Entries open for Maria Nowak Research Fellowship – Belgium

The research aims to demonstrate the economic and social benefits of investing in female entrepreneurs in Belgium, with a particular focus on women of color and those with migration backgrounds.

The objective is to assess how microfinance can empower these entrepreneurs to create sustainable businesses while also analysing their specific needs and the effectiveness of existing coaching programs. Ultimately, the research will quantify the economic return on investment in female entrepreneurs through microfinance.

Focus Areas

• Existing Initiatives across Europe: The researcher will examine microfinance and funding initiatives across Europe that have supported women entrepreneurs, particularly those with migration backgrounds. This will involve identifying successful models of microfinance, angel investment, and other financial products tailored for women in entrepreneurship.
• Why these initiatives work: The researcher will explore the reasons for the success of these initiatives, focusing on the design of programs, the role of mentoring and coaching, and the access to networks that foster business growth.
• Economic and Community Impact: The review will look at how these programs have impacted the economy and communities in European countries. This will include assessing business growth, job creation, cultural representation, and broader social outcomes (e.g., empowerment, integration).
• Relevance to Belgium: The researcher will assess how these models could be applied or adapted in Belgium’s context, focusing on the specific challenges faced by women with migration backgrounds and how microfinance could contribute to their entrepreneurial success.

Funding Information

• The sum allocated to this service should not exceed 7,500 EUR (VAT excl.).
• The time period for the assignment is ten (10) months: from September 2025 to October 2026.

Expected Deliverables

• Interim Reports: The researcher will submit regular interim reports that detail progress, initial qualitative insights, and any early conclusions. These reports will be used for ongoing feedback and refinement.
• Final Research Report: A comprehensive final report will be produced that outlines the research methodology, findings from the interviews and focus groups, data analysis, and final conclusions. The report will focus heavily on qualitative insights, providing a nuanced understanding of the impact of microfinance and coaching on women entrepreneurs with migration backgrounds.
• Policy Brief: The researcher will also prepare a policy brief that distils the key findings and actionable recommendations for stakeholders such as financial institutions, policymakers, and microfinance organizations.
• Presentation & Dissemination: The researcher will deliver public presentation/s of the research findings, during the EMN conference and potentially and a #SHEFUND event.

Tasks of #SheDIDIT 

• The role of the #SheDIDIT shall entail:
  • Provision of Research Guidance and Data Access: Collaborate with the researcher to clearly define the research methodology and scope of work aligned with #SheDIDIT’s proposal and the fellowship’s objectives. Grant the researcher access to relevant data and information required for the research assignment.
  • Facilitation of Community Engagement: Assist the researcher in connecting with relevant stakeholders belonging to and working with the community of #SheDIDIT. Facilitate interviews, focus group discussions, or other data collection methods chosen by the researcher to gather insights from the communities.
  • Offer of Contextual Expertise: Provide the researcher/s with contextual knowledge and background information on #SheDIDIT’s operations, existing products and services offered to the supported entrepreneurs, and any related ongoing initiatives. Collaborate with the researcher to ensure the research findings accurately reflect #SheDIDIT’s approach to supporting communities.
  • Monitoring and Evaluation: Oversee the progress of the research project, ensuring that milestones are met and evaluating the outcomes to ensure the objectives of the fellowship are achieved.

Criteria

• Academic Qualifications: Advanced degree (M.Sc. or PhD) in a relevant field such as finance, economics, social development studies, or a related field is preferred. The degree is a prerequisite for the selection; thus, it is not assigned score points.
• Language criteria: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are needed. This is a prerequisite for the selection; thus, it is not assigned score points. Dutch and French knowledge are a plus.
• Experience: Demonstrated experience in conducting research on microfinance, inclusive entrepreneurship, migrant integration, gender equality, social inclusion, or a combination of these areas.
• Familiarity with the inclusive entrepreneurship landscape: A working knowledge of the European inclusive entrepreneurship sector, particularly related to women of migrant background, is highly desirable.
• A proposal in English explaining the methodology which will be used, the timeline and the estimated division of the budget allocated in the tasks of the Researcher.
• Expertise in Research Methodology: Experience in quantitative and qualitative research methods, data collection and analysis, report writing and a strong understanding of research ethics.
• Soft skills with a strong focus on Communication Skills (the ability to communicate complex research findings to a variety of audiences, including academic and non-academic stakeholders), teamwork (the ability to work effectively independently and as part of a team) and analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to formulate recommendations.

Application Requirements

• A written proposal (10 pages maximum) providing the following information:
  • Detailed description of the proposed methodology and timeline.
  • Budget and breakdown of expenses by key activities detailing the number of days / daily rate allocated by the researcher/s.
• Regarding competences,
  • CV of no more than 3 pages.
  • A cover letter of 2-pages maximum explaining why researcher is the most suitable contractor for the work and describing the experience of the applicant in the relevant area of work of this assignment, list of similar consultancy projects, research papers.
  • Copy of the qualifications (M.Sc. or PhD degree) and diploma(s) proving language level for the non-mother tongue.

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