2 Dec 2025
e-MFP is looking for an Advisor to support the European Microfinance Award 2026, on Financial Inclusion for Youth
Call for an Advisor – European Microfinance Award 2026 on‘Financial Inclusion for Youth’
Background
The European Microfinance Award is a prestigious annual award with €100,000 for the winner, attracting applications from organisations innovating in financial inclusion. Launched in 2005 by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, the Award both rewards excellence and disseminates best practices and is coorganised by the MFA, e-MFP and the Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe).
Past themes include inclusive insurance, forcibly displaced people, food security, women’s financial inclusion, access to health care, savings, climate change, technology, housing, education, fragile states, and the environment.
The 2026 Award will focus on ‘Financial Inclusion for Youth’, highlighting how financial service providers and ecosystem actors can design and deliver products and services that support young people, primarily aged 18–35, on their pathway to financial autonomy, entrepreneurship, and economic participation. Complementary interventions for ages 15–18 may be included when clearly linked to future financial inclusion.
The EMA team is seeking an Advisor with strong background and expertise in this topic to support our small and experienced team in the design and development of the 2026 Award.
EMA Application Process
The Award follows three stages:
1. Preselection Phase – Assessment of applicant organisations’ eligibility, and relevance and quality of initiative through:
Round 1 short applications (2–3 pages)
Round 2 full applications
2. Selection Phase – A committee nominates semi-finalists and three finalists.
3. High Jury Phase – A High Jury selects the winner.
Scope of Work
Assignment A (7 days) (Jan-March 2026)
The Advisor will:
Produce a briefing document (not for publication) mapping youth financial inclusion challenges, solutions, actors, and examples, incorporating youth life-cycle needs (employment transitions, entrepreneurship, migration, young families, education, etc.).
Work with e-MFP in refining the Award scope, definitions, application forms, evaluation model, and guidelines, ensuring alignment with expert input.
Assignment B (11.5 days) (April–Sept 2026)
Preselection and Selection Phase
Round 1: Review up to 30 short applications for eligibility and relevance.
Round 2: Review up to 15 full applications for relevance and quality.
Financial assessment: Review up to 10 applications for financial performance & participate in a ½ day meeting to discuss the results with the team.
Participate in 4 half-day online meetings (April: Selection of applications moving to Round 2; June: Selection of preselected applications).
Selection Committee: Participate in 2 x half-day meetings in September.
Profile of Advisor
At least 10 years of experience in financial inclusion, ideally with FSPs in low-income and emerging markets.
At least experience in youth finance, including youth entrepreneurship (18–35), youth retail financial services, and/or youth economic transitions.
Fluency in English; reading proficiency in French and/or Spanish.
Ability to analyse youth-specific design features, data disaggregation, and financial/ non-financial service linkages.
Must sign confidentiality and neutrality agreements.
Available Resources
Past Award methodologies, guidelines, and communication materials are available on the Award and e-MFP websites.
Application, Contact & Deadline
Application form: To apply, please fill in the form HERE.
Contact: fnaranjo@e-mfp.eu
Deadline: 12 December 2025, 9am CET.