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Polish-American Enterprise Fund In July 1989, US President George H.W. Bush, announced in a speech to the Polish Parliament that a Polish-American Enterprise Fund would be established. In November of the same year, the US Congress adopted the SEED Act (Support for East European Democracy) which provided grounds for creating the Polish-American Enterprise Fund (PAEF). The Fund commenced its activities in May of 1990 offering to Polish entrepreneurs new development opportunities and setting a new direction for the building of Poland’s market economy. At the start of its operation, the Fund received $240 million in a USAID grant. Investment programs managed by the Fund helped to multiply this amount by a factor of nearly ten. Over $2 billion of this money was effectively used to develop Polish entrepreneurship in the form of loans to small businesses, mortgage loans and development of equity investments. In 1999 PAEF/Enterprise Investors endowed the Polish-American Freedom Foundation. As of 2006 the Foundation has received with more than $200 million. |
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The Polish-American Freedom Foundation The Polish-American Freedom Foundation seeks to advance democracy, civil society, economic development and equal opportunity in Poland and, ultimately, in other Central and Eastern European countries. The local representative office in Poland has operated since 2000. |
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Polish-American Community Assistance Found Polish-American Community Assistance Fund (PAFPIO) is a loan fund for non-profit organizations. This is the first loan program designed to meet the needs of NGOs in our part of Europe. |
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The Microfinance Centre for Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States The Microfinance Centre for Central and Eastern Europe and the New Independent States was launched in Warsaw and began its operations on September 1, 1997. It serves as a network of 86 microfinance institutions. Its mission is to support existing and future microfinance institutions in CEE and the NIS in their efforts to alleviate poverty, create employment, and privatize the economy through the development of microenterprises and self-employment. The range of activities includes training and technical assistance, impact assessments, workshops, seminars, exchange visits, and dissemination of information. The Centre also supports policy and advocacy work. |
