Grant-funded projects
In 1995, the CEB began setting aside a share of the profits generated by its core operations in order to support activities that were particularly focused on vulnerable population groups, victims of natural or humanitarian disasters, or refugees.
The funds from this “Social Impact Account” (SIA) were either earmarked as interest rate subsidies or disbursed to dedicated stand-alone projects.
Upon request from members of the CEB’s Administrative Council, the Office of Independent Evaluation undertook an evaluation cycle in order to assess the outcome and results of the grant-funded projects financed by the SIA. A purposive sample of eight projects was established for field-based evaluation, based on the criteria of type of project, geographical distribution and implementation modalities.
This evaluation work aimed at contributing to internal reflection on the CEB’s corporate position regarding this type of financing instrument.
The main results, lessons and recommendations of the individual evaluations are presented in the following abstracts:
- Funding of two housing support projects for internally displaced persons and former refugees through the UNHCR in a Balkan country #2 (2011)
- Funding of two housing support projects for internally displaced persons and former refugees through the UNHCR in a Balkan country #1 (2010)
- Funding of an education support programme in primary schools through UNICEF in a South-East European country (2008)
- Funding of water supply and sanitation investments through the UNDP in municipalities with large minority populations in a South-East European country (2008)
- Support to a NGO to provide kindergarten schooling for Roma children in a South-East European country (2008)
Since 2013, the reforms to the SIA broadened the range of activities that could be financed therefrom, with a view to enabling the Bank to support and complement its lending operations in a more diverse way, through four dedicated funding windows.