This report finds that traditional development initiatives in post-communist states often focus on bolstering the private sector or the state, while ignoring organizations that combine for-profit activities with social aims.
It covers 12 post-communist countries and includes three in-depth sections devoted to the social enterprise phenomenon in Poland, Serbia and Ukraine. It suggests a number of ways to promote social enterprises in transition countries, including efforts to make the legal and political environments more favourable, holding outreach and advocacy initiatives that engage decision makers and the public, setting up agencies specifically designed to support social enterprises, and providing ‘seed money’ and small grants aiming to sustain social enterprises.