ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative - EU-level Grants

Enriched – · Found: 2026-03-13 17:21

Recurring EU-wide calls for transnational projects transferring and upscaling innovative solutions to societal challenges in employment, education, skills and social inclusion. Budget of approximately 197 million euros for 2021-2027. Supports social economy organizations and NGOs for circular economy value chains and green jobs.

Source: https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en/esf-social-innovation-initiative

Funding Details

Funder

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) / European Competence Centre for Social Innovation (Lithuania ESFA)

Funding Goal

Transnational EU-level projects that conceptualise, transfer, and upscale innovative solutions to societal challenges primarily in employment, education, skills, and social inclusion. Supports the social economy, green jobs, inclusive circular economy value chains, and capacity building of social innovation organizations across Europe.

Funding Amount

Total programme budget EUR 197 million for 2021-2027; individual project grants vary by call — typically EUR hundreds of thousands to low millions

Deadline

Periodic; calls announced on socialinnovationplus.eu (periodic)

How to Apply

Applications submitted through the ESF Social Innovation+ call portal at socialinnovationplus.eu. Calls managed by the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation operated by the Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency (ESFA). Monitor the portal for current open calls.

Target Region

European Union Member States; associated countries; Ukraine eligible as of April 2026

Contact

European Competence Centre for Social Innovation: Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency (ESFA). Website: socialinnovationplus.eu. ESF+ website: european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu

Last Checked

2026-05-07 01:48

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Organization must be registered in EU Member State or associated country
• Transnational consortium of partners from multiple EU countries required

Project Scope

• Project must address employment, education, skills, or social inclusion topics (green jobs/circular economy eligible as cross-cutting)
• Must demonstrate prior testing of the social innovation and clear plan for EU-level transfer/upscaling

Required Documents

• Monitor socialinnovationplus.eu for current open calls — calls are periodic

Constraints

• Project must have EU-wide relevance and transferability across Member States

Summary

The ESF+ Social Innovation+ initiative funds EU-level transnational projects that transfer and upscale innovative social solutions across European countries. The programme is managed by the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation, operated by the Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency (ESFA), with a EUR 197 million budget for 2021-2027. The programme covers three main types of activities: (1) social innovation grants for projects conceptualising, testing, and scaling social innovations; (2) mutual learning and capacity building for ESF+ managing authorities; and (3) knowledge-sharing networks and communities of practice. The grant strand is most relevant for NGOs and social enterprises seeking EU-level project funding. Thematic priorities are employment, education, skills, and social inclusion — with green jobs and green skills increasingly recognised as cross-cutting themes. Social innovations addressing circular economy, waste management livelihoods, community-based recycling cooperatives, or inclusion of waste workers in the formal economy are potentially in scope, particularly when framed around employment/social inclusion. Eligibility requirements include being registered in an EU Member State or associated country, and forming a transnational consortium across multiple EU countries. Projects must demonstrate a genuine innovation in social approach, evidence of prior testing, and a clear plan for transfer and upscaling across the EU. Geographically, the programme covers all EU Member States. Ukraine became eligible in April 2026. Activities must have clear EU-wide relevance and transferability — purely national projects are out of scope. Applications are made through the socialinnovationplus.eu portal when calls are open.

Historical Context

ESF Social Innovation+ replaced the earlier EaSI EASI programme. Programme runs for 2021-2027 with EUR 197 million budget managed by Lithuanian ESFA. Covers employment, education, skills, social inclusion as primary areas; green jobs and circular economy are eligible as social innovation themes.

Sources

• https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en/esf-social-innovation-initiative

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