ESF+ EaSI Strand - EU Social Innovation and Policy Experimentation Calls

Enriched – · Found: 2026-03-13 17:21

Employment and Social Innovation strand financing EU-level calls for social innovation, social experimentation, evidence-based policy and capacity building for social enterprises. Supports transnational consortia for projects testing and scaling new solutions in inclusive green transitions and social entrepreneurship.

Source: https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en/how-access-funding-esf

Funding Details

Funder

European Commission — European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) EaSI Strand

Funding Goal

EU-level funding for social innovation, policy experimentation, evidence-based policymaking, job mobility, and capacity building in microfinance and social enterprise. The EaSI (Employment and Social Innovation) strand supports: social experimentation projects, capacity building for microfinance and social enterprises, job mobility programs (EURES), and transnational social innovation projects. Funding reaches applicants through both direct management (European Commission) and indirect management (e.g., through the European Competence Centre for Social Innovation).

Funding Amount

Varies by specific call. EaSI is a strand within ESF+ which has EUR 142 billion total for 2021-2027. Individual EaSI grants and contracts published on EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

How to Apply

Two pathways: (1) European Commission direct management — calls for proposals and tenders published on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/). Annual EaSI Work Programme published in Q4 of preceding year. (2) Indirect management via European Competence Centre for Social Innovation — calls published on socialinnovationplus.eu. Each call has its own documentation and eSInnis application system.

Target Region

European Union and EEA/participating non-EU countries

Contact

European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion. See EU Funding and Tenders Portal for call-specific contacts.

Last Checked

2026-03-15 09:51

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Must be a legally incorporated entity in EU Member State or associated/EEA country
• Check specific call documentation on EU Funding and Tenders Portal for per-call eligibility requirements
• For Social Innovation+ calls: transnational consortium of 3+ entities from 2+ countries required, including a public authority

Project Scope

• Monitor annual EaSI Work Programme (published Q4 each year) to identify relevant upcoming calls
• Social experimentation calls require projects based on tested approaches, ready for transfer/scale

Required Documents

• Submit via EU Funding and Tenders Portal (direct) or eSInnis system (Social Innovation+ calls)

Constraints

• Co-financing typically required — up to 80% EU funding, minimum 20% from other sources

Summary

The Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the EU-level component of the ESF+ that directly funds transnational social innovation, policy experimentation, job mobility, and microfinance/social enterprise capacity building. Unlike the main ESF+ which is distributed through national programs, EaSI is managed directly by the European Commission or through entrusted entities, enabling organizations across the EU to apply directly for EU-level grants. Funding opportunities appear in two main forms: grants through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal (direct management) and calls through the Social Innovation Plus Initiative (indirect management via the Lithuanian ESFA). The annual EaSI Work Programme, published each autumn, sets the funding priorities for the coming year, covering topics such as social experimentation, poverty reduction, labor market inclusion, and social enterprise development. Grant sizes and eligibility vary by call. For organizations in circular economy and marine conservation, EaSI represents a potential but indirect route to funding. The strand's strong focus on employment, social inclusion, and evidence-based policymaking means that a circular economy project with a strong social inclusion angle — such as integrating informal waste workers into formal recycling systems, or creating jobs for marginalized communities through blue economy activities — could qualify under certain EaSI calls. The program's EU geographic scope and rolling call schedule make it worth monitoring annually.

Historical Context

The EaSI strand is a continuation of the standalone PROGRESS, EURES, and EaSI programmes from previous programming periods. Now integrated within ESF+ for 2021-2027. EaSI annual work programmes define priorities each year and are published in Q4.

Sources

• https://european-social-fund-plus.ec.europa.eu/en/how-access-funding-esf

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