A Supportive Financing Framework for Social Economy Organisations

In recent years, social economy organisations have assumed an important position in Central and Eastern European. They have strengthened their role of representing citizens’ interests and have been providing a myriad of activities to address the different needs of various groups in society. Governments and social economy organisations have worked together to develop laws that guide their establishment and operation. However, the laws that should enable social economy organisations to draw from different resources to implement their activities and support their sustainability remain a challenge. This chapter provides a comparative overview of the legal issues that require consideration in developing strategic policies for supporting the sustainability of social economy organisations. It discusses issues such as: the legal framework for the establishment and governance of social economy organisations; the extent to which publicly beneficial organisations are distinguished and supported; and, the effect of different resources on the viability of social economy organisations. The innovative approaches adopted by different countries to address the challenges in government funding are also explored. By analysing these issues the chapter aims to underscore the important role of the policy and legal environments for the viability of social economy organisations. It also emphasises the need to enable social economy organisations to use a diverse range of resources to support their activities and to allow them to undertake them in a creative and sustainable manner.