We are seeking engaged partners that meet the following requirements:

• Hire or are planning to hire individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community

• Implement or are willing to implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in the following areas, with a strong focus on LGBTQIA+ inclusion and commitment to advancing DEI efforts:

  • Hiring and employee practices

  • Governance

  • Business operations

  • Decision-making processes

We also welcome applications from companies that not only support the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals but also work with other marginalized groups, such as women, at-risk youth, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, and refugees and migrants.

Enterprises should have a competent management team driven by values that align with those of the LGBTQIA+ community in the region:

• Competent management team (2–4 people). Track record of having worked together 2+ years preferably with complementary business skills

• Proven performance track record and ethical business conduct (reflected in policies and practices)

• Processes in place to include decisions of key stakeholders and good business practices (i.e., annually approved budget, financial controls, competitive procurement procedures)

  *Strong preference is given to enterprises founded and/or led by LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs. We also consider enterprises that show a strong commitment to increasing the number of LGBTQIA+ individuals in senior positions and/or are led by women and other marginalized individuals.

The enterprise should have an attractive product or service with evidence of demand that may include:

• Opportunity to grow revenues significantly and create a sustainable cost-revenue structure in the next 18–24 months

• Demonstrate the potential to reach breakeven and become profitable in the next 18–24 months (if it has not already reached breakeven).

Yes, you are qualified to apply if your enterprise demonstrates the potential to create inclusive workplaces and generate jobs for the LGBTQIA+ community in the next 4 years either by directly employing LGBTQIA+ people, placing LGBTQIA+ community members in the labour force, or sourcing from LGBTQIA+ suppliers. However, you should only do so if you already have a track record of providing employment to other marginalized groups.

No, your enterprise does not need to be registered in Central or Eastern Europe but needs to be operational in those countries.

No, NESsT only invests in entities with business activities. Your business’s legal status is not important (we accept applications from NGOs) if you conduct business activities.

NESsT supports enterprises that directly employ people from excluded groups or indirectly create sustainable and dignified employment for excluded communities through their supply chain. We would like to understand your current social impact. Is it direct or indirect or both? It is also worth mentioning if your company conducts also pro-bono activities that impact marginalized communities.

NESsT invests in enterprises that create quality jobs for underserved communities while sustaining the planet. Therefore, your environmental impact matters and can strengthen your application. The application asks for you to include a description of any environmental practices and/or policies your enterprise has in place.

Generally, the due diligence process takes 3–5 months after the application has been submitted. Afterwards, the preparation and signing of the Term Sheet and loan agreement is estimated to take another month. After the both documents are signed, the enterprise is officially in the NESsT portfolio and begins to receive funding and business assistance. Ultimately, the length of the process depends on how quickly the prospective enterprise is able to provide NESsT with needed information.

As an impact-first investor, NESsT offers loans with more flexible and patient terms, including longer grace periods (between 6–12 months) and repayment times (between 1–4 years), lower interest rates, and less onerous guarantee requirements.

Selected enterprises will receive mentoring and training from NESsT’s network of social entrepreneurs, impact investors, and business professionals. In addition, NESsT Violet Fund aims to create a platform for peer-to-peer learning, supporting its portfolio to exchange experiences and lessons learnt.

Enterprises will also be promoted across NESsT’s network and featured in its relevant media channels, including the website, newsletters, social media, publications, etc.

Repayment time is between 1–4 years.

Unfortunately, the fund is designed to support existing enterprises.

Personal investment in the enterprise is not a requirement. However, showing that you have financial stake in the enterprise and are willing to put your own resources toward the business and the employment of LGBTQIA+ people will be positively evaluated.

There isn’t any expected duration of employment, but members of excluded groups must be hired with a formal job contract with long-term job security.

Yes, the patient loans can support salary costs, but you must demonstrate a business model that can pay for employees from the sale of products and/or services within six months.

NESsT leverages donations and patient capital from supporters into investments in social enterprises that generate dignified jobs for people most in need. The NESsT Violet Fund was launched in 2022 in partnership with Dreilinden gGmbH, a Germany-based non-profit dedicated to advancing societal acceptance of gender and sexual diversity. The mission of the fund is to facilitate better access to the labor markets and improve career progression in the workplace primarily for the LGBTQIA+ community, but also for other excluded groups, including ethnic minorities, at-risk youth, and people with disabilities.