LET’s GO Recovery Program
The Recovery Program helps civil society organizations and their social enterprises to develop their potential in the new environment caused by the COVID-19
WHY WE NEED A RECOVERY PROGRAM FOR THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
The declared state of emergency and the restrictive measures imposed due to the spread of COVID-19 have led to a change in the business environment and to an increase in social needs in society. Social enterprises are mainly microbusiness, which operate on the borderline between two fields – business and social. Therefore, the consequences of the crisis impact their functioning both medium and long term.
Meanwhile, it is social entrepreneurship that is called upon to offer sustainable solutions of problems of public importance, most of which in existence before the crisis but deepened as a result of it.
The Recovery Program aims to
- Stimulate and support the social entrepreneurship in response to the changing environment and public needs.
- Eliminate the risk of closing of social enterprises
- Provide individual support for each social enterprise-participant as part of a process applicable to the planning and development of the activity in general;
- Enable financial support to be used for the sustainability of social entrepreneurial activities.
ABOUT THE RECOVERY PROGRAM
The Recovery Program is the adapted version of the nine-year old program of BCNL "Entrepreneurship for Non-Profit Organizations", which will carried out in 2020. Compact, focused and intensive support to address the specific needs of each social enterprise participant in view of its development plans in the times of crisis.
In April 2020 BCNL initiated the creation of a FUND: Social Enterprises, which was established with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, UniCredit Bulbank and Accenture Bulgaria. To meet the necessity for rapid action and the new needs, we have developed our support for social enterprises in three areas:
- Rescue Program: SAVE the SAVIORS
- Recovery Program: LET’s GO
- Promotion of the products of the social enterprises via www.DarPazar.bg
"We are grateful to our colleagues from the Bulgarian Center for Non-Profit Law, who with this wonderful initiative to support social businesses are once again showing they care for us. The same care they showed last year when they helped us start this social enterprise – a small bistro with 12 seats, where we provide sheltered employment for people in vulnerable situation. " – Cvetomir Dumanov, Caritas- Sofia. The social enterprise of Caritas – Sofia – Bistro Caristo is part of the Rescue Program: SAVE the SAVIORS.
FOR WHOM IS THE RECOVERY PROGRAM:
- Civil society organizations pursuing activities in the public benefit, who want to launch a business and have been active at least one year prior the date of application.
- Civil society organizations pursuing activities in the public benefit, who have been developing a business for at least a year in the scope of the organization itself or via other legal person in which the organization takes part.
In the Recovery Program are included by default the organizations which took part in the final of the “Best Business Plan of NGO” 2020 competition.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PROGRAM:
Up to 15 civil society organizations that have experience in developing social entrepreneurship or want to start such activities at the moment will join the program. A certain team of mentors will work with each organization (experts in various fields: financial planning and sales, marketing and advertising, organizational and legal issues). Within three months (June-August) each organization will have periodic meetings with its mentoring team. Each meeting includes individual sessions with individual mentors to setting goals and tasks to be achieved. Throughout the period, organizations will receive specific advice and expert support from mentors in order for the organizations to make progress.
After intensive mentoring the organization will have one month (until 10th of September) during which they will prepare a business plan and its presentation. In the end of September a jury of the program partners representatives and representatives of the media will decide on which are the best ideas and the amount of the financial support that will be given for their realization. The overall amount of the fund will be announced in September depending on the partners who have joined the program.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM , SELECTION CRITERIONS AND HOW TO APPLY CLICK HERE
The application period is open until 4 of June
FUND: Social Enterprises is developed by Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, UniCredit Bulbank and Accenture Bulgaria
