The conference “Social Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy – Drivers of Local Community Development”, organized by the National Foundation for Civil Society Development on 23 and 24 September 2026 in Zadar, addressed a range of important issues over two days concerning the role of social innovation, social entrepreneurship and philanthropy in creating stronger, more resilient and inclusive local communities.
Representatives of civil society organizations, social entrepreneurs, foundations, local action groups, the public, academic and financial sectors, secondary school students and teachers, as well as domestic and international experts and practitioners, gathered at the Arsenal Cultural Centre.
The conference was opened by Cvjetana Plavša-Matić, Director of National Foundation for Civil Society Development, who emphasized the importance of creating a supportive environment for social innovation and entrepreneurship and of strengthening connections among the various stakeholders working in local communities.
Experiences from Croatia and Europe
The central part of the first day of the conference focused on the question of how social innovation, philanthropy and social entrepreneurship can drive the development of local communities.
Olga Shirobokova from Ashoka Europe spoke about social entrepreneurship and systemic change, focusing on the ways in which social innovators can address the root causes of problems and transform existing relationships and systems. Zoran Puljić from the Mozaik Foundation, using the “No One Hungry. No One Alone.” initiative as an example, demonstrated how social entrepreneurship can go beyond individual interventions and, through changes to rules, incentives and infrastructure, create more long-term change in the community.
Andreja Rosandić from Impact Europe presented models for financing social impact and the importance of financial instruments tailored to social entrepreneurs, while Milan Medić from the Croatian LEADER Network spoke about the role of LAGs and FLAGs in local development and the opportunities for stronger cooperation with social innovators and entrepreneurs. Tina Sirotić from Erste&Steiermärkische Bank d.d. presented experiences in financing social entrepreneurs and organizations, highlighting the importance of linking funding with mentoring, professional and educational support.
Ivana Vudrag from Šibenik-Knin County presented the “Let’s Go Local!” initiative, which uses short supply chains and a digital marketplace to connect local farmers more directly with the market, contributing to local agriculture and rural tourism. Jasmina Božić from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb spoke about education for social innovation and presented the international TESI-TN programme aimed at developing knowledge and competencies for designing and implementing social innovations.
From Concrete Initiatives to the Need for Further Development
During the first day, participants also had the opportunity to learn about concrete initiatives from different parts of Croatia. Poster presentations showcased examples related to youth, education and social innovation, philanthropy for local community development, labour inclusion through social entrepreneurship, as well as green innovation and sustainable local communities.
In the afternoon, four parallel workshops and thematic discussions were held on social entrepreneurship and social innovation, philanthropy and local community development, local development, and young people and local communities. From the perspective of their own organizations and areas of work, participants discussed their needs and challenges, the types of support required for further development, and ways in which the Croatian Centre for Support to Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship and its partners can provide support, as well as how the Croatian Forum of Foundations ZaDobro.BIT! can further strengthen philanthropic initiatives and the work of foundations in local communities.
The Second Day Focused on Experiences and Opportunities for Further Work
On the second day of the conference, the key conclusions of the four workshops held the previous day were presented. Among the needs highlighted by participants were more stable and diversified sources of funding, easier access to markets and customers, stronger professional and organizational capacities, and stronger cooperation with institutions and other partners. Particular emphasis was placed on the need for mentoring and marketing support, the exchange of practical knowledge among organizations, more appropriate financial instruments and institutional support, as well as stronger advocacy for regulatory solutions and market access, including through green public procurement. In the area of philanthropy, the need for greater involvement of the business sector and new ways of connecting with organizations seeking support was emphasized, while LAGs and FLAGs highlighted the need for stronger involvement in public policy development, tailored training, greater visibility and better measurement of social impact.
The work then continued in eight mixed groups bringing together representatives of organizations, foundations, LAGs and FLAGs, as well as secondary school students and teachers. Through concrete examples, participants presented their work, experiences and knowledge that could be useful to others, and discussed opportunities for applying them in their future activities.
The conference concluded with a review of the discussions and experiences shared over the two days, followed by closing remarks from National Foundation Director Cvjetana Plavša-Matić.
One of the key messages of the two-day gathering was that developing sustainable solutions to the needs of local communities requires the knowledge, experience and resources of different sectors. A good idea is only the beginning – achieving long-term social impact requires a supportive environment that enables and encourages its development, financing and sustainability, while starting from actual local needs and involving the people and organizations that know the communities in which they work best.
National Foundation will use the conclusions of the conference, the identified needs and the participants’ proposals as a basis for further developing activities and forms of support through the Croatian Centre for Support to Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, particularly in the areas of professional and mentoring support, access to funding and markets, strengthening organizational capacities, and cooperation with institutions and other partners.
Week of Philanthropy and Social Innovation 2026
The conference was held as part of the Week of Philanthropy and Social Innovation 2026, through which the National Foundation for Civil Society Development, in cooperation with the European Foundation for Philanthropy and Social Development, coordinator of the ZaDobro.BIT! Forum of Foundations, is joining the celebration of the European Day of Philanthropy and Foundations on 1 October for the eleventh time.
This year’s celebration is held under the theme “Philanthropy for People and Planet”, which places the connection between people’s well-being and the preservation of the planet at its centre, as well as philanthropy’s contribution to the development of fairer, more inclusive, resilient and sustainable communities.
The full photo gallery is available at the link.
