SMART START hub for support of CSOs as social enterprise

The number of CSOs in Macedonia and the Western Balkans is constantly growing. In Macedonia currently there are 4686 registered CSOs, whereas more than 150.000 CSOs in the Western Balkans.

Financial resources for CSO operation are scarce because of economic situation and withdrawal of many donor agencies, which is especially dangerous for grassroots organizations. It is increasingly difficult to sustain positive impact of CSOs’ activities and support to most vulnerable population, and therefore very much needed use of innovative approaches and use of local resources.

Research made by IPSOS reveals that percentage of self-financing in total budget of CSOs is very low. To this end CRPM launched the Smart start hub which is providing capacity building and financial support to develop social entrepreneurship programs in nonprofits. Hence cooperating with the Smart start hub CSOs in Macedonia advance their (a) financial sustainability and (b) revenue-generation.

The Smart Start Hub is a support center that provides on-hand and long-term help in establishing and developing social enterprises by CSOs. It offers number of support programs such as trainings, competitions, workshops and emerging funding opportunities that is expected to influence on the growing interest from CSOs to start economic activity on the basis of social entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Smart start hub is a product of the EU funded project “Smart Start – Sustaining civil society impact through social entrepreneurship and innovations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Turkey”.