The province as a booster of social entrepreneurship in the region

The twelve provinces in the Netherlands have a special role as the so-called “middle administration” (between local and national government). Some of their core tasks deal with issues that are essential to the transition to an impact economy, such as promoting renewable energy and strengthening the regional economy, with the main goal of stimulating employment.

What do we do?

Social Enterprise NL encourages provinces to promote social entrepreneurship in the region within their mandate. We do this by drawing attention to social entrepreneurship during provincial elections, by providing input on policy (action programs), and by conducting studies that provide insight into the regional ecosystem and make recommendations to strengthen this ecosystem, such as for the province of North Brabant (Meaningful Brabant 2017, Brabant in balance 2020 ) and the province of Overijssel (Zero measurement 2020).

What do we want to achieve?

We would like to see all 12 provinces in the Netherlands take up their role to promote social entrepreneurship in their regions in the transition to an impact economy. Specifically, we see the following opportunities for provinces:

  • Map social enterprises and establish a point of contact for entrepreneurs: The first step is to identify which social enterprises are active in the province. What policy topics are these entrepreneurs working on? What obstacles do they face? How can the province give them tailwind? But also; which types of enterprises are just thin on the ground in South Holland province and why is that so? Such an inventory is a basis for provincial policy.
  • Create appropriate financing instruments: Social entrepreneurs are looking for (growth) financing where there is an appropriate trade-off between risk, financial and social return. This is insufficiently available and thus gets in the way of creating more impact. Provinces can improve on this, for example, together with a Regional Development Company. For example, the province of North Brabant has established the Brabant Outcomes Fund. This fund focuses on scaling up social enterprises by paying out on results and also offers private financiers the chance to participate.
  • Promote procurement to county and municipalities: Social enterprises primarily seek contracts. By purchasing from social enterprises, the province can contribute to social goals, such as providing new employment and reducing resource use. In doing so, the province can also play a role in bringing together municipalities that want to do social procurement so they can learn from each other about good providers and use legal procurement opportunities in doing so.
  • Encourage impact measurement: What, specifically, does a social enterprise achieve for society? Mapping impact-the change attributable to a business-is crucial for social enterprises and its stakeholders such as provinces. Not least because social enterprises focus on social solutions that often reach across various policy programs. However, measuring impact is not easy; for SME entrepreneurs it quickly becomes too complex, time-consuming and costly. Provinces can encourage impact measurement, for example by making vouchers available for small entrepreneurs as the OECD recommends. Connect this with the 2018 published Impactpath.
  • Act as a booster for municipalities in the region: municipalities often want to, but are too small to effectively encourage social entrepreneurs. For example, the province can build a learning network, in which municipalities can learn from each other so they do not have to keep reinventing the wheel.

As a province, do you want to promote social entrepreneurship in the region, but don't know how? Or do you have another related question?

Neem dan contact op met Nick Sens (email: nick@social-enterprise.nl / 06-38967551​​​​​​)

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