Interregional Collaboration to Strengthen Social Enterprises Across Europe

Overview: The RaiSE project, funded by the Interreg Europe programme, brought together six proactive regions and one advisory partner to address the common challenge of enhancing the competitiveness of social enterprises. By facilitating interregional cooperation and knowledge exchange, RaiSE aimed to improve business support policies tailored to the unique needs of social enterprises, thereby fostering inclusive growth and social impact across Europe. Interreg Europe

Objectives:

1. Enhance Business Support Policies: Develop and implement improved policies that cater specifically to the needs of social enterprises in participating regions.
2. Facilitate Knowledge Exchange: Promote interregional learning and the sharing of best practices among partners to strengthen support structures for social enterprises.
3. Increase Competitiveness: Equip social enterprises with the tools and resources necessary to compete effectively in the global market.

Key Features:

• Interregional Analysis: Conducted comprehensive studies to map social enterprises in each region, identifying growth barriers and needs.
• Good Practice Guides: Compiled successful regional examples to inform the development of action plans and policy improvements.
• Thematic Workshops and Study Visits: Organized events focusing on market access, public procurement, and internationalization to facilitate knowledge exchange.

Target Audience:

• Social Enterprises: Organizations aiming to achieve social impact while operating in the market economy.
• Policy Makers: Regional authorities and stakeholders involved in developing and implementing business support policies.
• Business Support Organizations: Entities providing services and resources to social enterprises.

Impact:

• Policy Improvements: Each partner region developed an action plan to enhance business support policies for social enterprises, leading to more effective support structures.
• Capacity Building: Strengthened the capabilities of social enterprises to access markets, participate in public procurement, and internationalize their operations.
• Increased Visibility: Raised awareness of the importance of social enterprises in driving inclusive growth and social innovation.

Recognitions and Awards:

• Interreg Project Slam Winner (2018): RaiSE won the Interreg Project Slam in 2018, boosting the project's impact and popularity.

Additional Resources: For more information, visit the RaiSE project page on Interreg Europe.