Does IFI funding provide support to SMEs receiving such funding? We assess the impact of funding by the European Investment Bank (EIB) on the performance of 5,074 SMEs in eight countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) during 2008-2014. Our results derived from a propensity score matching and difference-in-difference estimation exercises indicate that EIB lending has a positive effect on employment, revenues and profitability. We also find that the positive impact of EIB funding on employment and revenues is significantly higher when it is provided in a crisis year and firms face a prolonged crisis. Treated firms also record an even larger advantage in terms of profitability. Overall, our results provide support to the view that IFI funding makes a dfference in a period characterized by financial and economic turmoil.