The European Commission has launched a new call for proposals to support EU-level networks working in the fields of social economy, social enterprise finance and microfinance. The call is open from 06 March until 19 June.
The goal is to strengthen the capacity of these networks to support social economy and social finance organisations and help them raise awareness, contribute to shaping policies, and improve access to finance for social economy actors across the EU.
An indicative budget of EUR 13.3 million is available through this call, funded under the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund Plus.
Who is the call for?
This call targets EU-level networks and consortia with national member organisations in at least 14 Member States or EaSI participating countries.
Eligible applicants must be:
- Legal entities
- Established in EU Member Sates or EaSI participating countries
- Non-governmental or not-for-profit entities
- Either an EU-level network whose mission falls under the objectives of this call for proposals, or a research centre, network or entity affiliated with a university active at EU level in the fields of social economy.
Both individual applicants and consortia can apply. In the case of consortia, the lead partner must represent at least 7 countries.
What are the objectives?
Projects funded under this call should support the development of the social economy and improve access to finance for social enterprises, microenterprises and enterprises driven by social impact.
Applicants are expected to contribute to at least seven of the following nine objectives:
- Support the Commission’s outreach efforts by raising awareness of EU policies and funding opportunities such as the ESF+ and InvestEU
- Advocate for the social economy and social finance by improving knowledge, policy frameworks, and education in these areas
- Provide input to policy design by voicing the needs of social economy entities and social finance providers
- Help implement EU policies and act as multipliers at national, regional and local level
- Contribute to national and regional strategies under the Council recommendation on social economy framework conditions
- Develop or strengthen national networks, especially in Member States where the social economy is still emerging
- Generate data and research to support evidence-based policymaking in social economy and social finance
- Build the capacity of networks and their members through mutual learning, exchange of good practices and increased engagement
- Strengthen cooperation across EU-level networks and with public authorities at all levels.
What kind of activities will be funded?
Funding will support a wide range of activities, including:
- Data collection, policy analysis and research
- Capacity-building, training, peer learning and exchange of good practices
- Awareness-raising and outreach, including communication support for the EU Social Economy Gateway
- Creating or supporting national-level networks
- Bringing together researchers, practitioners and policymakers
- (Optional) small-scale grants for network members to support development and communication efforts
All projects are expected to address cross-cutting issues such as gender equality, non-discrimination and inclusion.
What funding is available?
Grants are expected to range between EUR 500 000 and EUR 1.5 million per project and will cover up to 85% of the total eligible costs.
Projects should run for 30 to 36 months and may start as early as the end of 2025.
What is the deadline?
Applications must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by 19 June 2025 at 17:00 CET.
Where can I find more information?
You can find the full call text, guidance documents and application forms on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. A recording of an info session is also available.
For questions about this call, write to EMPL-SOCIAL-ENTERPRISE@ec.europa.eu.
