Study on the contribution of Civil Society to the Greek economy

The project

The aim of the project is to measure and highlight the contribution of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to the Greek economy at national and local level. The assessment is carried out through a large-scale survey in collaboration with Datapower S.A. and the implementation of appropriate economic models. The project scope also includes the assessment of the economic value of volunteering in Greece and the comparison of the cost of the goods and services provided by CSOs in relation to a government service.

The program

The project "Study on the contribution of Civil Society to the Greek economy" is implemented as part of the Active citizens fund program in Greece by the Bodossaki Foundation and subcontracted to the Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE).

The Active citizens fund in Greece is supported through a € 13.5 m grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway as part of the EEA Grants 2014 - 2021. The program aims to develop the sustainability and capacity of the civil society sector in Greece, and to strengthen its role in promoting and safeguarding democratic procedures, active citizenship and human rights. The Fund Operator for the Active citizens fund in Greece is Bodossaki Foundation in consortium with SolidarityNow.

More information:
www.activecitizensfund.gr/en/

EEA Grants

Τhe EEA Grants are jointly financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The EEA Grants are available to the 13 EU member countries that joined the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA) in 2004, 2007 and 2013 as well as Greece and Portugal. The decision-making body of the EEA Grants is the Financial Mechanism Committee, which is composed of representatives of the Foreign Ministries of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

More information:
www.eeagrants.org
www.eeagrants.gr

Bodossaki Foundation

The Bodossaki Foundation is one of the most respected privately-owned public benefit organizations in Greece. The Foundation is the culminating point of its founder’s brilliant course in life and remains the carrying vessel of the values and ideas that he faithfully served throughout his eventful life. The Foundation was established in 1972 by Prodromos – Bodossakis Athanassiades who decided to donate his entire fortune to support health care, equal opportunities, quality in education, scientific progress and environmental protection. The Foundation has a deep knowledge of social needs in Greece and has administered so far more than €450m supporting its causes.

The Bodossaki Foundation also supports NGOs working with socially vulnerable groups and has lately set the strengthening of civil society as one of its primary objectives. Since 2013 it administers the regranting facilities of the EEA Grants for civil society in Greece.

More information:
www.bodossaki.gr/en/

SolidarityNow

SolidarityNow (SN) is a non-governmental organization established in 2013 to respond to the needs, and advocate for the rights of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups, indiscriminately. SN’s Headquarters are in Athens, with large operations in Thessaloniki and activities across the country. The organization’s vision is to improve people’s lives and to empower them to create a just and inclusive society. SN’s actions fall under three main strategic priorities: a) Promoting safety and protection; b) Catalyzing livelihoods opportunities; c) Strengthening the independence of civil society and defending open society values. SN has supported 320,000 people to date, both through direct project implementation and through regranting programmes. Through its regranting initiatives, SN has supported 73 different programs and provided a total funding of € 14.4M to support Greek civil society organizations.

More information:
www.solidaritynow.org/en/

The Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE)

The Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) is a private, non-profit, public-benefit research organisation. It was established in 1975 with the dual purpose of promoting research on current problems and prospects of the Greek economy and its sectors and of generating reliable information, analysis and proposals for action that are non produced elsewhere and can thus be of high value to policy makers in the context of economic policy making.

More information:
www.iobe.gr