EU funding opportunities for the social economy
Find funding that is suitable for you
In this section you will find information about EU funding programmes for the social economy. Click here for broader information about EU funding.
The information about EU funding programmes of particular relevance for the social economy that is featured here is based on the work of Euclid Network (EN) - The European Social Enterprise Network. Their European Funding Toolkit, co-financed by the European Commission, serves as the basis for the content presented in this section. EN also contributed to reviewing the adjustments made for this website. For a downloadable PDF providing in-depth guidance on EU funding applicable to the social economy, access EN's European Funding Toolkit here.
European Funding Toolkit (direct link)
Information about non-financial support will be added to the resources section of this website later this year.
Social Services helpdesk
Social economy organisations working in the field of social services may be interested in the Social Services Helpdesk.
More information about the helpdesk & links to resources
Direct link:
How does EU funding work?
In general, EU funding is managed through three different approaches:
- Shared management (around 70% of EU funding programmes): responsibility for running a given programme is shared jointly between the European Commission and national authorities in EU countries.
- Direct management: EU funding is managed directly by EU institutions.
- Indirect management (10% of the overall EU budget): the funding programmes are partly or fully implemented by third parties, such as national authorities or international organisations. Funding takes the form of subsidies, which you apply for at national level.
Infographic about the budget available: Multiannual financial framework 2021-2027 and Next Generation EU
The Funding & Tenders Portal is the entry point for participants and experts in funding programmes and tenders managed by the European Commission and other EU bodies.
It provides for the electronic management of EU programmes and tenders and facilitates the related interactions with the EU Institutions.
5 steps to participate
- Find an opportunity
- Find partner(s)
- Create an account
- Register your organisation
- Submit your proposal or offer
Filter by
EU funding programmes (30)
RSSErasmus+ fund supports education, training, youth, and sport initiatives in the EU.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Status
- Open for application
- Topics
- Business skills
- Circular economy
- Culture
- Digital skills
- Employment
- Entrepreneurship
- Green transition
- Inclusion
- Job creation
- Migration
- Research
- Sector specific skills
- Skills
- Social inclusion
- Sustainability
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
- Liechtenstein
- Iceland
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Serbia
- Turkey
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) seeks to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the EU by correcting imbalances between its regions.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Status
- Open for application
- Topics
- Competitiveness
- Digitalisation
- Employment
- Entrepreneurship
- Equality
- Governance
- Green transition
- Inclusion
- Job creation
- Poverty reduction
- Research
- Sector specific skills
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
Are you interested in support for developing innovative and sustainable business practices to boost rural growth and competitiveness? This call may be interesting for you...
- Information type
- Call for proposals
- Status
- Closed for application
- Topics
- Circular economy
- Competitiveness
- Cross border cooperation
- Green transition
- Social Innovation
- Sustainability
- Territorial development
- Location of entity/project to fund
- Albania
- All EU Member States
- Liechtenstein
- Moldova
- Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Iceland
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Serbia
- Turkey
- Ukraine
The ESF+ focuses on employment, education, and skills as well as social inclusion.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Status
- Open for application
- Topics
- Digital skills
- Digitalisation
- Employment
- Equality
- Finance
- Inclusion
- Job creation
- Poverty reduction
- Sector specific skills
- Skills
- Social inclusion
- Social Innovation
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
- Iceland
- Montenegro
- Norway
- Serbia
The European Solidarity Corps is an EU funding programme for young people wishing to engage in solidarity activities in a variety of areas.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Status
- Open for application
- Topics
- Cross border cooperation
- Inclusion
- Sector specific skills
- Skills
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
- Liechtenstein
- Iceland
- North Macedonia
- Turkey
Interreg is one of the key instruments of the EU supporting cooperation across borders through project funding.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Status
- Open for application
- Topics
- Competitiveness
- Cross border cooperation
- Employment
- Entrepreneurship
- Equality
- Governance
- Poverty reduction
- Skills
- Social inclusion
- Social Innovation
- Territorial development
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
- Norway
- Switzerland
The European Urban Initiative is an essential tool to support cities of all sizes, to build capacity and knowledge, to support innovation and develop transferable and scalable innovative solutions to urban challenges of EU relevance.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Topics
- Circular economy
- Digitalisation
- Research
- Social inclusion
- Social Innovation
- Sustainability
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
€22 million for addressing societal challenges arising from the war against Ukraine. New deadline for submission: May 30, 2024.
- Information type
- Call for proposals
- Status
- Closed for application
- Topics
- Cross border cooperation
- Entrepreneurship
- Finance
- Inclusion
- Job creation
- Migration
- Social inclusion
- Social Innovation
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
Would you like to contribute to a European Networked Catalyst Fund for Social Innovation? This call may be interesting for you...
- Information type
- Call for proposals
- Status
- Closed for application
- Topics
- Finance
- Social Innovation
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
- Third countries
The Global Europe: Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument is the principal financial tool of the EU’s international cooperation for the period of 2021-2027.
- Information type
- Funding Programme
- Topics
- Cross border cooperation
- Culture
- Employment
- Governance
- Migration
- Location of entity/project to fund
- All EU Member States
- Third countries