Regional management of funds for micro-projects implemented by NGOs as a catalyst for economic activity of local communities on the example of the program “Społecznik 2017-2024”

Abstract

PURPOSE: The article seeks to systematize knowledge on the principles of financing microprojects implemented by the NGO sector in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in 2017-2022 on the example of the "Społecznik" program carried out with funds from the budget of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship through a literature review and analysis of available regional reports. The discussion and conclusions elaborate on the topic of NGO financing, with a particular focus on foundations and associations, from the perspective of their importance to strategies for building and strengthening local communities and enhancing regional economies.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: In order to achieve the goal, the following research questions were formulated: 1. Definition of basic terms related to the topic of the article: financing of micro-projects implemented by NGOs 2. What are the reasons why the phenomenon of implementation of grassroots social initiatives is important for the management strategy of NGO financial support? The structure of the article corresponds to the stated objectives. The introduction describes the genesis, research problem and basic definitions related to the phenomenon of grassroots local community initiatives, including micro-projects. A literature review of socioeconomic issues related to types of NGOs, their sources of funding and NGO needs was conducted.

FINDINGS: Micro-project financing under the advance payment system, is an important element in the management of social economy entities in regional economies, hence this choice of keywords.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: NGO’s can influence the local economies in a variety of ways, for instance, by initiating development projects, supporting social entrepreneurship, providing social services, or raising public awareness. Their activities contribute to increasing the potential of the local economy, creating jobs and improving the quality of life of local residents.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The present study is related to Micro-projects implemented under the “Społecznik” Program as an example of how, even the smallest grants with an average value of PLN 5,000, can influence the activity of local small communities.