This year again UniCredit Bulbank employees determined which projects should receive support from UniCredit Foundation.

Seven non-governmental organizations shared the prize of 30,000 Bulgarian leva in the Best NGO Business Plan competition, organized by the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-profit Law (BCNL), the Programme and Analytical Centre for European Law (PACEL) Foundation and UniCredit Foundation, with the support of America for Bulgaria Foundation under the project "Efficient Approaches Towards NGO Sustainability". The competition is financed by America for Bulgaria Foundation and UniCredit Foundation and has the support of yatoto.com.

The official award ceremony took place on February 19th in Grand Hotel Sofia and was attended by many public figures, business, civil sector and media representatives.

Eighteen NGOs applied with their business plans in this year's competition. Out of them, seven finalists were nominated to compete for the awards.

The jury composed of representatives of America for Bulgaria Foundation, UniCredit Bulbank AD, EMP Invest, Musala Soft AD, Microfund AD and The Capital newspaper had the difficult task to determine the winners in the categories "Greatest Business Potential" and "Greatest Social Effect".

The top award for the best business plan went to Bulgarian Food Bank. They received a cheque for twelve thousand Bulgarian leva, which was handed personally by UniCredit Bulbank’s CEO Levon Hampartzoumian. Also, also a cheque for twelve thousand Bulgarian leva was given to Cancer Patients and Friends Association in the category “Best Business Plan with Social Significance”. The additional award of six thousand Bulgarian leva went to Concordia Bulgaria Foundation. The special award of yatoto.com of one thousand Bulgarian leva went to Sustainable Society Association.

This year's event had also an additional focus. In January 2015, UniCredit Bulbank presented before all its employees the business ideas of five non-governmental organizations – Hug Me Art Studio, Animal Rescue-Sofia, Transformatori Association, Protection, Love and Hope Association, ECIP Foundation. The results from the voting of the employees determined the prize of five thousand Bulgarian leva, provided by UniCredit Foundation, to be received by Hug Me Art Studio, while Protection, Love and Hope Association received three thousand Bulgarian leva and ECIP Foundation ¬– two thousand Bulgarian leva.

“We are convinced that solidarity and business initiatives must go hand in hand. We have the opportunity to combine innovative projects with such that have a social impact. I would like to thank all colleagues and the organizers that have taken part”, said Anna Cravero from UniCredit Foundation on presenting the awards.

The best business plan competition takes place for the fourth consecutive time. Its aim is to stimulate NGOs to develop economic activity related to their mission and in this way to procure funds in order to accomplish their main goals.

The next edition of the competition will start in the summer of 2015 and will be divided into three parts. In the first part, the organizations will participate in two trainings to receive knowledge and guidance on how to carry out an economic activity in support of their mission and what is the key to success of the business idea. The second part of the programme involves developing business plans by the participants in the training for a period of three months. The third part is the best business plan competition where an independent jury will determine the three winners.

More information for media:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity & Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Phone: + 359 2 9264 993, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Magdalena Ivanova, Phone: + 359 2 9232 528, nbhebmfob/jwbopwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch