EU structural funds and support for the implementation of social projects: the Polish example

Abstract

Background: EU structural funds play an important role in the process of managing projects aimed at solving social problems. After joining the EU, Poland was able to use structural funds to modernize the social and economic sphere and change the paradigm of development of local communities. Ukraine has a chance to become a member of the European Union. This will give Ukraine the opportunity to use the support of European donors for the purpose of post-war reconstruction and to reform the system of social assistance. Purpose: Determine the main directions of using EU structural funds and the role of project management in obtaining and using structural funds. Methods: Statistical data from official sources of Poland and the European Commission were used for the analysis. The findings are relevant to the management of the social sphere, human resource management, and change management in organizations. Results: EU structural funds are an important tool of economic and social policy. Project management is an integral part of the process of receiving and using financial support from structural funds. There are three groups of the beneficiaries, state institutions of the social sphere, private enterprises, and non-governmental organizations. Conclusion: The project manager must always be well prepared for this activity. He must also understand the specifics of the cohesion policy of the European Union. Polish experience in these matters can help Ukraine on the way to reforming the sphere of social protection. Keywords: project management, theEuropean StructuralFunds, European Union, local community, social policy.