Title
Results
European Social Catalyst Fund: Three Years on: a rapid review of an endurance sport
120 applications were received from 22 countries in the ESCF Call for proposals in 2020. Financial and non-financial support was offered in 2021 to 7 selected organisations/consortia to develop plans to scale proven innovations in 16 countries, 7 of which were in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
This rapid review sought to discover how the scaling journeys had progressed in the three years since 2021. Semi-structured interviews were held with project leads for six of the seven ESCF projects and built around these questions:
- Where was your project/innovation before selection for the ESCF?
- What financial and knowhow support did the ESCF offer you? Where else did you turn for support?
- Where is your project/innovation now in terms of scaling up and impact?
Case studies of each selected project bar one follow in table format, setting innovations working on similar societal challenges alongside each other, taking each question in turn. A reflection on some contrasting themes in their scaling routes and journeys wraps up the review.
Key Points
- For the more formalised innovations owned by mature organisations, ESCF provided scarce financial resources dedicated to strategic development rather than frontline delivery.
- For those with more shared ownership around key principles, it provided them with social innovation knowhow to expand their thinking beyond service delivery and the resources to make specific plans.
- Almost all ESCF projects have moved up at least one step in at least one country in the scaling journey from 2020 to 2024