Fail, Learn, Innovate: A Decade of Social Innovation in the Czech Republic
The event organised in Prague on 13 and 14 May, ‘Supporting Social Innovation: A Journey Through Two ESF Programming Periods – The Experience of the Czech Republic’, organised by the Community of Practice (CoP) on Social Innovation, offered ESF+ bodies and National Competence Centres (NCCs) a unique opportunity to learn from the evolution and successes across two ESF programming periods.
Building a stronger innovation ecosystem: The Czech Republic’s role in advancing social innovation under ESF+
The 2021–2027 programming period brought major improvements to ESF+ support for social innovation compared with the 2014–2020 period. Key changes include clear EU-level definitions of social innovation and experimentation, which provide a shared understanding across Member States. While funding social innovation was only optional in the past, it has now become compulsory for all MS to dedicate a priority and a budget to it in at least one of their programmes – a shift widely supported by most SI stakeholders. As a result, support has expanded from 11 programmes in six countries to 44 programmes across the EU, backed by €1.565 billion in ESF+ funding. The ESF+ 95% co-financing rate has also made access to funding easier for all organisations, even in countries where social innovation lacks national backing.
Another significant change lies in the new focus on scaling successful innovations within Member States or across borders, which underpins the Social Innovation+ Initiative, the Communities of Practice activities, and the Social Innovation Match (SIM) database.
The Czech Republic has been one of the pioneering EU Member States in using the ESF to support social innovation. Since 2014, the ESF/ESF+ has supported more than 150 social innovation projects, incorporating and using several approaches over time, such as service design, VUCA, and evaluation. In 2021, the Competence Centre for Social Innovation (PodporujemeInovace) was created, which is notable for being part of the ESF+ Managing Authority (MA) within the Social Innovation Unit of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs – a model that is very rare in the EU.
Petr Havlíček, Project Manager and National Competence Centre Coordinator at the Social Innovation Unit, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs in the Czech Republic, reflected on the value of international exchange and cooperation in the field of social innovation: ‘Firstly, it provides a valuable opportunity to showcase innovative projects to our international counterparts. Representatives of these projects can connect with peers working on similar initiatives abroad, fostering collaboration and mutual understanding. Secondly, through the exchange of experiences, we can gain constructive feedback and insights from international actors, particularly concerning specific stages of innovation project support, such as how to select the most promising projects or how “success” is defined in different contexts. Lastly, the event allows us to build international networks that can prove essential when consulting on the design of future funding calls. This includes identifying the most effective types of interventions and support mechanisms, as well as learning from approaches that have not delivered the desired outcomes.’
Strengths and challenges of supporting social innovation with the ESF in the Czech Republic (2014–2027)
The study visit offered a genuine learning experience, focusing not on showcasing, but on openly sharing the Czech Republic’s two-decade journey of supporting social innovation through the ESF Managing Authority (MA). Like other countries, the Czech ESF MA faced resistance to social innovation, but through persistent advocacy since 2013, it has successfully established social innovation as a priority and built a dedicated, cross-functional team.
Following initial academic support, the MA adopted a ‘learning by doing’ approach, shifting in 2018 to integrate design thinking and service design into their calls for proposals. This resulted in a distinctive application process that prioritised understanding the problem over predefined solutions, fostering deep engagement with applicants. A two-step funding model was introduced to support small-scale experimentation, followed by larger-scale implementation, specifically catering for NGOs in complex contexts.
As the first calls for proposals were difficult for projects to grasp, the ESF MA responded by embracing user empathy and revising the calls with more flexible and accessible formats and guidance. These reforms, alongside the use of foresight methods and the introduction of a thematic call, ‘Social Innovation for the Future’, demonstrated a proactive approach to addressing emerging societal challenges and adapting to the needs of users and projects.
The NCC, established within the ESF+ MA in 2021, plays a central role in cultivating a culture of innovation in public services. Its work spans the international and internal scaling of successful projects, as well as the integration of new approaches into public administration based on the continuous improvement of internal capacities and skills.
This journey highlights the Czech ESF MA’s commitment to adaptability, collaboration, and human-centred policymaking. Their ethos of starting small, embracing failure, focusing on user needs, and fostering a playful, solution-oriented culture has become a model of effective innovation governance. Inter-ministerial collaboration remains more committed than ever to supporting social innovation, including the development of participatory practices inspired by international examples, such as Finland’s open governance.
The Czech experience proved both inspiring and instructive to participants, demonstrating that although building the internal capacities to effectively use ESF+ for social innovation is challenging, it is achievable with persistence. Discussions during the event and subsequent engagement on social media reflected a strong interest in adapting some elements of this model across Europe.
Getting inspired by the success stories of social innovation projects
More than 150 social innovation projects have been supported by the ESF/ESF+ in the Czech Republic using a variety of approaches. The calls are not based on specific topics, but rather are grounded in bottom-up and design-based methodologies that focus on the needs expressed by the organisations themselves. Projects typically emerge from two main types of calls developed by the ESF team:
- ‘Searching for New Solutions’ – designed for organisations facing persistent problems and seeking to explore innovative approaches through design thinking and rapid prototyping. This process is divided into two phases:
a. The incubation phase (14 months, approximately €100,000), focuses on understanding user needs, engaging stakeholders, prototyping, and testing ideas on a small scale.
b. The realisation (implementation) phase (up to three years, approximately €800,000) supports the piloting of validated solutions, fosters systemic change, and conducts impact evaluations. - ‘Scaling Solutions’ – intended for organisations with proven, effective methods that are ready for broader implementation.
More recently, the ‘Social Innovation for the Future’ call introduced a thematic focus based on foresight research, identifying ten predefined social challenges derived from the concept of ‘social time bombs’.
Over the course of two days, outstanding project examples were presented to highlight these ‘social time bombs’ that silently shape our societies, such as mental health issues, gender inequality, housing exclusion, energy poverty, and more. These were brought to life through site visits. These projects underscore the urgent need for collaborative social innovation, supported not only by ESF+, but also by a wider ecosystem of stakeholders committed to addressing complex societal challenges.
Learning from past experiences is essential for future success
In order to better support social innovation (SI) in the post-2027 ESF+ programming period, it is important to begin reflecting on the challenges that have been encountered to date and identify potential areas for improvement. Early reflection will help to ensure the more effective design and implementation of SI measures in the future.
Participants discussed both the strengths and challenges of the current ESF+, acknowledging the significant improvements made in supporting social innovation, from its emergence to its scaling, as well as the reinforcement of the broader innovation ecosystem. Notable developments included the mandatory ESF+ priority dedicated to social innovation, the possibility of increased financial co-funding, and the establishment of NCCs which have enriched both the support structure and the overall ecosystem.
Nonetheless, several challenges remain. These include, for example, the inadequacy of the current monitoring system, the limitations imposed by Simplified Cost Options (SCO) thresholds, and a general difficulty in achieving systemic change and policy impact. More broadly, a lack of awareness of the value of social innovation persists both within government structures and across civil society. Scaling continues to present difficulties and should be supported more comprehensively, from the initial experimental phase through to adaptation in new contexts. Moreover, social innovation is an inherently time-intensive process, and its long-term impacts do not align with the duration of available financial support.
Participants also engaged in a forward-looking discussion, brainstorming possible changes and improvements that could better address current societal challenges and anticipate future ‘social bombs’. The outcomes of the workshop will be disseminated to inform ongoing discussions around the post-2027 ESF+ support framework.
The event, ‘Supporting Social Innovation: A Journey Through Two ESF Programming Periods – The Experience of the Czech Republic’, provided a rich platform for meaningful exchange, practical learning, and cross-border inspiration. It highlighted the Czech Republic’s pioneering role in embedding social innovation within public administration and NGOs, showcasing impactful strategies for scaling, adaptability, and user-centred policymaking supported by ESF+. Participants reflected on key lessons and discussed forward-looking improvements to shape the post-2027 ESF+ framework. The enthusiastic engagement throughout the event emphasised a shared commitment to strengthening the role of social innovation in tackling Europe’s most pressing societal challenges.