Elżbieta Ociepa-Kicińska
pages: 66-72; JEL classification: R11, G21, G23; Keywords: metropolitan area, regional policy; business environment institutions; Abstract: The progressing “metropolisation” of the economy is connected with the intensive development of some cities considered to be metropolises or potential metropolises. One of the prerequisites needed to achieve a good rate of development is providing support to enterprises in the form of financial instruments constructed in such a way that their implementation will contribute to stimulation of the economy within a given area. The aim of this paper is to review and systematise the concept of regional policy financial instruments operating in the Szczecin Metropolitan Area (SMA). In the academic literature on the subject, the concept is rarely addressed, and it accounts for only some areas of financing or focuses on selected sources of finance. On that basis, an analysis was made along with a selection of regional policy financial instruments that are in place in the SMA. The specific entities functioning within the business environment institutions in the SMA are discussed along with the kinds of financial instruments offered by them.The analysis resulted in identifying 11 institutions whose range of operations include offering regional policy financial instruments to entrepreneurs.