Why partner with us

Donor partnerships provide an effective vehicle for donors looking to deliver sustained impact in developing countries. They enable donors to work with the EIB to unlock projects with high socio-economic returns, reaching out to people and places with additional support for targeted development outcomes. EIB activities outside the EU account for around one third of EU development aid. All contributions to EIB donor funds are considered Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible.

Donor partnerships make it possible to:

• Do more with less
• Improve project quality and target its impact
• Improve cooperation and sharing of expertise and experience
• Underpin economic diplomacy goals

We make a measurable difference for people in our partner countries through our public and private investments. We combine grant resources from donors with our own financing, whilst also attracting other investors to the fore. This enables us to jointly trigger a multiple in investments with a much bigger impact than through a grant donation alone. This is why we believe strongly in the power of partnerships.

Together we can help transform people’s lives: by creating new opportunities for jobs and boosting entrepreneurship, by improving basic services like water supply, education and transport, but also by promoting clean energy, preserving our environment and working for a climate friendly future.

EIB donor partnerships focus on themes and geographies where donor objectives match partner countries’ development needs. They work to address challenges in different geographical areas and sectors by using donor resources to provide a wide range of instruments, such as Technical Assistance, Investment Grants and innovative financing solutions. Our partnership platform for funds offers clear rules, streamlined approval processes and a cost efficient implementation structure.

Thanks to donor support, our involvement becomes much more than a loan, it means tailored support with targeted assistance. Beyond finance, the EIB also lends its wide-ranging expertise and six decades of experience to our projects and operations. This is even more important and often crucial for projects in partner countries outside the EU. Our partners value the technical advice and assurance we bring to their endeavours. Many of these projects would not happen without this additional support made possible by our donors and therefore are key to making a difference to people across the world.

Donor partnerships help bridge gaps in financing, expertise and confidence. The outcomes we seek to achieve are long-term, requiring a financial partner that takes the long view.

EIB donor partnerships offer a platform for dialogue among donors, beneficiaries and partner countries about how to best achieve development goals together.

The EIB has been active worldwide for over 55 years. As the EU bank we act to further the Union’s policies around the globe in over 160 countries. We are guided by EU policy, including commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to the Paris Agreement on Climate Action, as well as apply EU standards and values. This approach drives all of our initiatives, products and activities. We work closely on the ground with EU delegations and often hand in hand with other national, EU and multilateral development actors.