The National Trust Ecofund (NTEF) in partnership with Fund FLAG has published a Call for Proposals for funding under the Mineral Waters Investment Program (MWIP). The deadline for submitting project proposals to NTEF is 10.04.2025.
The purpose of the call is to motivate municipalities - potential candidates for funding - to prepare projects to improve the utilization of natural resources from mineral waters and apply for subsequent financing of projects leading to the utilization of thermal energy from mineral waters and, as a result, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.
Eligible candidates under the Call for Proposals are municipalities managing resources - mineral waters. Both public municipal property for mineral waters and public state property for which municipalities have an obligation to maintain, arising from the Water Act and in accordance with the Decisions of the Minister of Environment and Water on the provision of mineral water deposits for free use and management - EDC, in accordance with § 133 of the PZR (Transitional and Final Provisions) of the Act on Amendments and Supplements to the Water Act, are eligible. Applicants should have completed the spatial planning procedures (where applicable), as well as have a prepared business plan for the use of the relevant deposit for a period of at least 10 years.
NTEF provides funds in the form of grant financing in the amount of up to 50% of the value of the actually implemented construction works (repair activities / expansion / construction of infrastructure), provided for in the relevant working / technical project, leading to the improvement and increase of the effective use of mineral water resources, but not more than BGN 1,000,000.00.
FLAG can provide additional financing for the implementation of projects within the following scope:
✓ Financing of project activities that are outside the scope of the NTEF grant up to the full value of the actually implemented construction and maintenance works, provided for in the relevant working / technical design.
✓ Financing of other activities, incl. supply of equipment, which should be carried out in order to achieve an integrated and complete nature of the project.
The funds provided by FLAG are in the form of an investment loan, the parameters of which are subject to specific negotiation, according to the specific project, financed activities, creditworthiness and other conditions, in accordance with the rules and policies for financing of the Fund. Recipients of the loan may be the beneficiaries of the IPMV grants - municipalities managing resources - mineral waters.
Financial support for the specific scheme from FLAG will be provided through the innovative financial instrument FLAG-FICET, developed under the LIFE programme, and aimed at promoting clean energy transition projects of public authorities through a combination of loans, grants and technical assistance. In addition, within the framework of the announced Second Call for Proposals under FLAG-FICET, potential applicants can submit a request for technical assistance for the preparation of projects under a scheme for the use of the potential of thermal mineral waters.
More detailed information on the project parameters, application stages, evaluation and implementation of projects is presented in the Project Financing Rules at www.ecofund-bg.org Additional questions on the grant procedure can be asked by e-mail: ecofund@ecofund-bg.org. Questions regarding the provision of complementary financing from the FLAG Fund can be asked at: office@flag-bg.com. On 04.02.2025 an information event by NTEF is planned, in which representatives of the FLAG Fund will participate to provide additional explanations on the opportunities for complementary financing and technical support.
