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A new practical guide, “Catalysing Scale: How Support Organisations Can Enable Scaling in the Social Economy,” has been published to help organisations better support social enterprises in scaling their impact. Developed within the Scaling Catalyst project, the guide brings together research findings, expert insights, and case studies to support Social Economy Support Organisations (SESOs) such as incubators, accelerators, networks, and foundations, working with social enterprises across Europe.

In the social economy, scaling does not simply mean organisational growth. It refers to increasing social impact whether by reaching more people, replicating solutions, building partnerships, or influencing systems. This guide helps support organisations understand these pathways and design programmes that effectively enable social enterprises to grow their impact.

The guide offers hands-on guidance for organisations looking to strengthen their support for scaling social enterprises. Drawing on interviews, surveys, and real-world experience, it explores:

• What scaling means in the social and solidarity economy
• Different strategies to scale social impact
• The key stages of the scaling journey
• Common risks and challenges
• How to design effective scaling support programmes

It also features case studies and insights from leading organisations across Europe, including Ashoka, FASE, Social Innovation Factory, Impact Shakers, Reach for Change, ScaleChanger and others.

These examples highlight how combining funding, expertise, networks, and tailored support can significantly increase the chances of successful scaling.

Across Europe, social enterprises are tackling pressing challenges from improving access to education and healthcare to advancing climate solutions and social inclusion. However, many struggle to scale their impact. Common barriers include limited access to long-term funding, lack of resources and specialised expertise, and difficulties adapting solutions to new contexts or markets. As a result, even proven innovations often remain local.

Support organisations play a key role in overcoming these challenges. By providing strategic guidance, facilitating partnerships, and offering tailored programmes, they act as catalysts that help social innovations grow and reach more communities.

Part of the Scaling Catalyst initiative

The guide is one of the key outputs of the Scaling Catalyst project, a two-year initiative funded by the European Union and running from September 2024 to August 2026.

The project aims to strengthen the capacity of support organisations across Europe so they can better assist social enterprises in scaling their solutions. It is implemented by Reach for Change, ACT GRUPA, GROUPE SOS Pulse, the Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia (SEAL), and ScaleChanger, with Euclid Network as an associated partner.

To support the launch of the guide, a series of three webinars for support organisations will be organised, where participants will gain deeper insights into the guide, explore key concepts, and learn from practical examples. The sessions will also provide space for discussion and exchange with practitioners. To apply and find out more, follow the information shared on the project webpage and social media channels.

Read more about the project here!

For more information, please contact: Liva Svarce,

On March 26, the Saeima (Latvian Parliament) supported, in the third reading, amendments to the Social Enterprise Law that reduce the administrative burden for work integration social enterprises and promote the attraction of private investment in the sector.

The amendments stipulate that social enterprises that have been operating for at least three years or that have been established by a public benefit organization with experience in working with persons with disabilities may provide employment services to persons with disabilities without additional licensing. Until now, only enterprises holding a license issued by the State Employment Agency were allowed to provide this service.

The frequency of preparing informative reports has also been changed – the Ministry of Welfare will prepare a report on the operation and development of social enterprises once every three years instead of every two years, as previously stipulated.

The most significant changes to the law concern profit distribution. Until now, the law required social enterprises to reinvest all profits back into the company. From now on, subject to certain criteria, social enterprises will be able to distribute up to 50% of the profit for the reporting year.

It is hoped that this solution will encourage the attraction of private investment and foster the development of the social entrepreneurship sector. The Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia actively participated in the meetings of the Saeima’s Social and Employment Matters Committee, supporting these amendments, explaining the situation in the sector to members of parliament, and emphasizing the necessity of the changes.

ESEM gathers the opinions and experiences of social entrepreneurs, helping governments, funders, researchers, and business support organizations better understand the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. The data helps identify the main challenges and barriers faced by social entrepreneurs and supports the development of more enabling policies and funding instruments across Europe.

One of the most significant challenges in the field of social entrepreneurship remains the lack of high-quality data. Without sufficient information, it is difficult to design effective policies and provide targeted support to social entrepreneurs. Broader knowledge and a better understanding of the sector mean that funding, as well as European Union and national policies, can be better tailored to the needs of social entrepreneurs.

In the previous ESEM survey, more than 2,000 social entrepreneurs shared their experiences, and the information they provided is already influencing policymakers, educational institutions, and other stakeholders across Europe. However, this is only the beginning — the more social entrepreneurs participate, the stronger the sector’s voice becomes.

By sharing your experience and encouraging other social entrepreneurs to participate in the ESEM 2026 survey, you can help drive change and influence future policies, funding instruments, and support mechanisms for social entrepreneurship in Europe.

We invite social entrepreneurs to get involved and make their voices heard — take part in the European Social Enterprise Survey (ESEM) 2026 and become part of positive change.

More information about the project is available on the ESEM website.

On 28 January, the Cabinet of Ministers Republic of Latvia approved the implementation of the Social Economy Plan for 2026–2029. The plan will be coordinated by the Ministry of Welfare, and the Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia also participated in its development. The plan aims to promote the development of the social economy in Latvia by fostering social inclusion and access to the labour market, as well as by strengthening support mechanisms for social economy actors, including social entrepreneurs.

According to the definition of the social economy, its participants are associations, foundations, social enterprises and cooperative societies that meet the following criteria:

– they are private entities, independent of the public sector;
– they provide goods or services to their members or to society;
– people, as well as social or environmental objectives, are prioritised over profit;
– the majority of their profit is reinvested in achieving their social or environmental goals;
– they operate under a democratic (participatory) governance model.

In Latvia, the social economy comprises more than 29,000 entities, of which approximately one quarter are active. The largest social economy groups in Latvia are associations and foundations, including public benefit organisations, cooperative societies and social enterprises.

The plan envisages the implementation of measures across three lines of action: the institutional line (legal framework of the social economy, division of responsibilities, supervision), the target group line (access to the labour market and social inclusion), and the systemic line (development of systems that promote the social economy).

Learn more about the Ministry-approved document here!

On 6 and 7 November, Riga became the meeting point for social economy support organisations from across Europe. The Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia (SEAL) hosted the third Transnational Workshop of the DO Impact Capacity Building Programme — two full days dedicated to data ethics.

Sounds heavy? Actually, it wasn’t. Between deep discussions, hands-on workshops, and coffee breaks full of conversations and laughter, it turned out that talking about data privacy, AI, and consent can actually be inspiring — even fun.

The first day was all about data principles in practice. Instead of long lectures, participants jumped straight into real-life situations — figuring out how to make data collection more human-centred, how to get consent from the data owners, and how to design forms that don’t ask for too much information.

As one participant put it: “Data ethics isn’t a policy you print once a year — it’s a conversation you keep having.”

Most problems don’t come from complicated laws — they come from simple everyday things. For example:

● Leaving documents on a printer.
● Posting photos of children without parental consent.
● Keeping old data “just in case”.

Simple habits can make a big difference. Every organisation should know how long they store data, why they need it, and who has access. And yes — every organisation should have a privacy policy ready to show anyone who asks.
The data ethics workshops received enthusiastic feedback — participants appreciated not just learning what’s right, but actually practicing how to do it. Learning didn’t stop at the session doors.

Many participants said their favourite part was simply meeting people, sharing experiences, and building connections. The World Café session and project presentations helped everyone discover what others are working on — and many new collaboration ideas were born right there in the room.

Lessons We’ll Remember:

● Non-material harm is real. GDPR also covers emotional and reputational damage, not just financial losses.
● Consent must be clear. Especially when publishing photos — always ask for explicit permission, ideally with a two-part sign-up sheet: one for event participation, one for consent to use images.
● Big companies still get it wrong. Participants shared stories of getting sales calls they never agreed to — proof that some data still gets sold around. No consent? Then it’s illegal.
● Data controllers need curiosity. Ask the right questions, limit what you collect, and delete what you don’t need.

Huge thanks to everyone who filled those two days with ideas and energy and especially to the lectors: Prof. Dr. Aleksandrs Potaičuks, Kristofers Kalniņš-Liberis and Wojtek Wilk!

What’s Next?

We’re not done yet! The next workshop will take place online on 29 January 2026, online. This time, we’ll be diving into measuring social impact through digitalisation and data use. Two days, dozens of conversations, and one big reminder: ethics starts with people. And when those people are curious, kind, and ambitious — like this group — even GDPR can feel like an adventure.

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The event was organized within the framework of the DO Impact project, co-financed by the European Union.

“IMPACT QUEST” is an interactive and educational two-part game that helps players explore what social entrepreneurship is. It demonstrates how social enterprises can address various social issues — for example, in the fields of employment, culture, or the environment — while maintaining a balance between social goals and profit. The purpose of social entrepreneurship is to create real change in the world, rejecting the idea of maximizing profits for business owners personally. In this game, participants tackle global challenges and transform them into inspiring business ideas.

In the first part of the game, players explore common social problems, generate different ideas and solutions, and develop a viable concept that could foster real change in society. In the second part, the vision of the idea is turned into a concrete action plan, developing a social enterprise that drives transformation.

The creators of “IMPACT QUEST” drew inspiration from real tools used by social entrepreneurs to build their businesses. For instance, social impact mapping helps to understand key problems and their effects; theory of change allows step-by-step planning of how an idea can create real impact; and the business model canvas helps design a company that balances mission and profit.

The board game is designed to be played in groups — each group consisting of 4 to 6 players. Although the main target audience is young people aged 16 to 25, anyone interested in learning more about social entrepreneurship or using the game as a tool to develop their own social business idea is welcome to play!

The game materials include:

• Game board “Social Entrepreneurship Road”;

• Information cards;

• Social issue cards;

• Business model cards;

• Lucky cards;

• Empty cards;

• Six main element cards — Climate, Culture, Poverty, Education, Unemployment, and Discrimination;

• “Impact Quest” game rules;

• Player’s handbook.

You can find the printing sizes and required quantities for each material HERE.

All game materials are free to print and use, but by writing to e-mail address , you can also order a printed version of the game, covering only the printing costs.

We are already using the game in practice in educational institutions across Latvia — conducting classes on social entrepreneurship for high school and university students. We invite teachers, youth workers, and young people themselves to print and play “IMPACT QUEST”!

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The beginning of autumn was marked by a webinar for social entrepreneurs and organizations about current growth opportunities in the field of digitalization—whether by improving their own and their employees’ skills and knowledge, entrusting their website to professionals, or developing new plans and strategies together with mentors.

Among the presenters were representatives from Accenture, RTU Design Factory, Riga Municipality Business Support Contact Point, and Riga Business School. During the webinar, participants could get answers to their questions about the opportunities and programs offered by these organizations, which could later be applied in their own digitalization processes.

Accenture representatives introduced the FutureTech Internship project, organized in cooperation with Riga Technical University (RTU). Experienced IT specialists from Accenture act as mentors, and under their guidance RTU students look for solutions to clients’ digitalization challenges. For the second year in a row, Accenture has successfully collaborated with SEAL, giving association members exclusive access to this opportunity by submitting their needs—which can range from improving website accessibility to creating a recipe AI generator, a digital game, and more. For SEAL members, this service is free of charge.

Following last year’s successful collaboration, where digital solutions were developed for six SEAL members, the partnership between SEAL and Accenture continues. With this webinar, new clients were sought for the project’s second season.

RTU Design Factory, in collaboration with SEB Bank, has created a Growth Program that offers development opportunities aimed specifically at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. The program is divided into three levels, depending on the entrepreneur’s previous experience and knowledge. In practical workshops led by professional mentors, participants can gain new knowledge, improve internal processes, implement digital solutions, or even develop new products and enter new markets. Read more here.

Meanwhile, Riga Municipality offers a grant program for social enterprises to improve accessibility in both physical and digital environments. The total funding for this program is 60 000 euros, and one company can receive a grant of up to 15 000 euros, covering 90% of eligible costs. Accessibility improvements include construction elements and related documentation, expert accessibility assessments, adapting premises, as well as improving a company’s website accessibility.

At the end of the webinar, Riga Business School presented the learning platform LIFT, which offers practical courses on a wide variety of current topics that affect companies today. The offered course topics include digital marketing, artificial intelligence for business growth, presentation skills, project management, and more. Thanks to support from the EU Recovery Fund, companies can receive full financial support for any course, meaning they only need to pay the VAT part. Read more here.

Digitalization is often a decisive factor in determining a company’s long-term competitiveness. An aesthetically appealing appearance, modern and engaging communication with audiences, and efficient management of internal processes are vital aspects that cannot be neglected when thinking about business growth. Organizations that provide growth opportunities are interested in cooperating with the non-governmental sector and social enterprises, so that they can also reflect social responsibility in their public communication.

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The event was organized within the framework of the DO Impact project, co-financed by the European Union.

Over the past year, Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia together with Riga Technical University and Cyprus Technical University brought together students, NGOs, community leaders, social entrepreneurs, and researchers to explore some of today’s most pressing societal challenges through the Citizen Science approach. By engaging people from diverse backgrounds in dialogue and collaborative problem-solving, the project ValuEU “Hybrid Value Chain enhancement in Europe through Citizen” aimed to co-create practical solutions, empower communities to take action, as well as to test the Citizen Science approach. 

Citizen Lab Workshops: Five Themes, Five Perspectives

There were five Citizen Lab workshops hosted, each dedicated to a theme relevant both locally and globally:

• Mental Health Awareness and Burnout Risks: Participants discussed how healthy routines, digital balance, and people-centred organisational cultures are key to preventing burnout and promoting wellbeing.
• Safety and Protection in Times of Geopolitical Instability: Discussions highlighted the need for trusted local networks, practical guidelines, and active involvement of schools, NGOs, and municipalities.
• Social Economy: The workshop focused on possibilities of rebranding the social economy as innovative and financially viable, while strengthening collaboration between NGOs, academia, enterprises, and policymakers.
• Digital Fairness: Cyber Risks, AI, and Social Justice: Participants explored how accessible tools, education, and cross-sector collaboration can make the digital transition safer and more inclusive.
• Sustainable Future: Innovative Solutions for Everyday Change: The final workshop emphasised everyday behaviour change, waste reduction, and grassroots initiatives as key drivers of a just green transition.

Each session followed a structured methodology of Action Design research (ADR) method: issue exploration, lived experiences, Disney method – dreamers, critics, realists, and collaborative design thinking. This approach not only allowed participants to analyse problems from multiple angles but also encouraged them to propose actionable solutions.

Key Learnings

Through the workshops, several cross-cutting lessons emerged:

• Complex challenges require diverse perspectives – bringing together civil society, academia, public institutions, and citizens led to richer discussions and more innovative solutions.
• People engage when they see real impact – participation grows when individuals understand how their voices contribute to practical outcomes.
• Safe, inclusive spaces matter – a constructive environment encourages participants to share personal experiences and propose bold ideas.
• Solutions need a pathway forward – beyond discussion, participants want clear next steps and opportunities to continue their involvement.

Final Symposium: Sharing Results and Looking Ahead

The project culminated in a final symposium that took place on August 28, 2025 and gathered stakeholders, policymakers, and community representatives to reflect on results and lessons learned.

• The event opened with Imants Lipskis, Director of the Labor Market Policy Department at the Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia, who presented Latvia’s Social Economy Action Plan and its vision for strengthening the ecosystem.
• The representatives from the Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia and Cyprus Technical University shared insights on the implementation of the Citizen Science approach and lessons learned from the workshops.
• An interactive panel discussion brought together experts and practitioners to discuss the applicability of citizen science in different contexts, the value of participatory methodologies, and the usability of the results for future policy and community actions.

Why It Matters

For the Social Entrepreneurship Association of Latvia (SEAL) and social economy field in general, the project demonstrated how citizen science can be a powerful tool for tackling complex social problems. Top-down solutions alone are not enough – real change requires collaboration, trust-building, and ownership by citizens themselves.

The ValuEU project has shown that when communities, NGOs, policymakers, and academics come together, they can co-create solutions that are both innovative and sustainable. From rethinking workplace wellbeing to designing fairer digital tools and promoting everyday sustainability practices, the outcomes of this initiative highlight the potential of participatory approaches in driving social innovation.

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The project ValuEU “Hybrid Value Chain enhancement in Europe through Citizen” is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or The State Education Development Agency (hereinafter – VIAA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority (VIAA) can be held responsible for them.