On May 5, 2026, during the National Competence Centres (NCC) for Social Innovation Mutual Learning Event held in Madrid, European partners and NCCs presented the Madrid Declaration for Stronger Recognition and Funding of Social Innovation in the EU Multiannual Financial Framework 2028-2034.
For SEED2SCALE, this moment is important as the consortium has been working to strengthen social innovation ecosystems, build national strategies, support cooperation, and connect practice with policy in Croatia, Greece, Italy, Romania and Slovenia. Seeing this shared effort now take the form of a broader European declaration is an important step forward for us and for the Romanian NCC in the consortium, which undertook the role to coordinate this broad and growing European initiative.
At this stage, the Declaration is backed by 81 organisations from 18 countries, including 15 National Competence Centres for Social Innovation and signatories from all five European NCC consortia currently supported at the EU level.
The message is clear: if the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework is meant to respond to complex social, territorial, economic and democratic pressures, then social innovation needs clearer recognition, stronger funding pathways, and continued support for the ecosystem infrastructure that helps solutions emerge, transfer and scale.
We are proud of our Romanian partner, fonduri-structurale.ro, for leading this initiative and are happy to see that so many members of our consortium have joined the Declaration.
The Declaration remains open for support, and it can be consulted here.
Signing NCCs present in Madrid