SKI.F.T. Skills for Transition - Increasing the Impact of Micro and Small Social Economy Enterprises. Call for social economy enterprises to receive advisory services and coaching to support green transition.

The SKI.F.T. Skills for Transition grant program is designed to support micro and small social economy enterprises (SEEs) in their transition towards greener business models. This initiative offers advisory services and coaching rather than direct financial aid, focusing on enhancing the sustainability and resilience of these enterprises. The grant is particularly aimed at social economy enterprises that prioritize social impact over profit and operate within Europe.

Eligible applicants must be classified as micro or small enterprises as per EU definitions, emphasizing their role as social economy entities that provide goods and services with a social mission. The funding is categorized as non-monetary services, specifically advisory and coaching activities, with a total budget of €484,200 for this call. The program encourages applicants from EU Member States, EEA countries, and nations associated with the COSME part of the Single Market Programme, and submissions are accepted in English, Danish, Italian, or Polish.

The application process is open with multiple cut-off deadlines, allowing submissions until funding is fully allocated, with a final deadline set for September 30, 2024. The initiative is not consortium-based, requiring applicants to apply as individual organizations instead. Support will be provided through structured activities, including initial needs assessments, customized goal-setting, thematic webinars, workshops, and individualized coaching.

Additionally, after completing the advisory phase, participants may have the opportunity to apply for financial support for capacity-building services in a subsequent call set to commence in October 2024. This aspect of the program is aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of green transition strategies among participants, ultimately strengthening their competitiveness and sustainability.

The evaluation criteria for applications focus on the applicant's commitment to green transitioning, the relevance of their expressed needs, and clear identification of training requirements. The overall goal is to bolster the impact and operational capacity of social economy enterprises across Europe, encouraging greater gender balance and equal opportunities in applications. Successful applicants will benefit from a minimum commitment of three months for advisory services aimed at developing and implementing sustainable business models.

The SKI.F.T. (Skills for Transition - Increasing the Impact of Micro and Small Social Economy Enterprises) project is offering a call for social economy enterprises to receive advisory services and coaching to support green transition.

The opening date for submissions was May 21, 2024. The call uses a multiple cut-off deadline model, with deadlines on September 30, 2024, at 12:00 (Brussels time) and July 1, 2025, at 17:00 (Brussels time). The call will remain open as long as funding is available. Participants should expect to commit to advisory and coaching services for a minimum of 3 months. The total funding available is 484,200.00 €. The project's grant agreement number is 101126777. The topic is SMP-COSME-2022-SEE-01 - Greening SMEs in the proximity and social economy ecosystem through transnational co-operation.

Applicants must submit their application in English, Danish, Italian, or Polish by completing the application form available via a provided link. Each applicant can submit only one application.

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Be a Social Economy Enterprise (SEE) as defined by the European Commission: A social economy enterprise is an operator in the social economy whose main objective is to have a social impact rather than make a profit for their owners or shareholders. It operates by providing goods and services for the market in an entrepreneurial and innovative fashion and uses its profits primarily to achieve social objectives. It is managed in an open and responsible manner and involves employees, consumers, and stakeholders affected by its commercial activities.

2. Be a Micro and Small (Social Economy) Enterprise as defined by the EU, consistent with Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC and the SME user guide.

3. Be established/registered (legal office) in one of the following countries: EU Member State, EEA countries, and countries associated with the COSME part of the Single Market Programme.

4. Be compliant with the following situations: not bankrupt or being wound up, not having affairs administered by the courts, etc.

5. Apply as an individual organization (i.e., consortia are not eligible to apply for their members).

Only eligible applications will move to the evaluation phase. All eligible applications will be reviewed against the following evaluation criteria: Real commitment and motivation of the applicant organization towards the green transition of the business model, the extent to which the expressed needs of the applicant are related to the green transition process, and whether training needs are clearly identified and reasonable. The SKI.F.T. project seeks gender balance, and applicants are invited to take measures to promote equal opportunities between men and women. Applications will be evaluated by the project partners, and conflicts of interest will be addressed by nominating another evaluator.

The call aims to enable Social Economy Enterprises (SEEs) to gain a deeper understanding of green transition possibilities and increase the success and impact of their transition projects. It aims to contribute to strengthening the resilience, innovation capacity, competitiveness, and sustainability of small and micro cooperative and social economy enterprises (SEEs) with a social mission or impact across Europe, enabling them to embrace green transition.

Selected organizations will receive advisory and coaching activities to develop sustainable business models, structured as follows:

UNDERSTANDING: A first interview to understand the applicant’s needs for green transition.

GOAL SETTING: Elaboration of a dedicated path to meet the identified needs.

ADVISORY: Thematic webinars, workshops, or on-the-job accompaniment.

COACHING: Individual or group coaching and exchange with other organizations and networks.

STRATEGY: Final assessment pattern of the green transition model of the beneficiary organization.

Training sessions will be organized online and/or in person, in English, Danish, Italian, or Polish.

Furthermore, a selected number of applicants that will compete successfully in the Advisory and Coaching Activities, there is the opportunity to apply in a following call for social economy enterprises to receive financial support for purchasing capacity building services to be launched in October 2024 and the opportunity to participate in one transnational seminar on green transition at European level planned for January-February 2025.

In summary, this opportunity under the SKI.F.T. project offers advisory services and coaching to Social Economy Enterprises (SEEs) to facilitate their green transition. The project aims to bolster the resilience, innovation, and sustainability of these enterprises by providing them with tailored support, including needs assessment, goal setting, thematic training, coaching, and strategic planning. Eligible SEEs must be small or micro-enterprises registered in EU or EEA countries, or countries associated with the COSME program, and committed to social impact over profit. The application process involves submitting a proposal in English, Danish, Italian, or Polish, and selected applicants will receive guidance to develop sustainable business models and potentially qualify for further financial support and participation in a European seminar. The project seeks to promote gender balance and ensures fair evaluation by addressing potential conflicts of interest.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are Social Economy Enterprises (SEEs) that are also Micro and Small Enterprises, as defined by the EU. A social economy enterprise is an operator in the social economy whose main objective is to have a social impact rather than make a profit for their owners or shareholders. It operates by providing goods and services for the market in an entrepreneurial and innovative fashion and uses its profits primarily to achieve social objectives. It is managed in an open and responsible manner and involves employees, consumers and stakeholders affected by its commercial activities. Micro and Small Enterprises are defined according to the Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC and the SME user guide.

Funding Type: The primary financial mechanism is advisory services and coaching. Selected applicants may also have the opportunity to apply for financial support for purchasing capacity building services in a subsequent call.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a single applicant. Consortia are not eligible.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU Member States, EEA countries, and countries associated with the COSME part of the Single Market Programme.

Target Sector: The program targets the social economy sector, specifically focusing on enabling green transition within small and micro cooperative and social economy enterprises. The thematic areas include green transition, sustainability, resilience, and innovation capacity.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity mentions Denmark, Italy, and Poland as languages in which applications can be submitted, in addition to English. It also mentions EU Member States and EEA countries as eligible locations.

Project Stage: The expected maturity of the project is for enterprises that are looking to understand and implement green transition strategies within their existing business models. This suggests a focus on development, validation, and potentially demonstration stages.

Funding Amount: The total funding available for the call is 484,200.00 €. The funding is not directly provided to the applicants but is used to provide advisory and coaching services. The value of these services per selected organization is not specified.

Application Type: The application type is an open call with multiple cut-off dates.

Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive non-monetary services in the form of advisory and coaching activities. There is a potential future opportunity to receive financial support for capacity building services through a subsequent call.

Application Stages: The application process involves at least two stages: an initial application for advisory and coaching services, and a subsequent application for financial support for capacity building services for those who successfully complete the advisory and coaching activities.

Success Rates: The success rates are not specified in the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement for the advisory and coaching services.

Summary:

This opportunity, under the SKI.F.T. (Skills for Transition) project, aims to support small and micro social economy enterprises in the EU and EEA to embrace green transition. The call provides selected organizations with advisory and coaching services designed to help them develop sustainable business models. These services include an initial assessment of needs, goal setting, thematic webinars and workshops, individual and group coaching, and a final assessment of the green transition model. The call has multiple deadlines, with the final one being July 1, 2025. Eligible applicants must be Social Economy Enterprises that are also classified as Micro or Small Enterprises, and they must be based in an EU Member State, EEA country, or a country associated with the COSME part of the Single Market Programme. The application must be submitted by an individual organization, not a consortium. The total funding available for these services is 484,200 €, and the expected duration of participation is a minimum of 3 months. Furthermore, successful participants in the advisory and coaching activities may have the opportunity to apply for financial support to purchase capacity building services in a later call and participate in a transnational seminar on green transition. The project seeks gender balance and encourages applicants to promote equal opportunities.