The Swedish ESF Council has an open call for proposals titled“25-056 – Socially Innovative Measures and Goals to Address Societal Challenges”under Program Area E, which remains open until September 3. Applicants can receive funding to increase the level of social innovation in their work, to address the challenges faced by people who are far from employment, education, and social inclusion in society. The objectives of the call are to foster positive development, contribute to improved conditions for addressing societal challenges, and ensure that social innovation becomes a means of addressing, reducing, and managing societal challenges, both for individuals and for society at large.
– We hope that this call for proposals will enable people to improve their situation compared to before, whether in terms of the labor market, education, or social inclusion. We hope that stakeholders will be better equipped to address societal challenges. We also hope that the call for proposals can facilitate positive policy changes in the areas where the European Social Fund operates. This is based on socially innovative means and goals, as well as strong involvement and co-creation with the target groups and stakeholders the projects work with,” says Conny Göterfors, National Coordinator at the Swedish ESF Council, and continues:
– The call for proposals is very broad in the sense that we don’t want to dictate the direction any further than requiring that projects address identified needs. As a result, we don’t really know what to expect from the call other than that good things will happen, and that’s pretty exciting in itself.
Those interested in applying for funding under this call for proposals can seek support from Sweden’s National Competence Centre for Social Innovation the ESF prior to submitting their application. The Competence Center will organize digital learning sessions on social innovation and project design, featuring exchanges of experiences and discussions on problem identification, proposed solutions, and potential relevant partners. During the spring, the Swedish ESF Council will also organize digital meetings regarding the call for proposals.
Learning Opportunities 2026
Learn more and sign up for Learning Opportunities 2026.
The learning sessions are based on Forum for Social Innovation Sweden's for the social innovation process, which comprises six key components: understanding the societal challenge, envisioning societal change, mobilizing stakeholders and resources, developing and testing, implementing and scaling up, and creating value. Learn more about the social innovation process.
Do you have questions or want to learn more?
Contact the project manager, Gloria-Karin López, at gloria-karin.lopez@mau.se.
Swedish ESF Council Digital Meetings
The digital meetings regarding the call for proposals will take place monthly from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on March 11, April 15, May 13, and June 17.
Read more in the calendar and sign up.
Facts: Sweden’s National Competence Centre for Social Innovation Competence Centre for Social Innovation the European Social Fund
Sweden’s National Competence Centre for Social Innovation the EuropeanSocial Fund (ESF) works, on behalf of the Swedish ESF Council, toward the overarching goal of promoting more targeted, value-creating, and sustainable social innovations in the implementation of ESF+. The Competence Center consists of Coompanion Sweden, Famna,Forum for Social Innovation Sweden Forum for Social Innovation Sweden at Malmö University Forum for Social Innovation Sweden and the National Network for Coordination Associations (NNS). Read more about the Competence Center.