka. Applicants must submit a duly completed and signed application form, consent to data processing, and a photocopy of their ID card. Informational sessions will be held across various locations in North Macedonia throughout September 2025 to provide guidance on the call, criteria, and selection process.
The deadline for submissions is September 30, 2025, at midnight. The project encourages diversity and inclusion, welcoming women from vulnerable and marginalized groups to seize this opportunity to start or strengthen their own business.
For more information, visit CARE Balkans.
