We devote an in-depth look at the social economy and social innovation, an area full of news, events and opportunities under the 2021-2027 programming.
Social economy and social innovation: a common story
The social economy and social innovation have been areas of great interest to the European Union and our Guide for many years. These are two distinct concepts, but they share a common factor: the pursuit of social impact.
More than a decade ago, EU institutions already felt the need to define a “European model” of social innovation and to make a short (and always interesting) explanatory publication . A model that defines how “social innovation” that set of approaches that emerge, experiment and work to address urgent and unmet social needs-while creating new relationships and social collaborations. Such social relationships and collaborations are particularly evident in the development of a’“social economy”, that is, of economically relevant activities aimed-rather than at profit-at seeking a positive impact on society and the community.
The two concepts are thus closely linked: both conceptually and (as we shall see later) from the perspective of community policies and funding.
Four excellent in-depth guides
The social economy and social innovation are topics of particular interest to us, because they represent the terrain of choice for those working in the Third Sector and philanthropy: that is, for many of our readers and for the partnership that supports our Guide.
Our Guide has given space to the topic by publicizing, among other things, some interesting dedicated in-depth guides:
- to practical tools to bring to life and support social innovation ;
- at development of new social finance instruments .
We point out, in this regard, two new in-depth guides recently published, dedicated to:
- at sources of funding for social enterprises ;
- at financing of social innovation from its earliest beginnings. .
The first is more devoted to the social economy and funding sources, the second to social innovation and processes to follow, but they are highly complementary to each other and effectively complement the (more general) content in our Guide.
Both are “must-have documents” for those interested in this area to seize the important opportunities offered by the new programming period.
Indeed, the time has come to explore this issue: let’s find out why.
The new Action Plan on the social economy.
The December 9 the European Commission adopted a new Action Plan on the Social Economy . The Action Plan recognizes the importance and potential of the social economy and proposes new initiatives to foster its development: in terms of framework conditions, access to information and funding, and strengthening European expertise in the field.
The Action Plan on the Social Economy captures the main contextual elements, strategic options available for the development of the sector, and identifies a work program consisting of the following points:
- Proposal for a recommendation on the development of the framework conditions of the social economy
- Webinars and workshops for public officials related to various policy areas of relevance to the social economy
- New initiative under the single market program To support the creation of local and regional partnerships between social economy entities and traditional enterprises
- Better access to finance for social entrepreneurs in the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership, and Southern Neighborhood
- New EU single portal on social economy to access information on EU funding, policies and initiatives
- New Youth Entrepreneurship Policy Academy to support youth, women and social entrepreneurship
- New financial products under the InvestEU program , to mobilize private financing targeted to the needs of social enterprises at different stages of development
- Support for social impact measurement and management to assist social economy actors in the EU
- Joint pathway with public authorities and stakeholders on “Proximity and Social Economy,” for industrial ecosystem transition
- New approach to transnational cooperation under ESF+ and creation of a new “European Center of Expertise for Social Innovation”
The analysis and strategies are explored in depth in two separate working papers and are summarized in a summary prospectus .
The launch event of the Action Plan on the Social Economy.
L’ launching event of the Action Plan on Social Economy. will be held on Dec. 16 from 2:30 to 6 p.m., with the following program:
- 13.30-14.30: Registration and reception of in-person participants
- 14.30-15.50: Introductory plenary session with keynote speeches and the presentation of the Plan
- 15.50-16.15: Coffee break
- 16.15-16.45: Roundtable discussion “new alliances for an economy serving people”
- 16.50-17.30: Roundtable discussion “financing scale-up”
- 17.35-18.00: Closing session and perspectives for the implementation of the Plan
Here, the various components and measures under the Plan-which include in particular, as explained above, new information and funding opportunities for social economy actors-will be explained in detail.
This is the link for registration (an EU login ). The event will be usable mostly online, and a recording will be made available on the YouTube channel of the competent DG .
Funding for the economy and social innovation.
Social economy actors and “social innovators” are frontline actors in accessing a wide range of community programs and funds. The site that summarizes the funding opportunities of interest to them mentions basically all the major European programs .
In fact, the development of “an economy that serves people” is one of the current strategic priorities of the European Commission, and the topic is interdisciplinary in nature, applicable to any community sector and program. Evidence of this can be found everywhere: consider, for example, the relevance of the “social challenges” addressed by the new program Horizon Europe (which we have repeatedly mentioned ) for actors in the economy and social innovation.
However, there are dedicated tools:
- under InvestEU , which devotes one of its four focus areas to social investment, strengthening the social investment market, microfinance and finance for social enterprises. Since these are not “calls” in the most classic sense, but rather funding, we recommend for more information the general EU portal dedicated to the access to financing and, most importantly, the one dedicated to InvestEU . On the InvestEU portal, it is possible to find funded and fundable projects in the specific area of the social economy , both more generally, in all “social” spheres ;
- under the European Social Fund (ESF+) , of which the EaSI program represents a component. The EaSI program (autonomous in the previous programming period) in turn groups three main axes, of which One dedicated to microfinance and social innovation. EaSI makes targeted funding available (summarized in this page and on the portals mentioned in the previous point) and technical support for social economy investors and microcredit providers. For more information, you can: 1) consult the Work Plan 2021 of EaSI and an information page on the open calls; 2) follow the two short video summaries of the last EaSI conference (1 | 2); 3) refer to the experience of the Centers of expertise on social innovation (multinational thematic consortia), including. the reference one for Italy, of which Fondazione CRT is also a part; 4) await the activation of the national contact points, which are in the process of being set up (envisioned in EaSI’s 2021 work plan);
- under the Single Market Program (a new initiative proposed by the recent Social Economy Action Plan: creation of local and regional partnerships between social economy entities and traditional businesses, to develop a business-to-business marketplace of “buy social”).
What’s new, in brief
Thus, the news and opportunities in the field of social economy and social innovation are numerous and important. So as not to miss any, we summarize the highlights here:
- Social economy and social innovation are “historical” priorities of the European Commission, our Guide, the partnership that supports it, and much of our readership;
- We propose as many as four in-depth guides of quality on this topic: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4. The last two very recent and refer to the current program period;
- A new Action Plan on the social economy from the European Commission, full of new initiatives that the EU institutions will begin working on;
- On December 16, the launch event of the aforementioned Action Plan, with presentations, other level speeches and the possibility of access to an online recording of the event;
- Two larger programs and funds ( InvestEU e ESF+ ) include among their components specific funding and initiatives for the social economy and social innovation.
We hope this information will be useful in seizing new opportunities for the development of our territories. Happy europlanning to all.
