On 11 May 2024, three years passed since the Social Enterprise Commission began its work in the current composition.
In accordance with the Social Enterprise Law, the Ministry of Welfare establishes the Commission and ensures its operation, renewing its composition every three years.
The Social Enterprise Commission is a collegial consultative body, with an equal number of representatives from ministries and the non-governmental sector. The Commission examines applications for social enterprise status and annual reports submitted by social enterprises, assessing their compliance with the criteria set out in the law, and provides opinions to the Ministry of Welfare.
Over the past three years, the non-governmental sector has been represented in the Commission by the Latvian Social Entrepreneurship Association, the New Door Association, the St. Luke’s Support Society, the Association of Regional Development Centres, and the Latvian Association of the Deaf.
Representatives from the Ministry of Welfare, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Economics, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, and Ministry of Culture also took part.
During this three-year period, the Commission held 43 meetings, reviewed 96 applications for social enterprise status, granted status to 88 enterprises, and examined 488 annual activity reports of social enterprises.
These results demonstrate the active role and workload of the Commission in decision-making regarding the granting of social enterprise status and evaluating annual performance reports.
To ensure continuity, the new composition of the Social Enterprise Commission will continue to promote the development of the social enterprise sector, building on the previous achievements and accumulated experience.
The new Commission, appointed for the next three-year term, will begin its work on 21 May 2024, and will include representatives from the St. Luke’s Support Society, Latvian Social Entrepreneurship Association, Association “Wings of Hope”, Association of Regional Development Centres, and the Foundation “Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Youth Centre”.
Currently, there are 208 active social enterprises in Latvia.
In previous years, under the European Social Fund (ESF) co-financed ALTUM Social Entrepreneurship Grant Programme, 204 social business projects were supported with a total amount of EUR 12.2 million.
The Ministry of Welfare has launched support for social entrepreneurship also in the new EU funding period 2024–2029.
Within the framework of the project “Support for Social Entrepreneurship”, various forms of assistance are planned – consultative and informational support, awareness-raising and educational activities, and financial instruments such as grants, business plan preparation consultations, and compensation for employer’s mandatory social insurance contributions for the employment of persons with disabilities and mental disorders.
Support for social enterprises is essential for developing social business ideas and achieving social goals.
Grants are intended both for start-ups and business development and will be available starting from June 2024.
Those interested are invited to follow the latest information on the websites of the Ministry of Welfare and ALTUM.
The ESF+ project “Support for Social Entrepreneurship” is implemented in accordance with the Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No. 818 of 19 December 2023
“Implementation rules for Measure 4.3.3.3 ‘Support for Social Entrepreneurship’ under Specific Objective 4.3.3 of the EU Cohesion Policy Programme 2021–2027: ‘Improving access to employment and activation measures for all jobseekers, especially young people, long-term unemployed, disadvantaged groups, and economically inactive persons, as well as promoting self-employment and the social economy’.”
